Roger Courage Matthisens tale ved Black Lives Matter-demonstrationen

Here we are again.

George Floyd is dead. May he rest in peace. George Floyd leaves behind two daughters – the oldest, a young woman, had to watch her father being murdered on live television. His youngest daughter is merely 6 years old. She too has lost her father.

And the world has lost a little more of its humanity. In the face of racism. In the face of disregard for black lives. In the face of oppression and discrimination.

And here we are again. I am a black man. I am about the same age as George Floyd. I have a daughter about the same age as his youngest daughter. She is right here. Protesting with us.

A friend of mine wrote Yesterday: I am #GeorgeFloyd! I feel your knee on my neck, the daggers in your thin fake smile and the privilege in your silence.

Here we are again.

We are here in solidarity. With our black and African brothers and sisters all over the world. We are more fortunate here in Denmark. The police do not kill us. But they do harass us.

We see our children being discriminated against in schools, at work, when they are looking for a place to live. We have the numbers, we have the research. Rockwool Fonden, Institut for Menneskerettigheder, PhD after PhD after PhD is providing you with the reality of systemic racism and discrimination – the reality of our struggle.

And yes, it is connected to George Floyd. To Eric Garner. To Tamir Rice. And yes, it is a global struggle.

When Paludan is screaming his racism out in our streets. Harassing black people. Harrassing Bwalya from Black Lives Matter.

Yes it is all connected.

When African refugees and people on the run are drowning ALL YEAR ROUND in the Mediterranean Sea. And STILL you do nothing. Yes, it is all connected.

And we are asking you to act. White people. You say you love us. You say you respect us. But I see hate from many of you. I see indifference. I see silence – from the majority of you!

The goverment’s so called departure centers for asylum seekers – those are in fact inhumane prisons.

Yes it is connected.

I see our government passing laws that are state sanctioned discrimination, your so called ghetto laws, you even single us out by the color of our skin and call the PLACES where we live for ghettos. The only government in the world who actually uses the word GHETTO in your policies. The only government in the world.

And a social democratic minister of housing refuses to stop using this word in policies.

We have a government who wants to punish 6 year old children because they don’t speak the danish language adequately. Your empathy isn’t ADEQUATE. Your willingness to end racism isn’t ADEQUATE.

And, yes it is connected.

You say you respect us. Show us! We are asking you to act. To show up.

The honorable Martin Luther King Jr. said it 50 years ago:

The greatest obstacle for black people to be free – to be equal – is not the Ku Klux Klanner and not the white nationalist – it is you! You! White moderate. You! Sitting at home reading Politiken. Watching! Being silent. Liking our posts on Facebook. Sharing our tweets. You. You need to stand up. You need to stand up and show up. You need to demand justice and equality for Africans and black people. Justice and equality in politics, in the exploitation of the African continents, the child labor, in policing, in education, in society. In person. You need to help dismantle racism. In person. Now!

Get involved. Take responsibility! You say you love us. Show us. Start acting. Stand up. Now.

White People. Racism does not go away because you are a nice person. Because you donate 300 kroners to Røde Kors. Because you smile at me when you go shopping.

What can you do? Join an activist group. We are plenty who need you. What can you do? You can demand inclusion and anti-oppressive work environments at your schools – your work places. What can you do? You can stand up – and listen!

I presented a full anti racism action plan to parliament last year. Why? And Why is it not in effect now?

What can you do? Stand up – show up. Get involved. Take responsibility! NOW!

And for you – my beautiful brothers and sisters – listen: Did you know that the community building, the values and mindsets that helped Martin Luther King to become the leader he was – that this movement was born here in Denmark? Did you know? Martin Luther King – along with Rosa Parks and many others received training in community building and social justice from highlander Folk School in Tennessee. But the founder of Highlander Folk School was inspired by the folk schools of Denmark in 1931, he was inspired by Grundtvig, the father of folk schools who taught citizens to take active part in society, to contribute to society for all.

So I say this, my beautiful brothers and sisters. Fighting the good fight everyday of your lives – I know you are hurting. I know you are tired. And I know you are heartbroken. Don’t give up. Stay strong. Do not settle. Do not back down. Stay in the fight. But find a healing group to deal with the pressure. Use each other much more. Seek comfort in your community. We have to stay connected. Especially you, brothers. Do not let yourself be isolated. Reach out. And those of us who have the strength, reach out to the brothers and sister in need. Organise, mobilize.

Collectively we are strongest. And collectively we can create a civil rights movement here in Denmark. And we need.

Collectively.

Thank you.

Tak, fordi I kom. Tak til alle, fordi I kom.

Så er vi her igen. 

George Floyd er død. Må han hvilke i fred. 

Han efterlader to døtre. Den ældre, en ung kvinde, måtte se sin far blive myrdet på live-tv. 

Forestil jer det? Forestil jer det?

Hans yngste datter – 6 år gammel. Mistede også en far. Og verden mistede lidt mere af sin menneskelighed.

På grund af racisme. På grund af ligegyldighed over for sorte liv. På grund af undertrykkelse og ulighed. 

Og så er vi her igen. 

Jeg er en sort mand. Jeg er omtrent samme alder som George Floyd. Jeg har en datter på omtrent samme alder som hans yngste. Og hun er lige her og demonstrerer med os – i dag. 

En af mine venner skrev i går: "Jeg er #GeorgeFloyd! Jeg mærker dit knæ på min nakke, dolkene i dit tynde, falske smil og privilegiet i din stilhed."

Og så er vi her igen. 

Vi er her i solidaritet. Med vores sorte og afrikanske brødre og søstre over hele verden. Vi er heldigere her i Danmark. Politiet dræber os ikke. Men de chikanerer os.

Vores børn bliver diskriminerede i skolerne, på arbejdspladsen, når de leder efter et sted at bo. Vi har tallene. Vi har forskningen. Rockwool Fonden, Institut for Menneskerettigheder, ph.d. efter ph.d. efter ph.d. viser os virkeligheden omkring racisme og diskrimination – virkeligheden for vores kamp.

Og ja, det er forbundet med George Floyd. Med Eric Garner. Med Tamir Rice. Og ja, det er en global kamp.

Når Paludan skriger sin racisme ud i vores gader. Chikanerer sorte mennesker. Chikanerer Bwalya fra Black Lives Matter. Ja, det er forbundet.  

Når afrikanske flygtninge, hele året rundt, mennesker på flugt, drukner i Middelhavet. Og du er tavs? Ja, det er forbundet.

Og vi beder dig om at handle. Hvide mennesker. Vi beder dig om at handle.  I siger, at du elsker os. I siger, at du respekterer os. Jeg ser ikke den kærlighed. Jeg ser had fra mange af jer. Jeg ser ligegyldighed. Jeg ser tavshed – fra de fleste af jer!

Regeringens såkaldte afrejsecenter for asylansøgere – der i virkeligheden er umenneskelige fængsler. Ja, det er forbundet. 

Vi ser vores regering vedtage love, der er statssanktioneret diskrimination, den såkaldte ghettopakke. I opdeler os endda på vores hudfarve i jeres lovgivning og kalder de steder, vi bor, ghettoer. Den eneste regering i verden, der skriver det ind, bruger ordet ghetto i jeres politikker. Det eneste land i verden, som skriver det ord ind i lovgivningen – nedfældet – ghettoer. Det eneste land i verden.

Vi har en regering, som vil straffe 6-årige børn, fordi de ikke taler dansk tilstrækkeligt nok. Jeres empati er ikke tilstrækkelig. Jeres vilje til at bekæmpe racisme er ikke tilstrækkelig. Og ja, det er forbundet.

Du siger, at du respekterer os. Vis os! Vi beder dig om at handle. At dukke op.

Den ærefulde Martin Luther King Jr. sagde det for 50 år siden: Den største hindring for sorte mennesker for at blive frie er ikke Ku Klux Klan og ikke den hvide nationalist -– det er dig! Den hvide moderate. Dig. Vi ser dig. Sidder derhjemme og læser politiken. Læser Berlingske. Iagttager. Retweeter, hvad vi skriver. Poster på Facebook. Men ellers er du tavs. 

Du er her ikke, og vi har brug for, at du rejser dig op. Vi har brug for, at du viser os, at du også kræver retfærdighed og lighed for afrikanere og sorte mennesker. Retfærdighed og lighed i politik, i udnyttelsen af de afrikanske kontinenter, i børnearbejde, i politiarbejde, i uddannelse, i samfundet. 

Personligt. Vi har brug for dig personligt. Her! Duk op. Jeg er ligeglad med, at du har sorte venner. Rejs dig op til dem. For dem. Med dem. 

Personligt. Du er nødt til at hjælpe med at afvikle racisme. Personligt. Nu!

Hvad kan du gøre? Deltag i en aktivistgruppe. Vi er masser, der har brug for hjælp. Hvad kan du gøre? Du kan kræve antiundertrykkende arbejdsmiljøer – på jeres uddannelser. På jeres arbejdspladser. Hvad kan du gøre? Du kan rejse dig op og lytte. 

Jeg præsenterede en fuld antiracistisk handleplan til Folketinget sidste år. For første gang i de politiske partiers historie. Hvorfor? Og hvorfor er den ikke blevet vedtaget?

Vi har brug for, at I rejser jer op – nu. Bliv involveret. Tag ansvar. Nu.

Og til jer, brødre og søstre – hør her: Vidste du, at de tankesæt, de værdier, den sociale retfærdighedstankegang, som har været med til at forme Martin Luther King, kom fra Danmark? Han modtog træning sammen med Rosa Parks og mange andre sociale retfærdighedsforkæmpere på Highlander Folk School i Tennessee. Men grundlæggeren af Highlander Folk School kom til Danmark i 1931 og så, hvad vi gjorde med højskolerne og Grundtvig, og han tog de værdier og mindset og bragte dem til Tennessee, som gav os Martin Luther King. Vi kan gøre det samme.

Så jeg siger dette, mine smukke brødre og søstre. I kæmper for den gode kamp hver eneste dag i jeres liv – jeg ved, at du er i smerte. Og jeg ved, I er trætte. Og jeg ved, at jeres hjerter er knuste. Men giv ikke op. Vær stærk.   Accepter det ikke. Bak ikke ud. Bliv i kampen. Men find en gruppe til heling. Til at dele med. Til at dele presset med. Brug hinanden meget mere, brødre og søstre. Ræk ud. Det har vi brug for. Vi har brug for at organisere og mobilisere. Sammen er vi stærkest. Og sammen kan vi skabe en borgerrettighedsbevægelse her i Danmark. 

Sammen.

Tak skal I have.