The past few months have seen an unusual deluge of attacks on Belgium in the (predominantly) conservative US media, mainly focusing on the way my country handles major issues such as freedom of speech, immigration and human rights.
Unlike spied-upon US citizens, we still enjoy our privacy, universal social/medical healthcare and human rights. Belgium is not at war, does not invade other countries and manages to offer all its citzens a decent income.
I wonder why the US conservative media all of a sudden discovered small, but liberal Belgium, by starting a slanderous campaign in several influential conservative papers.
A few quotes:
The Wall Street Journal, on Aug 22: http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB115620653882441697-lMyQjAxMDE2NTI2MjIyMDI2Wj.html : Let me just quote one blatant lie : ["Amid a pervasive and growing sense of lawlessness -- Belgium's per capita murder rate, at 9.1 per 100,000 is nearly twice that of the U.S"].
Fact: Belgium has one of the lowest, the US one of the highest murder rates. An inhabitant of Washington DC faces an absurd murder risk of 69 (murders per million), Brussels, Belgium has a murder ratio of only 0.4/million.
http://pespmc1.vub.ac.be/BelgCul2.html: (Quote:) “Although a few spectacular murders and robberies have grabbed the public attention and crime rates have been increasing, the crime rate in Belgium is still quite low. The British ministery of Foreign Affairs calculated that Brussels is the safest capital in the world with respect to the risk for murder. With a ratio of 0.4% per 100,000 inhabitants (4 murders per million) Brussels is situated in front of Rome (1.7) and London (2.1), and far before Moscow (18.1) and Washington (69.3). A 1990 UN crime survey found that Belgian cities scored among the best for risks of assault and frightening threats.”
Washington Times editorial, Aug 17: http://washingtontimes.com/op-ed/20060816-090457-4849r.htm Quote: ["Free speech is under attack in Belgium"] - this dubious editorial is defending an extremist right-wing Blog (The Brussels Journal), who’s main author is married to a Belgian MP of the extreme Right-Wing “Vlaams Blok”, a party that had to change its name after being outlawed for blatant racism (details: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vlaams_Blok )
Apparently, when the US conservative establishment is confronted with major problems abroad (Irak, etc) and at home (an administration that visibly doesn’t care about the US constitution, while facing increasing “homeland” poverty, crime, etc), it’s easy but still useless to throw some mud around towards tiny, more liberal countries overseas.
The Washington Times editor apparently doesn’t realise that most of his readers can’t even locate Belgium on a worldmap, caused by the failing (and for public schools often crumbling) US education system.
It must be frustrating, living in the land of the free, ruled by an “administation” that shows contempt for the US constitution and the basic rights and of its own citizens.
This blog is not affiliated with or endorsed by the city of Antwerp, Belgium.
Cool blog, Peter, thanks.
Just curious - I’m a foreigner here. Only been here a few months… so still learning. Most people I speak to - both locals and foreigners - talk of the ‘racist’ Vlaamse Belang - and that 30% of Belgians vote for them.
I don’t realy get it.
So far, I’m falling in love with Belgium. Still the honeymoon period! And the people I’ve met are great - and certainly as forward thinking and open as you describe. And they seem to be in the majority. So, how come, with forced voting, does a ‘racist party’ get into power?
Just interested in your views.
Thanks again,
Ry x
[Comment from the author: "Well, I guess there is no simple explanation. VB voters are a mixed bag: separatists (The Dutch speaking majority in Belgium had and still has to fight for their rights), but mostly dissatisfied people who are fed up with 'politics' in general. The extremist VB simply targets those voters by offering easy, but extremely unrealistic solutions for very complex problem. Obligatory voting is even a VB vote-booster: many of their electorate would simply not show up without this obligation. In my experience, some VB voters are plain racists, but most are not and this fact shows that Belgium has actually been shifting to the right.]
Comment by Ryan Ducie — August 23, 2006 @ 8:08 pm
Nicely put.
Despite my intense frustration with the paperwork here and the trauma it causes people who are already struggling, there is much to respect and enjoy about Belgium.
You know, recently I had to explain the reality of the Brussels Journal to an American friend here. She asked if I read it and I gave the appropriate disgusted snort. Unfortunately a lawyer friend she respects back in the States thinks the brussels journal is the real thing … terrifying really.
[Comment from the author: "Indeed, I'm sure most Americans are not aware that the "brusselsjournal.com" ("news and opinions not fit to print", it claims on top) is written by the husband of Alexandra Colen, a MP representing the (far) right-wing, extremist "Vlaams Blok" (or "Vlaams Belang", after a court outlawed them). ]
Comment by Di — August 24, 2006 @ 10:21 pm
Dear Peter,
Thank you very much indeed for your excellent piece. I have visited the Brussel’s Journal on a few occasions, and I found it to be full of hate and incitement. I think in recent years European racists and US neo conservatives have formed an unholy alliance to vilify immigrants and to portray Europe as being under siege by immigration. I think you deserve a gold medal for exposing the fallaciously racist nature of these assumptions.
Please DO NOT STOP your excellent work !
Comment by SAS — September 19, 2007 @ 2:44 am