Dennis Hollingsworth

Heroine

The news is breaking fast on the kerfluffle about whether Ayaan Hirsi Ali should be depatriated from the Netherlands because of a previously overlooked irregularity in AHA's history as a Dutch citizen.

I've been preparing this blogpost in my notes, and it seems I should truck it out post haste since the story is mutating with every hour.

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A great human being is moving to the United States. Good for us, too bad for the Netherlands though.

But you know, I see much continuity between the Dutch and North Americans, so maybe the move isn't so far away, anyway.

But here is the grave and sad news. After being forced into hiding by fascist killers, Ayaan Hirsi Ali found that the Dutch government and people were slightly embarrassed to have such a prominent "Third World" spokeswoman in their midst. She was first kept as a virtual prisoner, which made it almost impossible for her to do her job as an elected representative. When she complained in the press, she was eventually found an apartment in a protected building. Then the other residents of the block filed suit and complained that her presence exposed them to risk. In spite of testimony from the Dutch police, who assured the court that the building was now one of the safest in all Holland, a court has upheld the demand from her neighbors and fellow citizens that she be evicted from her home. In these circumstances, she is considering resigning from parliament and perhaps leaving her adopted country altogether. This is not the only example that I know of a supposedly liberal society collaborating in its own destruction, but I hope at least that it will shame us all into making The Caged Virgin a best seller.

Come to Los Angeles, Mrs. Ali and be my neighbor.
I've got your back.

Here's her statement:

You probably are wondering, what is my real name?

I am Ayaan, the daughter of Hirsi, who is the son of a man who took the name of Magan. Magan was the son of Isse, who was the son of Guleid, who was the son of Ali. He was the son of Wai?ays, who was the son of Muhammad. He was the son of Ali, who was the son of Umar. Umar was the son of Osman, who was the son of Mahamud. This is my clan, and therefore, in Somalia, this is my name: Ayaan Hirsi Magan Isse Guleid Ali Wai?ays Muhammad Ali Umar Osman Mahamud.

Following the May 11 television broadcast, legal questions have been raised about my naturalization as a Dutch citizen. Minister Verdonk has written to me saying that my passport will be annulled, because it was issued to a person who does not hold my real name. I am not at liberty to discuss the legal issues in this case.

So what is happening is that the enemies of Ayaan Hirsi Ali have decided to game the system in order to eliminate her. People who game the system are a jaded lot, cynical would one have to be in order to first gain an intimate knowledge of something and then subvert it. I am saying that the effort to eject Ayaan Hirsi Ali from the Dutch Parliament is an insult to freedom loving Europeans everywhere. The current tightening of restrictions on political asylum seekers doesn't make much sense when it is certainly in our interest to further freedom of speech in the world at large. Internecine fighting might be part of the human condition, but when it approaches the level of total war in the midst of mutually lethal dangers.... political infighting is beginning to appear suicidal.

This, from her recent news conference:

Q: What do you think of Rita Verdonk?
A: I am still very fond of Rita. [...] I separate my business and private life.

I will leave, but the questions remain. It is delusional to think that nothing has changed. Because after 9/11 the world has changed.

I feel obligated to help others to live in freedom

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Latest news is that the Dutch Parliment argued until 2:45am and the conclusion is that Verdonk should open a parallel inquiry into the possibility of granting Ayaan Hirsi Ali an exception for being exceptional.

That would be smart. I hope they do it even though we in the States would welcome her with open arms. Better for her to continue the fight for our free moderrn world -in Europe- for the sake of all of us on both sides of the Atlantic and beyond.

Posted by Dennis at May 17, 2006 8:27 AM