Anke van den Bruele is before the arrival of asylum seekers’ centers in her congregation, but does not dare to make her voice heard well for fear of confrontations. That is why the Udense has started a petition, which has since been signed more than 500 times.
She felt intimidated by the riots during the information evening last week in the Kruisheren Chapel. Among other things, fireworks and stones were thrown. “Now that it is in my village, I feel addressed,” she says.
“It also called for fear and anger for me and at the same time I got angry.” She therefore wanted to do something with that anger, but not by demonstrating. “I prefer to sit on a stool with a plate ‘for’, but I just don’t dare. And I don’t think that’s smart, because I don’t solve anything with that.”
Van den Bruele wanted to make her voice heard. She started her own petition online ‘Keep taking on refugees in the municipality of Maashorst’. “If people are for refugee shelters, they only have to press a button and can give their opinion easily in silence.”
Get a chance
She is also for the reception of refugees. “Because I think everyone should get a chance to be able to grow up safely and also be able to live safely.” She thinks it’s great when there are new AZCs, also in the municipality of Maashorst, which includes Uden. “I think the pain should be distributed a bit within the Netherlands.”
She finds talking about it exciting. “The moment you hear people talking about counter -arguments and you try to give your own opinion against it, you often get a pretty grim discussion. I don’t always resist that and I actually want to stay out. And want to keep it a bit cozy.”
Confirmation
Even during the interview with Omroep Brabant, she really watches her. “Because I am afraid that I call something else that other people can offend. I don’t want that, because I want to leave everyone in their own value.”
The Udense has already received many responses to her petition. “Many people say:” Good that you have done that, because I can finally press a button where I can indicate that I am also for refugee shelters. ”
She likes that she gets confirmation that there are more people who want to give their voice in silence. “I also think it is important to say that everyone can give their opinion, because we live in a democracy.” That also applies to those who are against. “I think everyone has the right to say what they are for or against without being addressed personally”