This article is based on this Dutch article of philosopher Martinus Benders: https://martijnbenders.substack.com/p/lieke-marsman-in-buitenhof
Completely by chance, I switched to Buitenhof today—a program I used to watch quite often but rarely do nowadays. Lieke Marsman was discussing her new book, and what she has to endure is unimaginable. I felt for her. Her eyes had a somewhat wild expression.
In the past, I would have considered the jab she directed at Brekelmans too mild, but now I know better—those who deliver stronger jabs can forget about future appearances and their literary career. So she simply does what is within her power.
That is exactly what I just wrote on the site of Eindhovens Dagblad. Apparently, based on a fine article by Dieter van den Bergh, the impression has arisen that I believe I lack recognition. But that is precisely not the essence of my complaint. My complaint is that despite ten kilos of recognition, I turned out to be welcome nowhere—not at festivals, not on television or radio, not in the newspapers—while poets who received far less favorable reviews were given extensive articles, ten in a row even.
And that is a matter of political censorship. That is why I am quitting writing, not because I demand ‘recognition first’ before continuing. I am quitting because under these conditions, I refuse to write for this people/this elite, period.
A people that bows to blacklisters, etc. Every election, they neatly fall into the trap laid out for them once again.
Hopefully, this now makes it clear. Strangely enough, this has to be explained again and again because all those free citizens of the free West cannot comprehend how one could be so indoctrinated. Case in point!