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  "path": "/blog/we-shall-overcome-a-swedish-farce-in-1992/",
  "publishedAt": "2026-05-29T00:00:00.000Z",
  "site": "https://pivic.blog",
  "tags": [
    "Malcolm X",
    "John Ausonius"
  ],
  "textContent": "_Malcolm X, likely at a welcoming event for the African-American Students Foundation in 1959 or 1960_\n\n> Whoever heard of a revolution where they lock arms, singing 'We Shall Overcome'? You don't do that in a revolution. You don't do any singing; you're too busy swinging.\n>\n> Malcolm X, \"Message to the Grassroots\"\n\nActually, singing that song is what a Swedish politician did to try and calm outraged people in a public hall in Sweden in 1992.\n\nAt the height of public outrage against John Ausonius, an active and racist serial killer, politicians met with people in Rinkeby, a multicultural area of Stockholm county.\n\n> In Sweden, the song is partly known because Birgit Friggebo, during her time as Sweden's Minister for Culture from 1991–1994, with responsibility also for immigration issues, drew attention for a blunder at Rinkeby Folkets Hus. During a debate on racism and xenophobia on 5 February 1992 in the wake of the \"Laser Man\", Friggebo tried to calm the atmosphere by suggesting that the entire hall sing _We Shall Overcome_. The attempt failed. Bruce Springsteen also played this song on 22 July 2012 in Oslo on the anniversary of the 2011 terrorist attacks in Norway.\n\nPeople do the craziest shit.",
  "title": "We Shall Overcome: a Swedish farce in 1992"
}