Museums, work in an innovative and diverse way more often
Both in the Teylers Museum and in the full-page review in the Volkskrant (V, September 30), all credits go to Western scientists and artists from the Renaissance, about things such as the camera obscura and ways of painting perspective. Nothing about other cultures. What a loss!
As an art teacher and photographer I think it is important to tell in my classes that as early as 1000 AD a famous scientist named Hasan Ibn al-Haytham (Alhazen) discovered the workings of the camera obscura during the Golden Age in the Middle East. and described. I discovered this astronomer and mathematician from Basra (in present-day Iraq) by accident in the Jordan Museum.
Qa-ma-ra comes from Arabic and probably originated here. In the Renaissance, his theories were rediscovered and Leonardo da Vinci reintroduced the camera obscura. In 2015 during the Unesco International Year of Light, Alhazen was extensively put forward with his philosophies and theories.
All museums have the task of embedding inclusivity and diversity. It is a missed opportunity that the Teylers Museum does not go further than the front. In my lessons, the children with a non-Western background are revived when I tell them that when the Dark Ages took place in Europe, the Golden Age of science took place in the Middle East. A missed opportunity for the Teylers Museum to work in an innovative way and based on the content inclusive.
Maybe a separate exhibition about the golden age in the Middle East?
Marisa BerettaHaarlem
Unacceptable behavior
I object to the “transgressive behavior” disqualification that has become fashionable. If you hate someone because he or she has disappointed or wronged you, you only need to speak provocatively about “transgressive behavior” to evoke horrific fantasies and in any case disapproval and rejection of the perpetrator. No further explanation is necessary, just some innuendo. It is immediately clear that the accused deserves tons of shit.
Please let’s stop this and just say factually and honestly what you think has happened.
Chose DancingArnhem
Manners
Unfortunately, in these turbulent times for citizens, the House of Representatives is busy with itself. Now around the question of what is seen as a ‘threat’ in the debate. The large number of splinter parties in the House does not make this any better.
I think it would be a good idea to raise the electoral threshold in order to significantly reduce the number of parties. Three parties are sufficient, a left-wing, a middle and a right-wing party. So no more parties for animals, farmers, Christians and Muslims. Moreover, before they can participate in the elections, parties should explicitly subscribe to our democratic system.
In the future, this excludes parties such as the PVV and Forum for Democracy, which describe our democracy as a big circus and do everything to sabotage the parliamentary process. It would also be good to link a parliamentary seat to the faction of a party. Empty chair then means a new MP and not a new party.
I think that manners in the House of Representatives will improve by leaps and bounds.
Martin van den BergUtrecht
Manners (2)
The House of Representatives debated rules for manners. For some time now I have been thinking about a sentence from Arnon Grunberg’s May 4th Lecture 2021: ‘That a Dutchman in Auschwitz had to pour kerosene over living women and children started with words, with speeches by politicians.’
The first digitally photoshopped Nazi flag has already been raised.
Marchel VerhulstHoofddorp
Free education
In her column of 27 September, Aleid Truijens states that education in the Netherlands is ‘free’. Education in the Netherlands is not free for everyone. A VWO student has six years of free education, a HAVO student has five years of free education and a VMBO student only has four years of free education.
VMBO students who move on to MBO in order to obtain a compulsory basic qualification must pay their own school costs. Unlike the HAVO and VWO students, this target group, which we say needs so much, has to incur costs to obtain the compulsory basic qualification. So for them education is not free.
It would finally be time for us to end this inequality. So government, make education free for all students who have to obtain a basic qualification. That also makes MBO students more likely. From day one of their training, they can then focus on their training without any problems and with the right learning materials.
Loes JansenThe Hague
animal shelter
Don’t be moved by the human devotion to caring for animals in need (Featured, September 28). Nothing wrong with the help itself. But most animals didn’t get into trouble by accident. Almost without exception, there are direct or indirect causes related to human actions.
It is an outgrowth of the extensive trade in and exploitation of animals under the guise of ‘love for animals’. Animals are seen too much as objects to hunt, harass or chase after pleasing. That sadly drowns out the feeling of devotion and emotion in the displayed form of animal love.
Ton ten BargeDe Heurne
Annexations
Russia’s annexation of the occupied Ukrainian regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhya are strongly condemned. In the case of Israel (Golan Heights, West Bank), if only we took such a consistent stance. There have not even been referendums.
Theo van SoestUtrecht
Living more consciously
When people have less to spend, there is suddenly an urge to live in a more conscious way. Now the heating is lowered and thick sweaters are taken out of the closet. Showering every day is no longer an option. Lights go out earlier, more people take the bike.
Environmental organizations have for years tried to make it clear to people to use the earth more efficiently. It is a pity that ‘pain in the wallet’ is the reason that people suddenly pay attention to their energy consumption.
Water consumption will soon have to be reduced. Start paying more for drinking water now?
Vera DrostThe Hague
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