The Dutch might have it right. Well, kindof.

[roscoe]

Holland may test applicants from the East<br />By David Rennie<br />LONDON DAILY TELEGRAPH<br /><br /><br />BRUSSELS — Under a government proposal, largely Third World people applying to live in the Netherlands will have to take an examination to prove they understand the language and culture. <br />    The test will require 350 hours of study and cost $468. <br />    A video designed to capture the essence of Dutch life would be sent to applicants in their home countries. The video offers images of windmills, tulips, a description of the flag and a brief biography of William of Orange. As an early warning of the liberal mores, it also shows topless women sunbathing and a homosexual wedding. <br /><br />  It is the latest sign of the growing hard line on immigration after decades in which the Netherlands has been one of Europe's most tolerant nations. <br />    Murders and death threats from Muslim extremists in the country have been matched by rising assaults on immigrants and arson attacks on mosques. <br />     There are now nearly a million Muslims in the Netherlands, or 6 percent of the population. <br />    Announcing the proposals in parliament late Thursday, Immigration Minister Rita Verdonk said the test would not be required for European Union citizens or people from Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Canada, the United States, Australia, New Zealand or Japan. Female victims of human trafficking would also be exempt. <br />    The test would be obligatory for all others hoping to live in the country, commonly by marrying a Dutch citizen or by joining family members already there. The video says Holland is "a small country with 16 million inhabitants, making it one of the most densely populated in the world." Immigrants play an important role but protests against their numbers are mounting, it points out. <br />    The language part of the test would be computerized and taken by telephone. Applicants would be asked to repeat recorded phrases then answer simple questions in Dutch, such as: "How many wheels does a car have?" Knowledge of Dutch culture would be tested in separate sessions organized by embassies. <br />    It is expected that about 14,000 candidates, mostly from Turkey, Morocco and Surinam, will take the test each year under the proposed Newcomers' Integration Act, which must first be approved by parliament.

 

[WillyBWright]

Re: The Dutch might have it right. Well, kindof.

That might be okay for them, but how many of our ancestors spoke the language when they arrived on North American shores? I guess they should've been turned away too. America was founded on diversity of cultures. Besides, what is our "official" language anyhow? Seems to me that we should all go back and learn Native American tongues if WE want to qualify for citizenship. After all, they were here first.

 

[crab bait]

Re: The Dutch might have it right. Well, kindof.

this is no lie.. it was on a flyer onetime for the reasons to vote.. <br /><br />it was about 10 of 'um..<br /><br />one bein' that kennedy won by such a slim margin an such.. but one that stuck to me was..<br /><br />the offical language of the USA is english because of a one vote favor over german..<br /><br />( watch out for spanish commin' 'over the river & thru back-door' )

 

[12Footer]

Re: The Dutch might have it right. Well, kindof.

Willy, you're dead on. My parents' ancestry is German and Irish. But one thing to keep in mind is, I ,for some reason, do not speak a word of German,(except for verbage learned from Sgt Shultz on "Hogan's Heroes"), and I have a slight Southern drawl.<br />What drives me nuts down here in Florida, are the spanish-only resteraunts and gas stations. Not that I object to the launguage of spanish, or those who speak it....Just those who only speak it! I don't really care how they speak to other people, just how (and if) they can speak to me.<br />I'm under the impression (correct me if I'm wrong), that you would be happy with a "nation of babble" ,allong the same lines of the biblical tower which failed utterly.<br />To get an idea of just what such a nation would be like, take a trip to Miami sometime. And don't forget to patronise the fine resturuants (not being flippant there, they are world-class) of Hialeah.<br />I was born and raised in Dade County, back when Castro took the riegns of Cuba, the "Cuban boatlift". The public school system back then was a far cry from the revisionist indoctrination mill of today, at least, not as blatant about it. Back then, we had kids who just learned english. But those who spoke only spanish struggled with racism isolationism from us "American" students, to the point of intervention by the schools. The interventions werked -- And spanish classes became prerequisite to graduation from 6th grade!<br /><br />All that to say, I have a stake in this as much as any other American. And as for me, I will never patronize those resteruants and gas stations without english signage.

 

[roscoe]

Re: The Dutch might have it right. Well, kindof.

Willy, they are not being turned away. Just required to learn enough of the language to communicate with the society they wish to move to. And to be aware that they are moving to a country with a very liberal and pemissive mindset. This in an effort to maintain a functioning community and to avoid the ethnic ghettos and isolation that 12footer speaks of.