We have protesting farmers in the Netherlands. They oppose the CO2 policy of our government imposed by Europe. Of course the farmers know that things have to change if we strive to improve the environment, but they do have a point that they now become victims of a short-term solution. Sustainability can only be achieved with a well-considered long-term vision, something that governments in general are not very good at anyway.
The protests started with blockades of highways and interchanges but now there is a silent protest everywhere by hanging the national flag upside down. This particular flag was raised between the farmlands but they are getting little support in villages and towns too.
Of course, this includes people who sincerely support the farmers and are willing to pay a fair price for their vegetables, dairy and meat.
But quite a bunch of those flaggers just want to make themselves heard without actually knowing what is really going on. They don't seem to think for themselves and they don't agree with anything. They just continue to protest for sake of the protest. First there was the conspiracy theories about the vaccinations during Covid, then there was the lack of freedom and democracy. They are pro Putin because they are against Europe. They are nationalistic and very much against globalization but now they support the farmers who benefit greatly from globalization and soon they will climb the barricades because everything becomes unaffordable.
They are so simple minded yet not stupid. If you are capable of constantly exchanging the true for the false then you must at least be able to recognize the difference.
It is another consequence of the short-term vision of our government. Education in our country has been declining for years. You grow nitwits with that.
We call them wappies. There are people who think that we shouldn't call them wappies because that excludes them and puts them in a box. But it is what it is. It doesn't matter anyway, because they always have a rebuttal and it will never be their fault. They'll be fine, I'm sure.
