What grievances, specifically? Muslim immigrants have exactly the same rights and obligations as any other immigrant that comes here and are treated no different. And once here legally, they have the same rights and obligations as any Dutch. What matters is what you make of opportunities.
Of course. But you have to realize that it is not a level playing field all the time, in a culturally monolithic European country like say Holland (unlike the US which was built by immigrants) 'Opportunities' don't just materialize with equal experience and education, they are controlled by White Dutch people with power and often disproportionately more power (employers who hold the status quo currently like mostly White Dutch) who want to control those with lesser power (e.g. non-white immigrants, women, or both). '
Treated No Different' is an illusion and comfortable commentary to only those who have never been the subject of discrimination themselves. Even in the Western US, which is highly (highly!) liberal, this is not true. When most whites have no college degree to qualify to get a job, non-whites often have to be way more qualified, having Masters and Ph.D's and even then they may not get the job or contract, because of human nature. Illegal acts of discrimination will simply be overlooked because of prevailing xenophobic societal sentiments, any immigrant complaining will be seen as a 'troublemaker' by the White dutch...
Essentially what has happened is that xenophobia has made its new home in Holland, where politicians (the likes of Geert Wilders) have legitimized discrimination (often of the religious type). Politicians like to push the button of xenophobia with poorer white Dutch (which is a powerful sentiment), and rail against a common enemy of 'Islam', which is symbolized in the triad of 'Koran, Mosques and Hijab'. Ban those and the xenophobic Dutch have found a powerful, common unifying cause. This is the rallying cry for the poorer Dutch who have lost jobs and become even poorer as a result of globalization.
But this is sort of unwise in a 'Trumpish' sense in that banning Mosque construction, the owning of a Koran and public wearing of Hijabs is not going to bring back the Golden age of splendor in Holland. Rather Holland as a country will be branded as a haven of discrimination which is an undesirable outcome.
What the Dutch have to understand that they have to accept diversity in a new world (as a society), there is no other alternative. If you don't (and don't have a sane national conversation about it and come to a consensus as a society) then you risk being ostracized by those societies that have accepted it. And most larger countries and societies in this world have already.....
The best predictor of WIlders voting is education level: these voters are lack high education and have been hit harderst by the economic crisis of 2008 and there for angry. With economic upturn, at least part of this group will 'melt away' again.
I wouldn't be so sure. This is a naive hope that once xenophobic, a person automatically turns 'accepting' to foreigners when they get a job. You need to have laws in the books to have actual stern repercussions (including re-education process) against 'acts of discrimination' against immigrants (especially non-whites), whether in construction job-sites, at the office work-place, in schools and in any public venue for anything. We expect nothing less from one of the most advanced societies in Europe.
In the Netherlands it is illegal for anyone (irrespective of religious persuation) to wear facecovering clothing (of any kind) in educational and care facilities, government buildings and public transportation.
What you are talking about is a Burka. Most modern Muslim women are not wearing Burkas these days. But this sort of Hijab shown below should be allowed and it is
not (currently), in France.
In fact this is a woman's right. You cannot tell a woman (whether Muslim, Christian or Zoroastrian) on what to wear provided they are not breaking existing law or is offensive. Hijab is worn by women to ensure that you cannot see a woman's hair. It is a Muslim woman's personal decision of modesty. The fact that some don't like it is their personal problem. There is also a similar Jewish law, but Jewish women get around it by wearing a wig, I believe.
To sum it up - I am not a super religious person, but I find it highly unethical to 'brand' people a certain way and treat them in a differential manner. If someone wants to wear their religiosity on their sleeves (i.e. outwardly), they have every right to do that. My relationship of salvation with My God is private, but that does not mean I will ostracize people who want to show public displays of being religious (without trying to step on my beliefs and freedom). In addition of supporting that liberal view personally, I will support that as a society and as a country as well.
