{"id":1210,"date":"2025-03-26T13:24:50","date_gmt":"2025-03-26T12:24:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.data-pro.nu\/?p=1210"},"modified":"2025-03-26T13:42:50","modified_gmt":"2025-03-26T12:42:50","slug":"moreel-failliet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.data-pro.nu\/en\/moreel-failliet\/","title":{"rendered":"Morally bankrupt"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>From Admiration to Disgust<\/h2>\n

Once upon a time, the United States was the land of promise, bravado, and Bruce Springsteen. A place that we as Europeans watched with awe \u2013 the land where technology flourished, freedom was celebrated and Hollywood coloured our collective imagination. But what remains is a shadow of that nation: A morally bankrupt society, heavily armed and driven by fear, narcissism and a toxic sense of exceptionalism.<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cWhat once evoked admiration now evokes horror and pity.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

A failed state in designer packaging<\/h2>\n

The infrastructure is cracking, health care is a lottery, education is a luxury product. Democracy has become a spectacle show where millionaires and media clowns hand out the sheets. And then there are the weapons \u2013 millions of them \u2013 that have taken over the public domain as sacred houses of freedom.<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cThe US is no longer a guide country, but a gleaming gilded banana republic.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The hidden agenda behind American incompetence<\/h2>\n

The U.S. cabinet's apparent incompetence raises troubling questions about the true intentions behind their policies.<\/span> Is this a deliberate strategy to destroy existing structures with brute force, with a view to a future reconstruction of its own design?<\/span> Or have these positions of power simply been bought by wealthy friends, subordinating skill and experience to financial influence and flattery?<\/span> Another possibility is that it is purely about destruction from within, a conscious undermining of the system with no intention of recovery.<\/span> Or is it simply a matter of unprecedented bruises, in which positions are held by individuals who are not only unfit, but whose presence in managerial positions borders on a dangerous absurdity? Whichever of these scenarios is true, Europe pays the price\u2014both literally in economic terms and figuratively in geopolitical stability.<\/span> The recent appointments within the U.S. Cabinet, such as Pete Hegseth's appointment as Secretary of Defense despite allegations of sexual abuse and financial mismanagement, reinforce the image of a government that puts incompetence and cronyism above ability.<\/span> \u200b<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cWhen incompetence rules, the world bears the burden.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Self-reflection for Trump supporters: Time to look in the mirror<\/h2>\n

Anyone who has ever spoken positively about Donald Trump and his entourage should seriously ask themselves: What were the reasons for this support?<\/span> It is essential to critically evaluate one's own judgment, especially in the light of the destructive and incompetent policymaking that is now coming to light.<\/span> The recent revelations about the U.S. Cabinet, such as the appointment of Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense despite serious accusations, underscore the need for this introspection.<\/span> \u200b<\/p>\n

\n

\u2018Anyone who looks away from the truth is an accomplice to a lie.\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Bad leaders or clowns?<\/h2>\n

Recent revelations show that the current rulers in the US have little respect for Europe.<\/span> Leaked messages from a closed Signal group, in which top officials discussed military operations, portrayed Europe as a \u2018weak, dependent customer\u2019.<\/span> Vice-President JD Vance expressed his aversion to having to \u2018save Europe again\u2019, while Defence Minister Pete Hegseth called European countries \u2018pathetic\u2019.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u2018The mask is finished: the US no longer sees Europe as an ally, but as a bargaining chip.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

European silence: Sign of Submissiveness<\/h2>\n

Despite these humiliating revelations, it remains deafeningly silent from European political leaders.<\/span> No mass outrage, no clear disapproval of the American attitude.<\/span> True friends and allies confront each other when borders are crossed.<\/span> The fact that our leaders do not dare to do so proves that the US is not an ally, but a ruler to whom one bows out of fear or dependence.<\/span>\u200b<\/p>\n

\n

\u2018He who remains silent in the face of humiliation accepts his shackles.\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Time for European Independence<\/h2>\n

Our suffocating dependence on the US is no longer sustainable.<\/span> It is crucial that we detach ourselves from this stranglehold and strive for strategic autonomy.<\/span> The current world order is crumbling, and that gives Europe the opportunity to choose its own path, free from American dominance.<\/span>\u200b<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cFreedom begins where dependence ends.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Personal resistance: Small deeds, big statement<\/h2>\n

My wife and I came to the same conclusion, independently of each other: We're boycotting American products.<\/span> I haven't bought Snickers at the train station for months, despite my love for this bar.<\/span> In addition, I try to convince everyone to ignore American software.<\/span> I recently blogged about the municipality of Hellendoorn, which is looking for a project manager to transfer files to SharePoint<\/a> \u2014 another sign of our dependence on US technology.<\/span>\u200b<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cChange starts with conscious choices, no matter how small.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Action is required: Away from American Influence<\/h2>\n

We can no longer waver.<\/span> It's time for action, for a clear break with the US.<\/span> Only by taking the reins ourselves can we build a future in which Europe is no longer a plaything of American interests.<\/span>\u200b<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cThe future belongs to those who act today.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Once upon a time, the United States was the land of promise, bravado, and Bruce Springsteen. A place that we as Europeans watched with awe \u2013 the land where technology flourished, freedom was celebrated and Hollywood coloured our collective imagination. But what remains is a shadow of that nation: a morally bankrupt society, 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