My inbox this morning was full of e-mail from Dutch readers pointing me to the murder of Theo van Gogh, a renowned Dutch filmmaker. Van Gogh had taken a critical view of Islam following 9/11, strongly supported slain Dutch politician Pim Fortuyn and recently released a movie together with Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a Somali-born member of Dutch parliament who has been very outspoken on the role of women in Islam. The killer, of Moroccan descent, was arrested shortly afterward by Dutch police. The wounds barely healed after the Fortuyn murder are ripped wide open:

The killing, which was widely condemned by Muslim groups, could raise the political temperature in the Netherlands where security for politicians was stepped up after the killing of anti-immigration populist Pim Fortuyn ahead of the May 2002 election in which his party captured second place.

Yes, it seems the perpetrator is another lone nut but the context is clear: you can't speak out your mind about certain issues in Europe in 2004. Killing politicians is reprehesible, killing artists is the start of sure and steady journey into the dark. More later.

UPDATE I: Sullivan comments:

We often hear cant about suicide bombers being "martyrs". Nope, Theo van Gogh is a martyr - for exposing the mysogeny at the heart of Islamism.

UPDATE II: The recent movie addressed the abuse of Muslim women as follows:

His short English-language film "Submission," which aired on Dutch television in August, enraged the Netherlands' Muslim community — including some Muslim women's groups that called its depiction of abuse of women insensitive.

In the fictional story, a veiled Muslim woman spoke about her violent marriage, being raped by a relative and being brutally punished for adultery. In parts of the movie, the actress' naked body is shown through a transparent gown — with Quranic verses written on it in one scene — further angering some Muslims.

Echoes of Salman Rushdie.

UPDATE III: Translated a reaction from the Dutch Justice Mninister:

Dutch Justice Minister Donner called it ”terrible for the country” if indeed Van Gogh’s movie caused his murder. He continued by saying that if the killing resulted from certain statements by Van Gogh it would become hard in Holland “to live together in a normal fashion”

UPDATE IV: A commenter on LGF notes:

Note that the AP cheerily refers to Ayaan Hirsi Ali as a "right-wing politician". Apparently, anyone in Europe these days who raises a word of protest against a culture that treats women like cattle is "right-wing". Gosh, I guess that makes me right-wing, too.

Indeed. Hirsi Ali is a member of the Liberal free-market party. They are to the right of the center in Holland but far from "right-wing". I would compare them to the Democrats in the US and the Liberals in Canada.

UPDATE V: Van Gogh was working on a movie about Fortuyn, due to be released next year.

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