‘Remember the Jester ‘
In 2011, seven years after his assassination, I wrote an article with this title.
![Theo van Gogh](https://i0.wp.com/olddutchpainter.works/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/TheoVanGogh.jpg?resize=269%2C326&ssl=1)
Why the murder of Theo van Gogh was and is so important to me: That reason can be found in the Koran itself. From numerous passages there you can see that many people contradicted the Mohammed of that book: in his own time. There were even those who mocked him. Who dared to do that.
As far as I am concerned, mockery and self-mockery are essential aspects of civilization. An essential aspect of the worst tyrants is that they cannot stand ridicule: that is what distinguishes them from kings, dictators and other authorities who have a grain (or more) of civilization.
That same shred of civilization gives credit to authority figures and the right to life to jesters.
When jesters are threatened and murdered,
the seriousness of the threat can no longer be overstated.
The very same day I published that warning, that FIRST attack at Charlie Hebdo took place …