When something as shocking as this happens, it always takes some time for people to adjust, to absorb what happened and to react to it. Today was a day of reaction. Lots of coverage on tv, in the newspapers, weblogs and Usenet of course. Out from all the noise and chaos a few patterns emerge.
Holland is afraid, is angry. Again and again I saw people saying on tv or in newspaper reports:
Pim Fortuyn was killed for his beliefs … If Pim couldn’t say what he wanted, what chance do we have? … He said the things we couldn’t say and now they killed them. It’s the media’s fault for demonizing him … It’s the politicians’ fault for attacking him …. It’s you lefties who killed him.
It’s scarey and frightening to hear so many people voice this — there were already riots near Parliament in Den Haag last night, just after his death. Today things have fortunately calmed down. There are long rows for the condeolance registrers at City Hall in Rotterdam, as well as people laying flowers at the murder site and his house.
And it’s not just been Fortuyn voters. It seems about fifty percent of people interviewed did not agree with his views, did not plan to vote for him, did not even like him.
One woman, asked for why she was going to put flowers in front of his house:
Ik zou nooit op hem hebben gestemd. Maar er is iemand op grond van zijn denkbeelden neergeknald. Dáár protesteer ik tegen.
I would never have voted for him. But somebody was blown away because of his beliefs. That’s what I protest against. [1]
It’s still not known whether or not she’s right on this, but it’s far the most likely motive. And I agree with her. Pim Fortuyn did not deserve to die because of his political beliefs, no matter how repulsive I find them. He should’ve been dealt with via normal democratic channels, by engaging him on issues, by showing his supporters how he’s wrong.
[1] Nrc Handelsblad “Pim Fortuyn zei wat wij denken”