Tolerance...

When I was living in the Netherlands the big debate at the time was how they were to handle the influx of the muslim population into their society. You see, the Netherlands is always in danger of losing their identity because of their small size, and they therefore fight with vigor to hold onto any identity they might have. For instance, a couple years ago some of the government attempted to make it illegal to speak anything but the Dutch language in public (thank goodness that didn't happen, I would have been in trouble!) Well the debate on how to handle the Muslim influx has continued and I got a kick out of what I read today on the BBC webpage:

The burqa, a full body covering that also obscures the face, would be banned by law in the street, and in trains, schools, buses and the law courts.
The cabinet said burqas disturb public order, citizens and safety.
The decision comes days ahead of elections which the ruling centre-right coalition is expected to win.
Immigration Minister Rita Verdonk, who is known for her tough policies, said it was important that all people in the Netherlands were able to see and identify each other clearly to promote integration and tolerance.

Yes, Netherlands we know you are "tolerant" I guess we just didn't realize we had to be your kind of tolerant.