Another reason to celebrate

Sound and Art for Peace

This video came up on my Google Reader via Presentation Zen, a blog I like to follow. If you look, he also recently posted a hilarious presentation about buying a car. Anyway, this one is an old interview with John Lennon about what else, peace. It's worth a listen and the art is something else, too. In case you're not convinced yet, the film was also nominated for an Oscar (Best Animated Short Film) in 2008. Enjoy!

"Integration" in the Netherlands

Some of you may not be aware of my minor obsession with immigration policy in the Netherlands. In the good times (when I don't follow the news), it's a research interest. In the bad times (when I do) it's really an obsession and more than a couple people have been subjected to rants crudely and ineffectively cloaked as discussions. Given all that, you can imagine my delight today when the Expatica.com news feed posted an item about Human Rights Watch finding the integration exam discriminatory.

Why is this grounds for celebration? Because I've been running around like chicken little about that sky falling for nearly four years now. The exam they are referring to is one that some immigrants are required to pass if they want to enter the Netherlands. The exam takes place in the country of residence (so, in your home country) and costs €350 every time you sit it. It has effectively reduced immigration into the Netherlands since its introduction. Of course, that the official policy doesn't say is that it's a move to keep certain people (especially the Muslim and the poor) out of the Netherlands. Instead, it and other restrictive immigration policies have been introduced under the guise of integration. That means, the Dutch government claims that requiring this test is good for immigrants because it insures that those immigrants who do enter the country will be more successful upon arrival. In fact, it should read "less likely to be a burden on our wonderful welfare state."

While I'm willing and happy to celebrate this report (anyone want to print all 45 pages for me?), I still have some major concerns. The Dutch integration project doesn't stop outside the country's borders. Once inside the country, some immigrants are required to complete an integration course in order to stay. Obviously this does not apply to tourists, but it does apply to individuals from some countries (and the USA is included) who want to reside either temporarily or permanently in the Netherlands. Keep in mind, this is not related to applications for citizenship, it is a requirement for residents. Again, the official reason for the course is to help resident effectively integrate into Dutch society by giving them the skills they need to effectively negotiate Dutch bureaucracy and society. I challenge this claim.

The course is made up of two parts, a language part and a "knowledge of Dutch society" part. The language section makes sense. I do believe every country has the right to expect and possibly even require people who want to reside there to speak the language. However, the level of fluency required is so low an individual can successfully complete the program with a level of Dutch that would allow them to keep up only a very basic conversation. In more technical terms, it's A2 of the Common European Framework. The knowledge of Dutch society aspect, in so far as I have been able to learn much about it, is more problematic. In addition to addressing important issues like how to contact emergency services, insurance, and banking, it is also concerned with questions of Dutch identity. This aspect of the course requires participants give the right answers to questions about, for example, homosexuality and how to interact with your neighbors. In other words, questions to which even within the Netherlands, there is no clear consensus.

Needless to say, I could go on for hours (pages) about this, and I have in the past and in other places. So, I'll just leave you with one final tidbit of information. One individual I know, an American, recently successfully completed his exam. The course work took one year, 35 hours a week, to complete. Those participants who were employed had to follow night courses. Is this a fair requirement for people who want to live in your country in order to join their families (husbands, wives, partners, children)? Will it help them to integrate into Dutch society? What is Dutch society today, anyway? So you see, while I'm very happy with the Human Rights Watch report, as they say in the Netherlands, there's still work in the store!

North Carolina Primaries

Today, I found a graphic column about the North Carolina primaries on the New York Times website. It reminded me that one of the great things about my recent trip home was that I got to participate in the North Carolina primaries. Now, being a state that votes in primaries in May, North Carolina usually doesn't count. This year, that's all different. Candidates visited the state and in Carrboro (my hometown) on May 1, there was an Obama early vote rally. I was disappointed that the candidate wasn't there to talk to us, but it was neat to attend an event where people were being encouraged to vote. North Carolina lets you vote early on a no-excuse absentee ballot.

The rally was basically a free concert featuring Superchunk and Arcade Fire. I'm not much of a music fan, unfortunately, and was probably most amused by all the cutie kids wearing huge ear protectors. But, the music was good and spending an afternoon outside listening to it was great. Here's one link and another to some pictures of the event. Best of all, I voted! It's a good thing, too. The absentee ballot I received when I got home yesterday said they have to receive my ballot the Monday before the election if I want to be counted. We'll just have to hope that my ballot for the November elections arrives with more time for sending it back than this one did!

In case you haven't checked the results yet, Obama won in North Carolina.

Registering to Vote

I had to use this great poster image of scary Uncle Sam telling everyone to vote. I love the really stilted language at the bottom. There should be more telling to do so also going on in the world, I tell you!

Today, I mailed my absentee voter registration for the 2008 elections to the Orange Country Board of Elections. That's Orange County, North Carolina. Not nearly as exciting as the California kind. Although now that I think about it, possibly named for the House of Orange, ruling family of the Netherlands. That would just be too much irony in my life. (Oh dear, I think I'm right!)

Anyway, this means I should get to vote in North Carolina's June democratic primaries as well as the big one in November. Usually, a June primary is a bit dull. Like being the last balloon in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. This year, it could be rather interesting. According to the New York Times, as of today, Clinton has 1,417 delegates and Obama has 1,529.5. What Obama's going to do with half a delegate is unclear to me, but that's how they count them. One of the candidates needs to have 2,025 delegates before there is officially a democratic nominee, so the fun is really just starting. And before anyone asks, I haven't made up my mind yet. That will require some deep reading and thinking. But opinions are always welcome and interesting! The mood in Holland is absolutely pro-Obama. This weekend there was even an article in the Volkskrant newspaper speculating on what Obama will do if he becomes president.

Me, I have to admit that absentee ballots make me a bit nostalgic. If memory serves correctly, I've actually only voted in one presidential election in person. In 2000, I was working at Maho Bay Camps on St. John in the Virgin Islands. In 2004, I was in the Netherlands. Now that I think of it, in 1996, I was in Germany doing my study abroad year. Can't even remember if I managed to vote from there. Surely I did. Either way, that means no presidential elections in the US for me in my voting history. Maybe next time?