Flemming Heilmann’s Speech at the Grundlovsdag Celebration at The Danish Home in Croton-on-Hudson, NY on June 7, 2014
By Flemming Heilmann –
Those of us who are US citizens with deep Danish roots, but with American families and American futures, will always identify with the best national values and standards to which our two countries aspire.
“Grundloven” and the United States Constitution both aim to enshrine many shared objectives and commitments to fairness, decency and justice.
This past Thursday it was 165 years since King Frederik VII embraced the constitutional monarchy and relinquished absolute rule. In fact, that was not the only positive development in Denmark in 1849, but I shall come back to that in a few moments.
“Grundloven” has been changed four times since then: for example….
In 1915 – Danish women – and servants!!! – got the vote – in the US it happened five years later
In 1953 – “Landstinget” was replaced by the parliamentary system
Greenland’s colonial status was terminated as the territory became a county
Females were made eligible for the monarchy – but only if there were no male heir – this was again revised 2009, to remove the qualification
The American Constitution has been amended 19 times – but the key commitments of both laws persist…..commitments to fairness, decency and justice. So as Danes AND as Americans, we have every reason to celebrate our shared values today.
Til lykke med DET! Congratulations!
Against this background, we have many life-changing Danish accomplishments to be proud of – too many to list – and we will never forget the global impact of them:
In the HUMANITIES, ARTS & DESIGN there is Soeren Kirkegaard’s religious philosophy, Hans Christian Andersen’s fairytales, Carl Nielsen’s music, Bournonville’s tradition in ballet, Arne Jacobsen’s designs (the egg chair is seen everywhere today)
In SCIENCE, we have the ground-breaking work of Niels Bohr and Tycho Brahe
In INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE such global names as Maersk, Novo, Carlsberg and Lego
In SPORTS we had Poul Elvstroem and more recently Caroline Wozniacki, who both reached their respective pinnacles – we can still hope Caroline might get there again – since she’s no longer busy with Rory!
In PERFORMING ARTS there are people like Victor Borge, Peter Martins and Mads Mikkelsen – all among the world’s stellar names.
I had the personal privilege of knowing Victor Borge, so I am going to take the liberty of telling two stories about him :
(we grew up together in the elevator)
He was a merciless TEASE
(who the hell are you and what are you doing here?)
But seriously, all these are international names associated with the highest of standards and positive change.…… from a little country of 5.6-million people – which is about the same as the population of four out of New York’s five boroughs. Denmark and all of us can truly be proud of them and their accomplishments.
Along with Grundloven, we can also today celebrate a great Danish-American social reformer, who has had an enduring impact on the life of the poor and the under-served here in the USA.
Jacob A. Riis came into this world the same year as Grundloven, in 1849, and he died at the age of 65 – 100 years ago just last month. It’s ironic that he should be so highly respected and acclaimed for his activism here in America and yet he remains almost unknown in Denmark ……although we ARE working on this!
The Museum of the City of New York partnering with the Library of Congress are going to bring a very important Jacob Riis exhibition to Denmark in 2016, to Copenhagen and to Ribe.
Jacob Riis brought his native Vestjydske – west Jutland – values and principles to bear in his fight against the social injustices of 19th century New York. His photo-journalism and writings exposed the squalor, injustice and gross exploitation of the poor in New York’s Lower East Side, where many thousands lived in filthy tenement housing where crime and disease were rife. His book “How the Other Half Lives” drew the attention of uncaring New Yorkers, and indeed all Americans, to the plight of the poor.
Riis befriended the Police Commissioner in Manhattan at that time – none other than Teddy Roosevelt – by showing him the abusive practices in the tenements and police lodging houses. Roosevelt of course went on to become America’s “Reform President.” Jacob and Teddy became life-long friends, and Riis the special advisor to President Roosevelt as he sponsored all his legislation for social reform on a national scale.
So, 100 years on we can also celebrate Jacob Riis today, and be proud of his great work, the proven principles he brought with him from his home town, Ribe…….Denmark’s oldest town, founded by the Vikings on the North Sea coast in the 9th century. America would do well to reinforce some of those same principles today.
Everything Riis focused on was about providing the tools and conditions a citizen needs to achieve social and economic self-sufficiency. He did not believe in unconditional hand-outs, grants and subsidies, which could be misused and could encourage dependence on public aid and philanthropy.
He insisted that people take individual responsibility for themselves, that recipients of the services and opportunity provided – DO something with it. He despised self-pity.
As an immigrant himself, Riis suffered extreme poverty and twice came close to death. As a photo-journalist and reformist author, his tireless mission was to improve living conditions for the poor, secure access to education, provide open green spaces in the inner city, create access to medical treatment and encourage enforcement of the law.
He felt that immigrants should assimilate, obey the laws of the land, and strive to become contributing citizens. He co-founded the Neighborhood Settlement movement in America, and one of those social service agencies, which is named for him, is active today in America’s largest public housing project, the Queensbridge Houses right here in New York’s inner city.
100 years after his death, America needs to place greater emphasis on his principles and priorities in our social reform legislation. Rather than encouraging a sense of entitlement, and creating dependence via unconditional hand-outs and outright grants, we should – as Riis did – create more EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY for those seeking to improve themselves. We should be focusing on EQUALITY OF ACCESS – to education, to vocational skills, healthcare and sound family structure – rather than writing laws to engineer unrealistic, unsustainable EQUALITY OF SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC STATUS.
Because of Riis’ very vocal and pragmatic concern for the poor, some of his contemporary New Yorkers assumed he bore grudge against the rich. Not so! He was quite comfortable among affluent people. He knew that social services have to be funded by the creation of wealth – and that the wealthy indeed contributed massively to his cause – the cause of the poor and the abused. He invited them to do so with great success, always guaranteeing effective use of their money, with no waste.
Wealth creation and private sector philanthropy were crucial generators of social progress in the 19th and early 20th centuries – Riis understood that – and today they remain a vital component of the USA’s capacity to ensure social progress at home and abroad. So those who want to kill the goose that laid the golden egg better be careful what they wish for!
President Roosevelt over time offered Jacob Riis several positions of high office in government – even a cabinet post – all of which he declined, saying that his calling was in New York, close to the people for whom he strove so effectively. Teddy Roosevelt went so far as to pronounce Jacob Riis “New York’s most useful citizen.” On another occasion he was described as “the best American I ever knew.”
A great Dane indeed….Jacob Riis was perhaps THE Dane, who has had the greatest impact on the life of ordinary Americans….. THE Danish American who has most effectively applied the values for which our two great countries stand – the principles shared and celebrated in Denmark’s Grundlov and in the United States Constitution.
Long live fairness, decency and justice!
=================================================================
ABOUT THE DANISH PIONEER NEWSPAPER – SINCE 1872 – ENGLISH & DANISH ARTICLES
THE DANISH PIONEER NEWSPAPER IN ACTION: Did you know that The Danish Pioneer staff, editors, photographers columnists and writers help readers discover unique travel destinations, interesting films, concerts, books, theatrical works, festivals, exhibitions, sporting events, delicious restaurants, special birthdays and scholarship opportunities in the USA, Canada, Denmark & Scandinavia. Come discover more in 2014 & 2015. Visit www.thedanishpioneer.com
THE DANISH PIONEER NEWSPAPER WAS FOUNDED IN OMAHA, NEBRASKA IN 1872 AND TODAY IS STILL PUBLISHED JUST OUTSIDE CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. Did you know by supporting The Danish Pioneer Newspaper’s print edition, we are able to offer the bonus of our colorful, exciting website. Please support The Danish Pioneer Newspaper. Subscriptions to our print edition are economical, and you receive 26 issues per year including the extra-large, extra-special holiday issue. Subscriptions and advertisements – like annual donations to ethnic institutions or memberships to clubs, lodges and organizations – help The Danish Pioneer Newspaper staff to preserve and to support the Danish-American ethnic press in addition to allowing us to promote the Danish and Scandinavian culture, communities, heritage and traditions in the USA and North America. Please subscribe today or give The Danish Pioneer Newspaper as a gift subscription to a friend or relative. Visit http://www.thedanishpioneer.com/subscribe
