Firefighters try to douse the flames at the Bedir Islamic elementary school in Uden, the Netherlands (AP)
Dutch Religious Violence Flares Story aired: Wednesday, November 17, 2004
Holland is considered one of the most tolerant countries in Europe. Prostitution, soft drug use, assisted suicide and gay marriage are legal, but according to the prime minister, Holland is becoming "un-Dutch" because of roiling racial tensions between the Dutch and Muslim populations. Over the past two weeks politicians and average citizens have been debating how to combat Islamic terrorism without making scapegoats of the country's Islamic residents.
Meanwhile, police have been rounding up terror suspects, and at least 20 mosques, churches and schools have been attacked all following the murder of Dutch filmmaker Theo Van Gogh, a descendant of the famous painter's brother. Police believe Van Gogh was killed because of his vitriolic criticism of conservative Muslim culture, and because of his controversial short film on women and Islam, called "Submission."
Guests:
Perro de Jong, Dutch journalist
Rudd Peters, professor of Islamic Studies at University of Amsterdam
Mustafa Labouie, Amsterdam city council member
SPECIAL FEATURE:
View the entire short film, Submission. (11 min.) **Contains some nudity and disturbing images.
