Dutch Tolerance and people with Arab Sounding Names

After many years in the Netherlands, I’ve learned that according to the self-image here that the Dutch can never, ever be racist. It’s just not possible. For example, when the Dutch celeb Gordon made ‘jokes’ to a Chinese person about Chinese takeaways on Hollands Got Talent, live on national television he wasn’t being racist, the Chinese person was just being too sensitive.

The Eurostat survey which showed that the Netherlands has the second highest number of unemployed people from non-western backgrounds within the EU was largely dismissed as being the fault of those that were unemployed. Systematic discrimination by employers simply couldn’t possibly exist here, after all, the Netherlands is tolerant.

Dutch tolerance HR quote

The head of HR at a major Dutch organization was not pleased by the results of the survey

 

A native criminal is better than an applicant with a foreign background

The latest study carried out about the Dutch labor market and discrimination makes interesting reading. 520 job applications were sent out to employers that advertised vacancies online in the building, technical and logistics field. A fictitious CV was created with a typical Dutch name and one with an Arab sounding name. Both were identical with the exception that on the Dutch CV, the applicant declared criminal convictions for violence.  In ‘tolerant’ Nederland you’d assume that the CV from the person with the Arabic name would take preference over that of a convicted felon. But no, 32% of the employers invited the Dutch candidate for an interview compared to 9% for the person with the Arabic sounding name.

via GIPHY

 

If you have an Arabic sounding name in the Netherlands try harder

If Dutch natives stand a better chance of getting a job interview with a criminal record, then minorities should do the same. There’s no point in them sitting on their buttocks expecting to be treated fairly when they apply for jobs. Go out and commit some violent crime, change your name from Youssef to Jeroen and problem solved, you’ll be invited for an interview. Now if the employer doesn’t like the look of you when you arrive for the interview that’s a different thing entirely, but it will have absolutely nothing to do with discrimination. It will be about your attitude and the fact that you lied on your CV.

Having a violent past can be an asset

In many industries having someone with a proven history of violence is actually a positive thing. Builders, for example, are often late with the delivery of work, being able to physically defend one’s self from potential attacks from angry customers can only be a good thing. Or if you’re an Amsterdam Taxi driver and you have a passenger that refuses to pay four hundred euros to travel from the Airport to the center of town then being violent will definitely be an advantage.  It can also come in handy if you’re an Airbnb Host confronted with a black woman that takes too long to check out.  This, of course, has nothing to do with discriminatie.

There’s no problem here, move along, please

The Netherlands is a lovely flat, fluffy, stroopwafel eating paradise on earth. You can cycle everywhere, wear whatever you want, and marry whoever you want. Yes, there are a few minor issues with minorities complaining all the time, but look at the big picture it’s still a wonderful place, and if you don’t like it here…rot op naar je eigen land.

People discriminating against those with arab sounding names

If you’re not, there’s no need to say it

No Airbnb hosts were hurt during the writing of this post

Until next time, don’t push a black woman down the stairs unless she’s late checking out of your apartment. Tijd is geld!

asylum seekers

Minorities were much happier here before the media started listening to them