the limping messenger

POST-BARBARIC WAYS TO DEAL WITH YOUR OPPONENTS

a memorable museum visit in the World Centre of Justice The Hague
whereby prime minister Rutte and burgomaster Van Aartsen explain Obama the Dutch tradition of dealing with your opponents (the beheading of ‘Land’s Advocate’ Van Oldebarnevelt by a kangeroo court steered by the Prince of Orange).

Van Aartsen actually has come an object of public criticism because of his handling of pro- and contra Islamic demonstrations., whereby a crude cartoon with the burgomaster’s head montaged in the latest IS army beheading in Iraq, has become a subject for a court inquiry. (1)

The 17th century beheading that was staged at what is now the centre of the Dutch government, Het Binnenhof, had its origin in the fierce conflicts over religious opinions and practices that raged between Protestant sects in the 17th century in the Netherlands. It was a fight between the strict Calvinist ‘Gomarists’ and the more tolerant Arminian adherents. This conflict was expoited at that time by a conflict over the role of the Stateholder Prince and the States of Holland, in a way a dormant republican versus a royalist tendency.

The beheading of Van Oldenbarnevelt in 1619 was the outcome of manipulated court proceedings in the context of a power struggle over the management of the Dutch republic of that time.

The ‘summary executions’ of today of opponents in global power struggles do not even involve a ‘kangeroo court’. Secret services draw up lists of persons to be targeted and unmanned airplanes steered from afar drones – have become the new executioner sword.

Why is it that high-tech killing is perceived as less barbaric than ‘low-tech’ killing? Is there something more humane in laser guided high explosives (more deadly also for those who happen to be at the wrong moment in time and place), than in the precision targeting of a single human neck?

Historical and national museums in Europe tend to have many vitrines with all kind of swords. Power struggles often were concluded by the chopping off heads. It even became half automated with the French guillotine.

The whole idea promulgated these days by mass media of ‘barbaric ways of killing’ by muslims are a historical lie as beheading and guillotining has been practised by all parties that have performed on the stage of war throughout history.

To give just the example of the Dutch colonial troops that less than a century ago had not only their riffle, but also their ‘klewang’ to defend or attack in immediate short range confrontations. When I was forced as a conscript into the Dutch army half a century ago, I still had to exercise with a bayonet at the end of my rifle, sticking it into a sack filled with straw, to prepare to do the same thing to a human being.

When one would draw up a list of something like ‘man to man fighting’ on all actual war-fronts, even the most advanced ones, the slitting of throats, decapitation and the like, still is practised. There are places and moments where the – favoured – long distance ways of killing do not function properly.

Is long distance killing without the smell, sound and gushes of blood of your enemy,more humane?

When we take a good look at the media turmoil about the execution of James Foley, most of it it is nothing more than historical hypocrisy. (2)

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The picture is made up of four elements:

– Gemeentelijk Museum Den Haag: “PRESIDENT OBAMA ENDS Nuclear Security Summit 2014 WITH VISIT TO VICTORY BOOGIE WOOGIE”
www.gemeentemuseum.nl/en/node/189/president-obama-ends-ns…

– Rijks Museum Amsterdam: “Johan van Oldenbarnevelt onthoofd, 1619: Illustratie uit: Gottfried, Johann Ludwig. Historische kronyck; vervattende een […] beschrijvingh der aldergedenckwaerdigste geschiedenissen des weerelds, van den aenvangh der scheppingh tot […] 1576 (2 delen). Leiden: Pieter van der Aa, 1698, dl. I, p. 863.”

– Rijksmuseum Amsterdam: “Beulszwaard waarmee Oldenbarnevelt zou zijn onthoofd (…) Een ijzeren tweehandig slagzwaard met een kling van 7.5 cm breed bij de pareerstang, aan het uiteinde versmallend tot 6 cm om daarna in een stompe punt te eindigen. Achter de greep een dubbele knop. Opschrift: Stokoude schuldeloze helft / Rampzalige Oldebarneveldt / Dit zwaart sloeg door uw hals den staat / Een diepe wonde in zijn raadt / Toen op het Haagse moortschavot / Uw dierbaar leven wierd geknot.”
www.rijksmuseum.nl/nl/collectie/NG-NM-4245

– Drone model: “More than 2,400 dead as Obama’s drone campaign marks five years (…) Across Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia, the Obama administration has launched more than 390 drone strikes in the five years since the first attack that injured Qureshi – eight times as many as were launched in the entire Bush presidency. These strikes have killed more than 2,400 people, at least 273 of them reportedly civilians.”
www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2014/01/23/more-than-2400-d…

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(1) – 24/8/2014: “VAN AARTSEN als 3 STUIVER BURGERMEESTER en het nieuwe verbod op BURGERMEESTERSCHENNIS”
republished on the Limping Messenger 4/1/2017

(2) – 21/8/2014: “BARBARIC SLOGANS & THE INEXISTENCE OF HUMANITARIAN WAYS OF KILLING AN ADVERSARY”
republished on the Limping Messenger 4/11/2017