Angela de Jong is getting a slap on the fingers from her own readership, because she is very harsh on Marco Borsato in her latest column. “Everyone’s stomach is turning because of his nasty texts!”
It really bothers opinion diva Angela de Jong what role sexism still plays in our society. She is therefore pleased that the government is using a TV campaign to create awareness and combat sexist comments against women. “How current do you want it?” she writes in her today AD column.
Gross apps
The timing is perfect, says Angela. “While everyone’s stomach is still turning from all the nasty messages Marco Borsato sent to an underage girl (apart from all the other things he may or may not have done with her), the government is launching a new campaign, ‘Man, say something!’”
She continues: “When I saw the commercial, I was reminded of the moment last week when the judge read out the texts that Marco Borsato sent to a much too young girl who he said he saw ‘as a daughter’. ‘Beautiful buttocks’. ‘Nice woman’. Something about fingering that I don’t even want to repeat.”
In a sore spot
Very wrong, Angela thinks. “The judge asked whether he also sent those kinds of texts to his real daughter. “Of course not,” Marco said indignantly, unintentionally putting his finger on the sore spot.”
She continues falsely: “Well-known headlines always do well in advertising. Maybe add this fragment to the campaign? It would be the highlight.”
Readers critical
It is striking how many of Angela’s readers react critically. “I am certainly a fan of Angela de J., but here she easily takes the judge’s seat. Trail by media so,” says a certain René.
Robert also finds it strange. “It seems as if you, Angela, are only concerned with denouncing Marco. To you, he is already guilty while nothing has yet been proven. Sad, this is the biggest scandal. Is this freedom of expression? (…) In this you show an Angela who is out to do something, in the hope that someone will end up on the scaffold.”
On the sidewalk
A certain Karin actually supports Angela. “I thought for a while that Borsato had been framed, but when I heard about those apps and even more strange statements, I thought: if he sent them to my daughter, I would immediately be on his doorstep. (…) You can have a strong opinion about that, even though the decision is up to the judge.”
And Rob: “There is a gray area between where legality begins and where decency begins. Legality is laid down in the law and the judge makes a decision about it. Everyone decides decency for themselves and everyone draws up their own plan. An acquittal could mean that he can give concerts again, but everyone decides from their own standard of decency whether they will still go there.”