About Ayaan Hirsi Ali
Since yesterday, my post about her got some attention and curiosity, I thought I would share this video. In yesterday’s post I claimed that her personal story was based on lies and that her lies caused such a crisis in Dutch politics that the government fell and had to go for early elections (she was, at the time, an MP for one of the parties running the country, so when the lies came to light, it resulted in a vote of no confidence for her party, since the higher ups knew she had lied about almost everything regarding her past).
This video is from Dutch public broadcaster Vara (imagine, if you will, a local equivalent to the BBC, not some tabloid like outlet) and it exposes and dissects her lies one by one (from her claims that she was forced to marry someone to the fact that she claimed she was forced to practice an oppressive form of Islam). The documentary tackles, in depth, all the lies and half truth that led to the Dutch government asking her to leave the country (it was that, or revoking her citizenship). The documentary is in Dutch, with English subtitles, but there are significant portions in English (particularly of the research done by the documentary team in Kenia). It is in four parts (this is part one). Part two, part three and part four can be found at the links. Part two is particularly interesting because the journalist faces her with all the facts they have researched, looks at her and asks “What do you have to say about all this?” and her response was “That I lied about almost everything”.
The consequence of her lies and manipulation of the Dutch immigration system can still be felt across the country six years later. As a result of the scandal, laws for asylum seekers became even more stringent and numerous people were deported. It also resulted in one of the most extreme immigration laws in Europe, making it very difficult for families to reunite or for people to bring their partners over.
Most people who know her from her anti Muslim activism in the US are not aware of all this, since she has conveniently swept all these facts about her earlier political career under the rug. But those of us who live here, still remember what she stands for.
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