|
|
|
| Mon, Dec. 07 - - Mobile - RSS | |
| YOUR TOWN: Caroline | Culpeper | King George | Fredericksburg | Orange | Spotsylvania | Stafford | Westmoreland | |
|
|
Dutch 'morals' are just fine, thank you
Date published: 2/6/2007 Letter-writer Dave Furtnett did not help the American stereotype by demeaning the Dutch ["Forget geography; what about Dutch morality?" Jan. 25]. In an attempt to refute the charge that "Americans are challenged regarding geography," Mr. Furtnett reverts to the tactics of the ignorant and immature by totally changing the subject. Despite Mr. Furtnett's allegation of "no morals," Holland ranks very high as a nation for the quality of life for its people. The percentage of AIDS/HIV infection is one-third that of the U.S., and the rates of infant mortality, longevity, and violent crime are all proportionately better than U.S. rates--to me, all signs of "good, clean living." Further, of the 20 Dutch students I knew in college, I was aware of only one who occasionally smoked pot, and none did cocaine or hallucinogens. I cannot say the same of the 10 American students I knew at the time, even prior to their visit to Holland. Living amid temptation without succumbing to it is "morality." It is also called "personal responsibility," a quality that is so lacking today in the U.S. We cannot create a moral society by dictating personal choices; to do so only creates more criminals and a totalitarian regime. Elsa Katz Spotsylvania
Date published: 2/6/2007
Quality of life for its people
(posted by
emptyhouses
, Sep. 25, 2007 2:41 pm)
I do some business in the Netherlands and find the Dutch individually to be no better or worse than us. A large part of their economy is based on tourism and two of the main draws for tourists are the sex and drug trade. Most of their sex workers are victims of human trafficking from Eastern Europe, Africa and Asia. They will not regulate smoking in public because of the effect on coffee (marijuana) shops. They are also a major exporter of Ectasy. This is all with the blessing of the Dutch people.
|
 |
|||
|
|||
