WDR Talk "Last Instance": "This program was a contribution to the division of society"

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After the WDR talk “The last instance” was broadcast again, the Hamburg politician Danial Ilkhanipour (SPD) made serious accusations to all those involved.

"This program contributed to the division of society - and ruined initial success," said the 39-year-old in an interview with WELT.

Obviously, there is still no consensus that everyday racism is a major social problem - “as well as when those affected do not get a vote”.

In Ilkhanipour's view, knowing someone with a migration history or having them among friends makes you “not an expert on everyday racism”.

The obvious lack of sensitivity and self-reflection on the part of all those involved in the WDR-Talks show that “we are still at the very beginning of a debate”.

"The end of the gypsy sauce: a necessary step?"

In the format “The Last Instance” on November 29, 2020, presenter Steffen Hallaschka discussed current social issues with Micky Beisenherz, Thomas Gottschalk, Janine Kunze and Jürgen Milski, including the issue of racist language and the question: “The end of the gypsy sauce: Is that a necessary step? "

The guests could agree with a green card and against with a red card.

All four guests held up the red card.

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While the first broadcast remained without a major public response, the repeat last Friday triggered a shit storm.

Afterwards, many viewers on Twitter were indignant about the fact that the guests had dealt with the topic of everyday racism “without empathy”, “uncritically” and “naively” and had defended racist terms.

Actress Kunze, 46, and presenter Beisenherz, 43, have now apologized for their statements.

"How and to what extent racism was talked about in 'The Last Instance' makes me incredibly angry," emphasizes Ilkhanipour.

The politician is the son of Iranian immigrants, was born in Schleswig-Holstein in 1981 and grew up in the Hamburg district of Stellingen.

The trained lawyer has been a member of the Hamburg Parliament for the Social Democrats since 2015.

"Broadcast has thrown us back socially"

"If you want to talk about racism in our society, then you should talk to the people who experience racism and not about them," Ilkhanipour criticizes the approach of the format "The Last Instance" and adds: "Above all, not in this contemptuous way .

This show has thrown us back socially. "

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Ilkhanipour himself is confronted with racism on a daily basis, more directly, more harshly and more hurtful than before.

"I felt more German ten years ago than I do today," said the SPD politician months ago.

He no longer wants to accept the insults, insults and threats - an attitude that many in his generation shared.

That is why the comments in the WDR talk are so dangerous

Precisely because the comments in the WDR talk "did not come from the typical right-wing populist corner, but apparently from the middle of society, they are so dangerous," says Ilkhanipour.

This once again shifted borders to the right.

The politician continues: "When people - who as public figures should be supposed allies in the fight against racism - make fun of it, it hurts particularly."

Nevertheless, the current outcry has something good: "Hopefully there will now be a debate - with those affected," said Ilkhanipour.

The WDR has a great responsibility here.

The broadcaster had already admitted errors on Sunday.

The talk did not go "as we planned and imagined".

In retrospect, it is clear: "With such a sensitive topic, people who bring other perspectives and / or are directly affected should definitely have participated in the discussion," said the WDR's statement.