»It was Good Trouble. It was Necessary Trouble«
09/20/2010
Oh how the young John Robert Lewis rebelled against the advice of his mother. „Don’t get in the way!“, she warned him. „Don’t get into trouble!“ But her son wouldn’t be deterred. His anger kept him in the way. Barely 18 years old, he decided to join Martin Luther King Jr. and protest racial segregation and discrimination. In Alabama in the late 1950s, this decision, which would change his life, also put his life at risk. „I wanted to get into trouble“, says Lewis today. „It was good trouble. It was necessary trouble.“
These words are the credo of this 70 year old politician. He has repeated it countless time over the last 50 years in a loud but calm voice. Just as he did on a Friday morning in the Cologne Town Hall where he spoke to 450 school children from around North-Rhein Westphalia.
A Prominient Personality Only a few members of the young audience at the Town Hall Meeting were familiar with the name John Lewis. However, it quickly became clear to the young group just who stood before them: a historical witness in the truest sense of the word. The American Congressman is a „prominent historic and political personality“, said Cologne Mayor Jürgen Roters in his opening address.
Lewis is the last living African-American civil rights activitist that marched on Washington on August 28, 1963 from the stages of the Lincoln Memorial to the thousands of speeches. „I have a dream,“ said Martin Luther King Jr., who spoke after Lewis. The day went down in history as a milestone for the civil rights movement.
John Lewis was 25 years old at the time and was already considered one of the most important leaders of the civil rights movement. He has been arrested more than 40 times in his life, continuously attacked and injured. Regardless, he has remained faithful to his belief in peaceful resistance.
Few other politicians in the US command so much respect and notarity as the deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives. The speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, describes John Lewis as the „conscience of the US Congress“.President Barack Obama wrote, „Because of you, John“ as a dedication in a photo with Lewis.. „Because of you.“ Without Lewis and the other civil rights activists there would have never been a black president of the United States. 
„We All Live in the Same House“How beloved John Lewis is in his homeland is also apparent during his visit to Germany. Over bratwurst and beer in Brauhaus Früh at the Cologne Cathedral he was immediately recognized by an American tourist who was thrilled to bump into his civil rights hero.
Journalists and US-specialists are also impressed by Lewis’ charisma when they speak with him at a broadcast of German Radio on the integration of immigrants. When asked about a solution to integration problems, the guest gave a simple answer: „We must learn to live like one family – all together. We all live in the same house.“
On the night President Barack Obama was elected, there was an overwhelming feeling of unity, said RTL Moderator Christof at the talk with Lewis at the Haus der Geschichte in Bonn. However, today there seems to be a different feeling. Lang: „What do you think of the ultra-conservative Tea Party movement and the Fox Moderator Glenn Beck who is so vehemently against Obama?“ John Lewis shook his head. „It is a puzzle to me, what they mean when they say they want to restore America’s honor.“ That Becks „Restoring Honor Rally“ took place on the 47th anniversary of the famous Martin Luther King Jr. speech at the Lincoln Memorial was an affront, Lewis said. 
In an interview with German radio, Lewis was asked about why the Democrats are loosing the majority despite the milestones like health care reform, financial market reform and the withdrawal of troops from Iraq in November. He tried to find an explanation. „The President and the Democrats in Congress haven’t done enough“, said Lewis. „We haven’t done a good job of explaining our policies to the people.“A Full Program
John Lewis’ trip to Germany was an initiative of the Congressional Study Group on Germany. For nearly a week, the Congressman travelled around Germany. In Berlin, he met with representatives of a Jewish Association and with the new coordinator for German-American relations, Hans-Ulrich Klose (SPD). In Hamburg, he answered questions from students moderated by ARD journalist Tom Buhrow.
The Amerika Haus e.V. NRW invited John Lewis to North Rhein-Westphalia and with the support of the State Chancellery and the American Consulate General of Dusseldorf , organized a two day program: the Town Hall Meeting in Köln with 450 students from all over North Rhein-Westphalia, the lecture at Bonner Haus der Geschichte, a conversation with Minister President Hannelore Kraft as well as representatives from political and media fields in Dusseldorf. The last stop on the tour was a visit to Monschau, where the Congressman was welcomed by mayor Margareta Ritter.
Fighting for Their Beliefs Wherever Lewis appears, he leaves his audience with a lasting impression. „He is incredibly charismatic“, said Andreas Backes (18), student at the Paul-Klee-Gymnasium in Overrath, after the Town Hall Meeting in Cologne. Zeynep Yakin (17) of the Lise-Meitner-Gesamtschule in Cologne-Porz was impressed by Lewis’ conviction: „I am amazed that he kept going.“ The students enjoyed the informal presentation. And John Lewis feels that dialog with the younger generation is extremely valuable. He wants to pass something on to them and motivate them to fight for their beliefs. „Stand up for what you believe in! Do something about it!“, he told the students. „We cannot allow people to just stand by and watch.“
