Opinion
Opinon: Thank you Rasmus Paludan!
June 28th, 2019
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This article is more than 5 years old.
It’s not every day you go online and discover that your CEO has created a viral storm!
On June 6, one day after the Danish General Election, Hans Hermansen took to Facebook and LinkedIn to express his opinion about the actions of Rasmus Paludan, the Koran-burning leader of the far right party Stram Kurs, who failed to win election.
On a good day on Facebook, our posts might be shared 50 to 100 times, but Hans’ opinion was shared 455 times, attracting 486 comments and over 5,000 likes. Additionally on LinkedIn, it generated 12,059 likes and 420 comments.
Here is his opinion again, printed in full.
Dear Rasmus Paludan! Thank you for your great efforts for Muslims living in Denmark.
Contribution to society
Because of you, we, who are very many, have had time to reflect on the contribution that our very good Muslim friends make to Danish society. They work hard, play a big role in educating their children and pay their taxes like everyone else.
You might have seen how many so-called ‘White Danes’ formed a protective ring around our Muslim friends when you wanted to ruin their Iftar dinner at City Hall (unfortunately I wasn’t there myself), and we will continue to protect everyone from racism in this country.
Understanding Ramadan
Also, thank you for focusing so much on Ramadan. Now many more people understand what Ramadan is: that it can be difficult neither eating nor drinking for what can be 18 hours a day in a country like Denmark with short nights; how it is humbling to endure the suffering of the poor who cannot afford food; and how it invests community spirit as people share their food with one another, give praise, purge their bodies and much, much more.
In fact, you have done enormous good for the Muslims in Denmark.
More noticed
Thanks to you, I visit my hairdresser Hussein more regularly than before, and I notice more than before the efforts of my good Muslim neighbours, like the father who runs a kiosk and drives a taxi to support his family whilst providing for his children’s education.
The list is endless: my greengrocer, the bus driver, my regular taxi driver, talented researchers at Novo Nordisk, talented IT people at Mærsk, but not least Hussein who is so kind to my niece’s disabled son Oliver.
I salute all the many, many other sweet, talented and diligent Muslims we have in Denmark.
Year of Tolerance
The United Arab Emirates has named 2019 a ‘Year of Tolerance’, so let us in Denmark follow this wave and be tolerant of other cultures and religious beliefs. Those who want to be a part of Denmark and give to society are welcome.
I have been sitting in many meetings with Muslims over the past month and been embarrassed to be a ‘White Dane’. But today I am proud to be a ‘White Dane’ because we showed yesterday in the election that we are absolutely not racists.
Eid Mubarak to all my Muslim friends!
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