Newly elected Perussuomalaiset (PS)* MP Laura Huhtasaari, who is trying to make a name for herself with an anti-immigration agenda, believes that migration from Islamic countries is a security risk for Finland, according to Pori-based daily Satakunnan Kansa, which cites Helsingin Sanomat.
Huhtasaari’s suspicion of Muslims is nothing new. As a councilwoman of Pori she tried unsuccessfully to get the city to stop funding an Islamic cultural foundation.
Her most incredible statements have been recently that there are no-go zones in the southern Swedish city of Mälmö and that migrants and poor immigration policy incite racism.
Read full story (in Finnish) here.
“There are Muslims who abide by the same Western values [as us],” she said. “But if we think of Sharia law and the women’s role, and if Muslim values and culture are in conflict with Western values, then it is a threat [to our culture].”
Semi Tavi summarized well in a Facebook comment Huhtasaari’s political agenda:
I consider this woman quite scary. With a kindergarten smile she speaks the same rehearsed sentences over and over again. With a pejorative look she speaks about “risk groups” by which she means Muslim immigrants. She also makes clear, the unsuccesful integration is due to the immigrants’ cultural difference, not for example to European xenophobia or racism. It’s typical for a PS member to accuse immigrants of actually *causing* the racist behaviour of people in Europe.
The thing at the moment is, you can’t criticize PS. You’ll be laughed at and labeled “living in a bubble” whereas PS politicians and supporters seem to have a right to say whatever they want about anyone they want. It’s cold politics by cold people, whose bubble is so obvious that people don’t even speak about it anymore.
Well said, Semi!
