In praise and remembrance of Theo Van Gogh

It was a little over two years ago that a challenge was made to the West in general and the Dutch specifically. Pieter Dorsman over at Pajamas Media has a solid overview on what Theo means even today as the Dutch move towards an election this fall where a Muslim member of the Labour Party decided to dig up Theo remains and fling his memory like a weapon - with some blowback.

Theo himself no doubt, would be disgusted to learn that the Left had decided to dig up his legacy and repurpose it for its own electoral benefits. Yet, at the same time he would be bemused and laugh at the clumsiness with which his fellow countrymen tried to streamline the debate of which he was one of the initiators. He once lamented in one of his columns that fools ‘have essentially taken over this country’. Well Theo, you can rest assured: they’re still here.

But enough of that, read Pieter's bit for the details. Below are three bits, one and interview with Theo in his wonderful full-throated Northern Netherlands accent (translation at bottom) and the protests that took place at Dam Square in Amsterdam after Theo's murder. Finally, Submission, the film he died for, and another hero of the West, Ayaan Hirsi Ali will live the rest of her life under the protection of armed guards. What have you done?

Translation of video:

“I am forty-seven years old now, so you could say that the best years of my life are behind me. But, I have the privilege to open the film set here this morning on the beautiful and sun-drenched island of Texel near an exotic pier where we will shoot the final scene of my fabulous movie. There are worse ways to get through the penopause, so you won’t hear me complaining… “

“ The idea that showing off your bare breasts gives one a feeling of freedom is a total misconception. There are very few people who can handle that physically, and if you see all those depressing boobs, then you know for sure that God did not intend the world to let you show these hanging boobs or fat asses naked on the beach. Get dressed I would say ! “

“ We are going to shoot a scene shortly where Tara sits in the bathtub and will almost get killed. Tara has told us that Julia Roberts always demanded that the crew be naked if she did a nude scene so that the filming moves quicker and the crew is not just staring at a naked actress. So that is what I have implemented here too, the whole crew will be naked while Tara will be sitting naked in the bathtub. Well, you should have seen the panic, especially among the ladies in the team. Well, I said, fine then find yourself a replacement, Tara is our lead character and weÂ’re going to support her. Tara is a bit prudish and you can clearly see that and I actually find that quite sexy. But a nude scene is always difficult, you know. It is a beautiful business, making movies … “