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Writer Theodore Dalrymple believes that Amsterdam is "recovering its tradition as a city where the unsayable can be said." Politician Femke Halsema, speaking on the 'Nacht van de vrijheid', begs to differ.
“I deeply admire your intellect and your perceptive analyses – particularly when you write about topics such as the culture of poverty and the underclass. At the same time I have great difficulties with the remedies you advocate,” said Femke Halsema, chair of the political party GroenLinks (GreenLeft) in the Tweede Kamer in a speech she delivered at the Stadsschouwburg, on the 'Nacht van de vrijheid' on 30 June. 
Halsema was responding to the opinion of psychiatrist and writer Theodore Dalrymple (AKA Anthony Daniels.)
Dalrymple had praised Amsterdam as being "the birthplace of intellectual freedom as a political ideal." He argued that "there is now more intellectual freedom in Amsterdam than in the past", and concluded that "Amsterdam is recovering its tradition as a city where the unsayable can be said."
“Frankly, I doubt that very much,” said Halsema, who notes that the culture of political correctness in the Netherlands – particularly among left-wing people – has been severely criticised in recent times. “The problems with the multicultural society were covered up, and those who insisted on addressing them were easily excluded as being racist,” she said.
Helsema said that during the last couple of years political correctness has practically vanished from public debate. To a large extent this was the work of the murdered politician Pim Fortuyn, famous for his words, “I say what I think and I do what I say”.
Since then, right-wing populist politician Geert Wilders and his party have won seats in the Dutch parliament, and now there is nothing that remains unsaid. “But was the disappearance of left-wing political correctness also beneficial for the tolerance towards people who hold different opinions – opinions that one might reject?” asked Halsema. Absolutely not, she said noting that members of ethnic and religious minorities are complaining that they are no longer free to express themselves.
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