Month: April 2011

Karjalainen: Koko suomalaisuus on lainaa vain

Posted on by Migrant Tales

Comment: Below is a story that was published in the Joensuu-based daily Karjalainen, which questions the myths surrounding Finnish identity. Even if parties that base part of their image on maintaining the country “white” by depriving people who come from different backgrounds, the nationalist-populist True Finns’ television ad is based on an Italian song by Toto Cutugno, L’italiano.

You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to understand that the True Finns are one party capitalizing on our national myths. Certainly other parties do it but they are more careful. At least they understand the dangers of arguing for nineteenth century myths of the world and cultures in 2011.

One of the most interesting matters to study about Finnish history and national identity is where and why it came about. Even though some want to give us the impression that Finns are a homogenous group, nothing could be further from the truth.  Much of our identity as a nation is based on threat of the outside world and erasing or forgetting our history.

Migrant Tales has written about this before. See An insult to over a million Finns.

People who suffer from such amnesia readily forget that over one million Finns emigrated from this country in the last two centuries.  Many of us who emigrated from this country come today from diverse cultural backgrounds. We still call ourselves Finns.

If I had a complaint about the way some view our history and national identity, it is narrow-mindedness. When we play around with myths like national identity too seriously we run the danger of excluding others who have a rightful claim to this country.

The acceptance of “others” as members of this society is vital because our future as a dynamic and successful nation depends on it.

Monoculturalism is only an excuse used by some to exclude.

___________

Terhi Nevalainen

Ihan hätkäytti, kun perussuomalaisten televisiomainos sattui silmiin – tai itse asiassa korviin. Mainoksessa ääni laulaa sanan perussuomalainen täsmälleen samalla nuotilla kuin laulussa Olen suomalainen.

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New World Finn: My Finnish identity is fine

Posted on by Migrant Tales

By Enrique Tessieri

A reader recently surprised me on my blog, Migrant Tales, affirming that Finnish Americans are not Finns. “They weren’t born, raised in Finland nor do they speak Finnish; some of them have never visited Finland,” he wrote. “I wonder how many could point to Finland on a map.”

His comment was not only rude but was full of holes. I challenged the blogger to visit a future FinnFest festival and make such a provocative statement publicly. I recommended that he’d take, just in case, a few body guards along.

It was the last time he brought up the subject.

Even if most Finnish Americans are legally from the United States, many of us still retain strong cultural, spiritual and family bonds to Finland. What identity we choose to use depends on ourselves. We are the only ones who decide what identity we feel comfortable with.

No matter how you express your Finnish identity, we all come from the same family because we are the children, grandchildren and great grandchildren of immigrants.

From Hollywood to Finland

When I was thirteen, my multicultural background was too difficult for me to grasp since the three cultures that claimed me, Argentinean, Finnish and Californian, demanded all of my attention.

I wrote about my cultural predicament in a book published in Finland in 1994: “Belonging to three cultures is like having three hungry children to feed. All three of them have expensive tastes. I must have spent a fortune on plane tickets during my lifetime. I am certain that I would be a millionaire today if I could turn the hours I’ve spent pampering these children into dollars.”

Using hindsight, my mistake back then was seeing these three cultures as separate when, in fact, they were all one.

Even if Argentina, Finland and California appeared like distant worlds, I never felt like an outsider in any of them. When I visited my grandparents in Finland, I felt perfectly at home in my world and identity.

Being in Finland was like “switching on a culture” and then turning it off when I returned to Los Angeles in fall. For two to three months and without Southern Californian life and culture constantly bombarding me, I was momentarily a child of the rural landscapes of eastern Finland.

One of my favorite pastimes during those times was to explore with my vintage World War 2 bike and a topographic map the woods near our summerhouse. If I did this in Hollywood, people would think that I was crazy. It would have been dangerous as well for a youngster to speak to strangers let alone enter their homes in Los Angeles.

This wasn’t the case in Finland. Some of the people I met during those short travels into the woods became lifelong friends.

I still long occasionally for those lazy late-afternoon summer days and those short travels with my vintage bike, which was not really a bike but a crude eastern Finnish version of Aladdin’s magic lamp. Instead of rubbing I peddled. The more I peddled the greater chance I had of encountering new adventures.

The adventures I took part in were not like James Bond movies but humble aspirations like visiting the woods, lakes and inhabitants of that region of Finland. I was especially fascinated by lakes. They were like islands or enclaves on land. They brought me great joy when I discovered new ones of different sizes and shapes tucked deep in the woods.

I was especially fond of ponds. For me they had more magic than lakes, which were vulnerable to human encroachment and appeared more conceited due to their size.

Eden’s fate

My presence in the woods was paradoxically a prelude to the end of those old-growth forests. Edward O. Wilson describes eloquently in his book, The Future of Life, how destructive humans are. Wherever we lay our feet, nature and biodiversity are eventually put on the defensive.

According to the biologist, there was no such thing as the “noble savage;” Eden occupied was a slaughterhouse and paradise found by humans is paradise lost. Wilson was, unfortunately, right. Sadness fills me today when I imagine those near-untouched forests I visited over three decades ago. Even the forest that stood on our land has been clear-cut beyond recognition.

Fortunately there are other modes of travel to revisit such places of beauty. I can still travel spiritually and in time to those forests. They still stand there in my mind and heart with a few magic trails leading me deeper into their unforgettable humbleness and generosity.

This column was published in the Sprin 2011 issue of New World Finn

Iltalehti: Perussuomalaisten ehdokas: Holokaustia on liioiteltu

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Comment: Here is a story confirming what some have known about some True Finns’ candidates like Freddy van Wonterghem, who claimed in Iltalehti that even though excesses happened during World War II, the Holocaust was an “exaggerated” fabrication by the former Soviet Union.

By his incredible affirmation, it is clear that van Wonterghem‘s forte isn’t history. For a matter of fact his world view is extremely selective like his opinion on immigration.

To claim that the Soviets had exaggerated the figure is outright ludicrous.  Germans like Rudolf Hoess, the notorious commandant of Auschwitz  during 1941-43 who cited figures given to him by Adolf Eichmann on the “many millions who died under the Nazi regime,” revealed how the death camps worked. Different estimates have placed the death toll at Auschwitz alone between 1.1 million and 4 million.

Eichman (1906-62), who was one of the major organizers of the Holocaust,  is quoted as saying in Richard Overy’s Interrogations – The Nazi elite in Allied hands, 1945 (pp. 192-193): “I laugh when I jump into the grave because of the feeling that I have killed five million Jews. That gives me great satisfaction.”

One of the defenses that the Nazis tried to use at Nuremberg was that it was simply impossible to exterminate systematically six million people. Hoes, however, who never showed any remorse for his crimes, proved them wrong with his testimony.

Even though this type of denial by van Wonterghem shows the real face of some True Finns’ candidates, what is even more worrying is the presence of  far-right Suomen Sisu members in the party’s anti-immigration camp. Suomen Sisu is a neo-fascist organization that believes that Finland should not encourage its citizens to marry non-Finns.

One such candidate of the True Finns is long-time Suomen Sisu member Teemu Lahtinen. In this video clip we see him marching at a far-right event in France marching with the Finnish and IKL flag. IKL was a fascist organization in the 1920s that got much of its inspiration from Benito Mussolini.

In the video clip we hear an IKL member’s advice: “All those that don’t have work and who are not tourists and aren’t Finnish citizens leave Finland,” said Matti Harjujärvi.

Another well-known Suomen Sisu and candidate of the True Finns is Jussi Halla-aho. He is speculated to be Suomen Sisu’s international contacts head. Some far-right parties that Suomen Sisu and the True Finns are reported to have good relations with include the DPP of Denmark, Party of Freedom of the Netherlands, Sweden Democrats and others.

Some analysts believe that soon after the April 17 election Timo Soini, who represents the former rural SMP wing of the True Finns, and those that back Suomen Sisu will go at each other’s throat in a power struggle that will cause the party to implode.

If we look at the True Finns’ message and the worrying far-right elements inside of it,  a big victory for Soini’s party would permit the rude face of xenophobia and its many forms to raise its head higher in this country.

This is the reason why some see these elections as an important watershed.

__________

Katja Boxberg

Eduskuntaan pyrkii holokaustin kyseenalaistaja ja rotujen sekoittumista vastustava. Kansanedustajuutta tavoittelee useita perussuomalaisia ehdokkaita, jotka ovat allekirjoittaneet maahanmuuttovastaisen ns. nuivan manifestin. Osalla ehdokkaista on läheiset suhteet äärikansalliseen Suomen Sisuun.

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MTV3:n puoluegallup: Perussuomalaiset laskussa

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Comment: This is the first poll that shows that the populist True Finns may have reached their zenith and that their popularity is weaning.  A poll commissioned by MTV3 showed in March that only 16.2% (-0.8%) would vote for the True Finns. Kokoomus and the Center Party were near-tied at 19.9% and 19.8%, respectively. The Social Democrats came in third with 18.1%.

As mentioned in previous posts, polls should be treated as polls.  However, it is pretty significant that the True Finns, which have been the rising star of the polls, are now seeing their popularity heading south.

A lot of people are very concerned about the prospect of a large populist, anti-immigrant and anti-EU party in Finland.  The attacks by other parties, media and normal voters of  the True Finns have probably start to bite.  One of the eeriest things that the head of the True Finns, Timo Soini, likes to say is that he aims to break the stranglehold of the three largest parties over Finnish politics.

In a typical True Finns style he does not mention with what he plans to replace the three parties with.

Finns go to the polls on April 17.

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MTV3:n puoluegallupin mukaan kokoomuksen ja keskustan kannatus on käytännössä tasoissa. Kokoomusta kannattaa 19,9 prosenttia ja keskustaa 19,8 prosenttia suomalaisista. Kolmantena on SDP 18,1 prosentin kannatuksella ja neljäntenä perussuomalaiset, jonka kannatus on 16,2 prosenttia.

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MailOnline: Why there is a cost to curbing immigration?

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Comment: Here is an interesting column by Jonathan Portes that speaks of a rethink by PM David Cameron on immigration curbs. limiting skilled migration from outside of the EU can be costly. According to the government’s own assessment, the cost to the economy could perhaps total  £2-4billion by the end of the Parliament.

He continues: “Immigration benefits the British economy. Skilled immigration is particularly beneficial, but lots of evidence suggest that immigration overall – including that from the new members of the European Union – is good for the economy.”

One of the biggest mistakes that some Finns are making is that they believe that immigration is a threat.  Those who see immigration as unbeneficial to society like to  point out the problems of cultural diversity. They believe that while their society is never perfect, immigration and immigrants should be problem-free members of society.

Immigrants, like so-called natives, are humans and never perfect. Even so, immigration is a power social force that drives economies and societies ahead.

Do you agree?

_________

By Jonathan Portes

(UK Prime Minister) David Cameron said recently: ‘We are taking on the enemies of enterprise. The bureaucrats in government departments who concoct those ridiculous rules and regulations that make life impossible.’ And last month we had a ‘Budget for Growth’.

The keep on reading click here. 

Helsingin Sanomat: Rotuajattelu elää täälläkin

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Comment: Researcher Vesa Puuronen has been creating some waves in Finland as of late with his observations of racism and the rise of right-wing populism in our society.  The Helsingin Sanomat review of his book, “Rasistinen Suomi” (Racist Finland), claims a lot of disturbing matters about ourselves as a society.

He believes that the roots of racism span deep in our history and have been present through our treatment of the Russians and Saami as well as newer groups that have moved to Finland.

Certainly we can blame the rise of the True Finns and xenophobia in this country on the general atmosphere in Europe. If Finland had as many immigrants as Sweden (14.3%) compared with 2.9% now, would some Finns have gone on the rampage as happened to the Reds shortly after the Civil War of 1918?

Even though the xenophobic atmosphere makes us wonder these days, the racism that has inflicted this society is out in the open for all of us to observe.

Silence will no longer make it go away.

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Antti Blåfield

Tutkija Vesa Puurosen johtopäätös on karu: “Suomalaisessa yhteiskunnassa vallitsee rotujärjestelmä, ja rasismi tarkoittaa rotujärjestelmän ylläpitämistä”. Kirjassaan Rasistinen Suomi Puuronen etsii suomalaisen rasismin juuria ja tämän ajan rasismia.

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Finland votes on April 17: Stoking the flames of bigotry

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By Enrique Tessieri

Finns will go to the ballot boxes on April 17 and some are predicting a big victory for the populist True Finns, a party which bases much of its  campaign on anti-EU rhetoric as well as nationalism, conservative values, anti-immigration and Islamophobia.  The good news is that the majority of Finns have given them the thumbs down.

Researcher Vesa Puuronen said in an interview on Sunday in Mikkeli-based daily Länsi-Savo that the Islamophobia gripping some parts of Europe is similar to what happened in this continent in the 1930s. “I fear that it (right-wing populism) will rise (elsewhere) and could grow in Finland,” he was quoted as saying in Länsi-Savo. “I hope we’ll pull through this with less damage than from the right-wing populist wave of the 1930s that caused a calamity throughout Europe and the world.”

Another important matter to take into account is that researchers like Puuronen believe that racism based on culture and religion is as dangerous as what eugenics brought us before World War II. One of the favorite pastimes of these questionable “men of science” was classifying and justifying “racial” superiority.

One of these “researchers” of eugenics in Finland was Rolf Nordenstreng. This was the level of his observations: “You cannot expect intelligent children from a Gypsy horse thief and a promiscuous Negro wife (sic!).” (Nordenstreng, 1929, p. 48).

This is an updated 2010 version of the above by James Hirvisaari of the True Finns:  “And on top of this we’ll get (from Muslim immigrants) discrimination,   intolerable contemptuous bad behavior, hate, degradation of women, mutilated children’s bodies, sexual molesters (sic!)…”

Isn’t it incredible that we live in 2011 and still find these types of affirmations are coming from people who should know better?

This is what General David Petraeus said recently about the buring of the Koran in Florida: “This was a surprise. (It was) hateful, extremely disrespectful and enormously intolerant.” Is there any difference to what happened in Florida and Hirvisaari’s wrath?

Despite the fact that racism has raised its ugly head in Finland, it is a good matter that it is out there for all of us to see. We must not only challenge it but nip this social ill in the bud.

Because I believe in Finland, I know that we will prevail in the task.

Talouselämä: Suurin osa maahanmuuttajista on suomalaisia

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Comment: Here is a story in the business weekly Talouselemä that reveals that one third, or the biggest group of immigrants that moved to Finland in 2000-08, were none other than Finnish expatriates. This sounds a bit like in early 1980 when the biggest group of “foreigners” living in the country were Finns who had Swedish citizenship.

If this is true, what are anti-immigration parties like the True Finns and groups like Hommaforum talking about if the biggest group of “foreigners” that moved to this country were their own countrymen and women?

It’s pretty incredible that the immigration issue has not surfaced in any of the recent YLE election debates. Is it such a hot potato that YLE has preferred not to bring it up?

The April 17 election has shown that a part of Finland is seriously challenged when it comes to relating to cultural diversity, immigrants and immigration. Some of them even go as far as claiming that they are indigenous and that immigrants are colonlizing their land.

This type of extremism and xenophobia has a lot to do with Finland being a shut society during most of the cold war. Anti-immigration and Islamophobic groups want to take Finland back to the time when the shadow of the Soviet Union hung deep over this land.

Do you agree?

_____________

Hanna Rajalahti

Perussuomalaisten suosio mielipidemittauksissa on houkutellut vaalien alla päivänvaloon kaikenlaisia kansalliskiihkoilevia porukoita.

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