Dutch Nazi Geert Wilders On Trial This Week

When he was Secretary of State-- before he stole a presidential election from Andrew Jackson-- John Quincy Adams wrote that "America does not go abroad in search of monsters to destroy." Those were the days! I went abroad to live for almost seven years while America was destroying the lives of millions of Vietnamese peasants. One of the great things about living abroad is, obviously, making lifelong friends in other countries. I still see my friends Toon and Mieke, and not just when I go to Holland or they come to the U.S., but also in other countries. Two years ago we went to Mexico City together and last year we spent a month in Marrakech. Now, America has enough problems at home for me to go looking for monsters to destroy abroad but Toon told me something in Marrakech that has haunted me ever since and that came roaring to life this morning: the head of his country's fascist Freedom Party, Geert Wilders, the power behind the current coalition government of more mainstream rightist Mark Rutte, would be the country's next prime minister.

Last time out the fascists came in third. The danger from Wilders has actually united Dutch Muslims and Jews in a common defense.

The Netherlands, one of Europe's first countries to allow Jews to practice their religion openly, may soon pass a law banning the kosher slaughter of animals. An alliance of a small animal rights party and the larger xenophobic Freedom Party of Geert Wilders is spearheading support for the ban on kosher and halal slaughter methods. The far-right's embrace of the bill, which is expected to go to a parliamentary vote this month, is based mostly on its strident hostility toward the Dutch Muslim population. The Party of the Animals (PvdD), the world's first such party to gain parliamentary representation, has argued that humane treatment of animals is more important than traditions of tolerance. Jewish and Muslim groups have called the proposed bill an affront to freedom of religion.

Wilders first came to attention on this side of the Atlantic when he released his viciously anti-Muslim propaganda film, Fitna. Since then he's gotten close with U.S. racists and wing-nuts, from Arizona Republican Jon Kyl to bizarre right-wing media whore Pamela Geller. Last week he announced he would be releasing a slanderous film about Muhammed, sure to disturb Muslims, Fitna II. His Dutch popularity immediately took a hit, the equivalent of two Parliamentary seats in the next election. The percentage of Freedom Party voters who say they would vote for the party again has dropped to 79 percent, the lowest level in the polls since 2006.

Meanwhile now, Wilders is in the middle of a hate speech trial in Amsterdam. Wilders' lawyers are trying to get the charges dismissed on a technicality and there should be a ruling today Monday.

Wilders says the trial is about his right to free speech. Dutch Muslims who pressed for the trial say it is about their right to practice their religion freely. They say Wilders' strident anti-Islam tone has led to increased discrimination against them and even attacks on mosques.

Wilders is charged with inciting hatred against Muslims based on their religion or race, and for "making statements insulting to Muslims as a group." Each charge carries a maximum sentence of one year imprisonment, although a fine would be more likely if he were found guilty.

Nearly 100 public remarks by Wilders have been entered into evidence. Typical among them was an interview published in De Volkskrant newspaper in which he said: "The core of the problem is the fascist Islam, the sick ideology of Allah and Mohammed as written down in the Islamic Mein Kampf."