The Danish author of 'American Pictures' Jacob Holdt, and Danish author and columnist Rune Engelbreth, have published "An Open Letter to Barack Obama on Racism in Denmark" as a video-message on Youtube and Facebook.
The authors are concerned about the rising influence of the anti-immigrant Danish People's Party and hope to get the attention of the American President Elect as well as the American public and Western media.
In Denmark political discrimination and hate-filled rhetoric directed against ethnic and religious minorities has become a dominating part of mainstream politics.
A critical appraisal of the danger from our neighbors and friends abroad may prove to be a helpful necessity, similar to the criticism directed at the USA in the years when American politicians demonized their own black minority to attract white voters. Many Americans today express gratitude for the international support in those years and in line with the American ambassador to Denmark James P. Cain, hope that Denmark can avoid repeating America's past mistakes.
ONLINE: An Open Letter to Barack Obama: On Danish Racism
Jacob Holdt & Rune Engelbreth Larsen
November 26, 2008