So this month is off again?
November was kinda improvment, wasnt it? http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2009/11/dutch_less_negative_about_immi.php

By Jon | December 4, 2009 9:36 AM

What should we expect with a childish government who consistently reinforces the social divide by being openly hostile toward immigrants?

By J. | December 4, 2009 10:45 AM

well, if you are not happy with immigration, maybe you should go and live in an other country :-p

By johnny | December 4, 2009 11:32 AM

Recessions/world market collapses bring protectionism in tow. People get frightened and wish to feel safe with like people. When immigrants fail to adjust their former lifestyle to that of their new country is when they get "targeted" by the native people of that country. How many "Europeans" have been kidnapped for they were from Europe and in a foreign county. This just makes Europeans more protective of their country.

By Paul Martin | December 4, 2009 12:54 PM

It's a problem when there is a kneejerk, thoughtless, reaction to all seeking safe place to live and/or work regardless of what conditions people have had to suffer before eventually arriving.

By Gerard | December 4, 2009 6:26 PM

Wasn't there a recent news article about it being DOWN?

By Laura | December 6, 2009 12:49 PM

What exactly does "fail to adjust" mean? Seems to me that even if the "target immigrants" act exactly like the Dutch -- and they usually do, from what I see -- they'd still be targets just because they aren't invisible enough. As long as they stand out from the crowd and have an accent they will be targets. Fearful people need an easy scapegoat.

By CW | December 7, 2009 8:20 AM

I think this will be forever the case in a society, when economy is doing great, it is better, when economy is bad, or anything goes wrong the first one to blame is the ones that are not belonging to the mainstream society, I personally do not have such experience that I have been looked down upon, and that I have been squeezed out of the "main circle", because I do speak Dutch and I do what the Dutch do when I am in Holland; and I am very friendly to my neighbours, and I am very integrated to the society, but I do still get a letter from the IND that I must take a compulsory examination for the Dutch language within 5 years of the receipt of the letter! I am not even working for a Dutch company ( I have a job working for another EU country, but living in Holland, married to a Dutch man), but I am paying 52% of my salary to the TAX authority to support those who are attributing to the anti-immigrationist and many others socially?! Can anyone in the cabinet make a single sense to me about this "inburgering rule"??? I will refuse to go to the exam, and if I will get a "fine" as mentioned on the letter, I will NOT pay it, and will refuse to pay the DUTCH TAX until they could make sense to me!!!!

By NVWA | December 7, 2009 3:08 PM