Sander Lantinga does not understand why Thierry Baudet even receives an invitation from the NOS to participate in television debates. “It’s not very constructive, I think.”
There has been a lot of fuss about an online debate between Rob Jetten and Thierry Baudet for the relatively invisible youth platform of the NOS. It was very predictable: the broadcaster had turned it into an entire LGBTIQ+ meeting for effect and Thierry reacted quite rudely to someone who identifies as non-binary.
‘It makes me angry’
Rob Jetten, leader of D66, was wrong and got very excited. Thierry tried to get under his skin by making lame comments about his sexuality: “Do I know a gay person? There’s one next to me!”, he shouted, after which he put a hand on Rob’s shoulder. Funny, says one. Trite, says the other.
Anyway: a day later, last night, Rob was allowed to talk about it Khalid & Sophie. “On almost every topic that was discussed, Mr. Baudet managed to incite hatred and be derogatory around the young people who asked those questions. (…) It just makes me angry.”
Indecent
You have to act with decency, says Rob. “As a politician you have a great freedom of expression, but also the responsibility to deal with it with some decency. I think he is fueling polarization far too much and also increasing hatred in society.”
Radio millionaire Sander Lantinga, the sidekick on duty, then wonders why Thierry is welcome at NOS at all. “I wonder why NOS still invites such a man. You know what he’s going to say, right? It is not very constructive, I think, or substantive.”
‘Ask them’
What does Rob think about that? “Yes, look, you should of course also ask NOS that, but I also asked myself: am I going to do this or not? Because will it be a decent broadcast? Ultimately I thought: the concept of NOS op 3 is that young people can ask questions to politicians…”
Presenter Sophie Hilbrand: “Didn’t you just say: ‘Can I be with someone else?’”
Rob: “Yes, I did ask that, but you are drawn and I ultimately thought: it is also important…”
Homophobia
You have to keep contradicting people like Thierry, says Rob. “Forum for Democracy participates in the elections and there are people who are considering voting for Forum and that is allowed in a free country like the Netherlands, but as a progressive politician you also have to sit down and enter into the debate with him.”
He concludes: “Tough on the content, for me a bit softer on the man, without a faint hand on someone’s shoulder. We should not accept that homophobia or misogyny, threats to Sigrid Kaag or saying that not ideas but bullets can change things… That kind of language should not go undiscussed and that is why I ultimately sat there.”