Comments on: Number 2 in line for the Dutch throne resigns

By: Markku Nordstrom

Markku Nordstrom — Sat, 18 Oct 2003 06:51:35 +0000

Frans: I tend to agree with your views on royalty. But I wouldn’t eliminate the institution. Try as we might in reasoning through it all, royalty means a hell of a lot for elderly ladies and the like, who seem to find it worthwhile.

And it’s too easy to explain it all away as some sort of marketing ploy. There seems to be some kind of primal connection and need of some significance. I wouldn’t take that away from them….

By: Markku Nordstrom

Markku Nordstrom — Sat, 18 Oct 2003 06:34:12 +0000

Zizka: I’ve tried to google the article for you, but to no avail. It was a number of years ago…

It was an item in the New York Times: if I recall correctly, it was about a murder of a woman who was an employee of the UN, and a mistress to some Arab diplomat. The NYPD was repeatedly blocked in its investigation by invocations of diplomatic immunity. Finally, the main suspects just left the country….

By: Zizka

Zizka — Thu, 16 Oct 2003 00:33:01 +0000

Tell me about the murder. I’m jaded as far as parking tickets are concerned.

By: Markku Nordstr?m

Markku Nordstr?m — Wed, 15 Oct 2003 18:58:13 +0000

Zizka: I could tell you a number of anecdotes I’ve heard over the years here in New York about the corruption within the UN, starting with the parking tickets, through to willful harassment of American workers with civil lawsuits (UN diplomats may sue Americans in American civil court, yet Americans cannot countersue UN diplomats, – ever); to cocaine trafficking via diplomatic pouches; to sexual harassment; to shoplifting; and finally to murder.

But that’s not surprising, considering the majority of the UN’s member states are corrupt, non-democratic states used to cronyism.

By: Antoni Jaume

Antoni Jaume — Sun, 12 Oct 2003 18:27:49 +0000

I suppose she was still a student then, since it was before 1992. And that her work with the UN is caused by her liaison with the Dutch royals. It is of bad taste to work directly in for-profit organisations in such cases.

DSW

By: Zizka

Zizka — Sun, 12 Oct 2003 11:58:00 +0000

For me the odd thing was a UN employee with a gangster boyfriend. Is the American right wing right about UN corruption?

I think that Abiola’s fears about the lady’s reaction are on target.

Though frankly, “Queen of the Netherlands” doesn’t sound all that sexy. Especially (with all due respect) given the various meanings of “nether”.

By: Frans Groenendijk

Frans Groenendijk — Sun, 12 Oct 2003 03:03:02 +0000

“, the whole lot seem just as silly.”
IMO the monarchy itself is silly.
But not just silly. Disgusting and frightening as well.
The whole idea is at odds with the spirit of the constitution; with all modern constitutions I assume.
To me it is disgusting because of the irrationality of the system: an arrogance reminding me of the mob is normal in the surroundings of this persons. Mrs. Orange announced the engagement of her son with the words “..she already conquered her place in our family…”. Not “acquired” or something like that; no “conquered”. In the presence not only of the media but of the mother of the bride-to-be as well.
What is frightening me is the mixture of hypocrisy, irrationality and -most importantly- OPPORTUNISM that is displayed by many politicians when the monarchy is involved. Not while now we are stuck with the anachronism of the monarchy too long, -in the country that became a republic first in Europe turning it into a source of inspiration for other Europeans on economic, political and cultural issues- , but because of the effect on politics itself.
Because of the popularity of the monarchy none of our spineless politicians dare to put straightforward critics. Combined with the infantile attention of the media all works out into a sinister circuit. Attacks are flung back to everyone who speaks out. The same mechanism that is used by Berlusconi and the likes of him. Even now, on the occasion of the resignation of Friso’s claim, the press stresses how Mrs. Orange must suffer from the whole situation.
This encouragement of opportunism I recognize outside the formal monarchy as well.
Look what happens in California with movie star Schwarzenegger. I don’t pass judgment on the abilities of Arnold himself but I do see that the Republicans swallow their opinions on items important to them to go with the AS-hype and some Democrats do the same.
Another illustration of this cowardice in Dutch politics was shown by the Fortuynists. Fortuyn acted as a movie-star. Therefore he had no trouble to state his republican preferences. Just weeks after his violent death his faint-hearted adherents came out as supporters of the monarchy.

By: Abiola Lapite

Abiola Lapite — Sat, 11 Oct 2003 19:19:56 +0000

“It depends on your point of view I suppose, but I never found not being a Windsor too hard to accept.”

Yes, but you’re speaking from the perspective of one who sees the duties rather than the rewards. There are many, many people in this world who fantasize about living the life of royalty – it’s no accident that St. Andrews University received so many applications from young American women once it was announced that Prince William would be attending that institution.

There is no shortage of women in this world who would kill to live out their Prince Charming fantasies, which is why I wonder whether Miss Mabel Wisse Smit, who has, at the very least, been shown to have been free with the truth AND to have had shady associates, will be quite as happy with her “prize” if it is shorn of a right to the Dutch succession.

NB – What’s the policy here with regards to HTML tags? It would be nice to be able to emphasize things without resorting to all-caps, which seems too much like shouting to me.

By: Edward Hugh

Edward Hugh — Sat, 11 Oct 2003 17:55:26 +0000

“will be quite as happy with his self-sacrifice”

This is assuming that not being a monarch is a sacrifice, isn’t it Abiola? It depends on your point of view I suppose, but I never found not being a Windsor too hard to accept.

By: Abiola Lapite

Abiola Lapite — Sat, 11 Oct 2003 17:39:05 +0000

Given the circumstances, I think that Friso was right to give up his claims to the throne. He seems determined to marry this woman, who I believe is being dishonest when she claims not to have had sexual relations with Brunsma, and better he be out of the equation altogether than that he try to follow in the footsteps of Prince Charles, who seems to imagine he will eventually succeed in forcing Camilla Parker-Bowles down the throat of the British public.

The only question in my mind is whether Friso’s bride-to-be will be quite as happy with his self-sacrifice in the long run. She seems the sort of person who has an affinity for power and the limelight*, and the prospect of someday being queen, however remote, might well have played a significant role in her attraction to the young prince. How long will she stick it out with him if she doesn’t get invited into the ranks of European high society as a fully paid up member?

*There’s a more impolite word for what I’m getting at – Star****er …