"... the lie of their inferiority is accepted as truth in the society dominating them."-Martin Luther King, Jr.
I never thought we'll be having this conversation in 2009 (almost 2010). Are we moving forward or are we moving backwards?
Many societies have experienced a decline in the number of "white power" groups. However, these groups are on the increase in SWEDEN.
According to Expo Foundation (a foundation which aims to map right-wing extremist and racist trends in Sweden), "white power" groups in Sweden have stepped up their activities over the past year.
Earlier this month, an annual report presented by the Expo Foundation found that 39 "white power" groups were active in Sweden in 2008, with 25 of them having been created in 2007 or 2008. The report reveals that 1,946 actions were carried out by racist "white power" organizations in 2008. The Local, a Swedish news agency reported that the figures represent an increase of roughly 800 of such groups over the previous year.
In the words of one of the authors of the Expo report, Kenny Hjalte, "this is a movement which saw an increase in activity in 2008."
The report listed the leading groups operating in Sweden. These groups include, Info 14, the Swedish Resistance Movement, the Nordic Union and the National Socialist Front, just to name a few.
An increase in the number of "white power" groups in Sweden or anywhere in the world is of interest to me because these racist groups seek to challenge the core of my belief that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. This is a belief enshrined in the greatest document of all time - The Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The "white power" groups (or whatever they call themselves) seek to continue spreading the lie of the inferiority of a people; a lie which unfortunately, has been accepted as truth in the world today. This lie has been passed down through many generations and has had catastrophic effects on a people.
Now, it's up to us as individuals to decide whether to accept the lie or reject it. Rejecting the lie requires us to unite, stand up for what is right and make our voices heard; rejecting the lie requires us to empower ourselves and prove to the world that we can be whatever we want to be and not what society wants us to be.
Personally, I don't think there's any such thing as "white power." I believe in individual strength and capability.
As the great Dr. King said, "a man can't ride your back unless it's bent." Anybody can be what he/she wants to be. It's up to you!
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