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Danish writer Rune Engelbreth Larsen has teamed up with photographer Jacob Holdt to produce an open letter and YouTube video with an urgent appeal to president-elect Barack Obama concerning the rampant racism and xenophobia in Denmark.

Racist sentiment may be common in many countries, but Denmark is one of the only countries where actual demands to deport all Muslims proliferate in a party which virtually dictates government policy.

Their parliamentarians say things like: "Muslims come with a beggar's staff in their hand, but as soon as they're in from the cold it becomes a stick to beat us with". Does this rhetoric remind us of something?

The Bush-appointed American Ambassador has repeatedly stated his shock at the level of racism in Danish politics.

This open letter and YouTube video is a desperate attempt to make people see what's going on in a country that was once a champion of social justice and human rights. Not any more, alas!

The appeal and YouTube video may be found here:

http://www.panhumanism.com/letter_to_obama.php

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-6YcD-LZno (as usual, YouTube removed the video!!! Instead you can find it on BLIP.TV as shown below)

The two author's own statement about their appeal:

PLEASE HELP CIRCULATE THIS MESSAGE

An Open Letter to Obama: On Racism in Denmark

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 media.

A new series of cartoons depicting the prophet Mohammed are about to be published in Denmark where 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.

WATCH AND CIRCULATE THE VIDEO:

http://www.panhumanism.com/letter_to_obama.php

Yours truly
Jacob Holdt & Rune Engelbreth Larsen

[Hat tip: Carsten Agger]