The Netherlands Geerts Ready For Another Election

FOTP Monday

Continuing our alphabetic tour of the great nations of Europe, we head this week to the Netherlands, which from 1588 to 1795 was called the Seven United Netherlands — and stop calling it “Holland” — and which reminds us, if such reminders were necessary, why Amazon and Meta are such boils.

From dutchnews.nl

This year, Amazon and Facebook are no longer sponsors, a decision influenced by the tougher stance on diversity coming from the Trump administration in the United States.

Someone call for a double entendre?

Some companies have “gone a little bit back into the closet,” event spokesman Martijn Albers told the NRC.

Nice.

Of course the company says it’s not homophobia, it’s just business.

“We’ve decided to focus on other marketing activities,” a spokesperson for Amazon [which used to have its own branded boat on the flotilla] said.

Meta’s reason for dropping out of the event was not as well known, namely because it didn’t give one.

Facebook will also not be participating in the parade on August 2 and parent company Meta declined to respond to the paper’s questions.

Not that companies in the Netherlands didn’t take the opportunity to trumpet their own gelatinous spines.

While Deloitte Netherlands will not have a boat in this year’s parade, it will be present with a large floating platform along the route.

Courage.

Some, however, connected to the event kept their outrage and sense of humor.

Some waved a hybrid U.S./Pride flag, while one boat declared itself a 'Trump-Free Pride Boat' with signs reading 'Trans Rights Are Human Rights.' Another featured mock graveyards and the message 'Trump's Actions Kill. Love Saves Lives,' highlighting fears over U.S. AIDS funding cuts.

There is other rage in the Netherlands. Even the gatekeepers in the darts community — yes, you heard right — are worried about the integrity of the sport.