Perussuomalaist* MP Juha Mäenpää, a member of the far-right Nazi-spirited Suomen Sisu, labelled asylum seekers in a session of parliament as “an invasive species.“
Mäenpää is the same person who in 2015 stated that god had answered his prayers after a reception center that was going to house asylum seekers was razed to the ground.
In a tweet by Martin Scheinin, international law and human rights professor at the European Institute University calls out MP Juha Mäenpää’s usage of the word “invasive species. He states that Perussuomalaiset vice president Juho Eerola kept silence. Referring asylum seekers as “invasive species” could bring ethnic agitation charges against Mäenpää.
The interesting matter to watch is if, like Scheinin correctly points, if ethnic agitation charges will be brought against Mäenpää.
In combating social ills like racism, the role of the state and its institutions should be clear: any form of discrimination or hate speech that dehumanizes people is unacceptable.
One of the biggest challenges of combating racism and discrimination in Finland is due process, which is too slow, and symbolic fines that are a joke. Even so, a conviction brings shame and that may deter others.
Still, too much racism and discrimination exist in Finland because they are allowed to exist and live another day. It is like giving protection and cover for anti-social behavior.
In my opinion, it is important that the state prosecutor bring ethnic agitation charges against Mäenpää, who speaks of other human beings as if they were animals.
* The Perussuomalaiset (PS) party imploded on June 13, 2017, into two factions, the PS and New Alternative, which is now called Blue Reform. In the last parliamentary election, Blue Reform was wipedoff the Finnish political map when they saw their numbers in parliament plummet from 18 MPs to none. A direct translation of Perussuomalaiset in English would be something like “basic” or “fundamental Finn.” Official translations of the Finnish name of the party, such as Finns Party or True Finns, promote in our opinion nativist nationalism and racism. We, therefore, at Migrant Tales prefer to use in our postings theFinnish name of the party once and after that the acronym PS.
“The inhabitants of Juva are quiet about [MP] Ano Turtianen.* It is a sign that there is a lot of shame.”
A Juva resident
Ano Turtianen is an MP from the town of Juva (pop. 6,500) in Eastern Finland. Anyone who has visited Juva will most likely note a lot of pensioners walking with rollators.Just like the village’s demographic woes, Turtiainen has made a lot of enemies.
One of these, who spoke on condition of anonymity, considered Turtiainen an image problem for the town.
“Even if he got over 426 votes from Juva [out of a total of 3,265], it shows that there are a lot of people set in their ways,” the Juva resident said. “No matter what you do, their opinions will not change.”
If what the village resident says is true, then Turtiainen is how some of the residents of the town see the world.
Some believe that he is more interested in being in Helsinki than Juva.
“He has a lot of contacts there and I believe what is going to happen evntually is that he will forget Juva for Helsinki,” the resident said.
The most recent outburst by Turtiainen, that Ebola in Africa is nature’s way of keeping overpopulation in check, shows ignorance, and a total lack of respect for human dignity and human rights.
Certainly a person like Turtianen has got in trouble with the law. He has a conviction for inciting people to burn asylum reception centers managed by the Red Cross. His comments about migrants and refugees are as well an example that white supremacy has a strong following in Juva.
Nature is helping in keeping population growth in check. #ebola #Afric
When Iltalehti asked Turtainen if he understood that the Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is the second worst in history, he placed the blame on overpopulation.
“If it is in your opinion the second worst epidemic, my opinion is that the biggest problem is that there are too many people,” he was quoted as saying to Iltalehti.“That’s the biggest problem, the biggest epidemic. These kinds of things happen as a result.”
While it is clear we have not heard the last of Turtiinen’s racist outbursts, his behavior as an MP offers other political parties a reminder that doing business with the PS is making a pact with the devil.
In the same way, the former PS chairperson, Timo Soini, made a pact with far-right extremists and Islamophobes and, as a result, got his fingers burned badly, the same danger looms for the present head of the PS, Jussi Halla-aho.
“The problem with the Perussuomalaiset party is that far-right ideology has found a home [thanks to Halla-aho and people like Turtiainen] as has [nativist ethnonationlist groups like] Suomen Sisu,” the Juva resident said. “This creates friction because some party members don’t think this way.”
“I don’t know if Turtiainen is a member of Suomen Sisu, but I have my doubts,” said the Juva resident
.”I doubt that he will be reelected for a second term.
*”Ano” is a real name in Finland. The equivalent name for women is Anna. The translation of “ano” in Spanish is the anus.
[1] * The Perussuomalaiset (PS) party imploded on June 13, 2017, into two factions, the PS and New Alternative, which is now called Blue Reform. In the last parliamentary election, Blue Reform was wiped off the Finnish political map when they saw their numbers in parliament plummet from 18 MPs to none. A direct translation of Perussuomalaiset in English would be something like “basic” or “fundamental Finn.” Official translations of the Finnish name of the party, such as Finns Party or True Finns, promote in our opinion nativist nationalism and racism. We, therefore, at Migrant Tales prefer to use in our postings the Finnish name of the party once and after that the acronym PS.
The Perussuomalaiset* joins the newly formed Identity and Democracy (ID) group in the EU led by far-right politicians like Matteo Salvini, and Marine Le Pen. This is one of many examples of the PS’ far-right colors.
One of Finland’s most significant acts of denial is not fully acknowledging that the Perussuomalaiset (PS) is a far-right party that is openly hostile to migrants, minorities, and to our Nordic institutions. The mainstream European media calls the PS correctlya far-right party as do NGOs like HOPE not hate.
A “perfect” far-right couple: Matteo Salvini and Laura Huhtasaari.
One of the big political pitches that parties like the PS make directly or indirectly the the hateful language of white supremacy. The most recent case implicating its youth organization is a case in point. In a tweet by the PS Youth group, showed a picture of a black couple smiling contenedly at their newborn child: “Vote for the Perussuomalaiset so that Finland won’t look like this.”
While it is a good matter that there was a reaction to such a racist message made possible with the help of tax-payers’ money, time permitted the hateful message to sink in.
One of the oldest tricks used by parties like the PS do to communicate with their voters is making outrageous claims usually racist and in code. Parties like the National Coalition Party use the same trick as we saw with Piia Kauma’s false claims about baby carriages.
This is how it works: A politician makes an outrageous claim to a journalist, who doesn’t bother to question its veracity. Eventually, the journalist may do some investigating and find out that he or she was fed a generous spoonful of malarkey. By then it’s too late because the story is already out there.
There are many reasons why the national media does not label a party like the PS as far right. Finland has good journalists like internationally acclaimed Jessikka Aro, who exposed pro-Russian Internet trolls, Tuomas Muraja, Kati Pietarinen, and others.
In the face of such good journalists, their valuable work ends up in the dustbin thanks to a lot of poor and toothless journalism. It’s a bit like writing a lot of blockbuster articles, but the last one you did does not make the grade. Your good articles will be forgotten because you are as good as your last story.
What are some reasons why the Finnish media does not call out parties like the PS:
The media is too white to notice the difference when it comes to racism;
The media tends to speak in code;
Finnish consensus and naive expectations that the far right isn’t a threat and will eventually become “normal;”
In the latter case, racists and anti-racists will join hands and love each other;
Journalists also house closet white supremacist views as far-right parties;
Lack of leadership and vision;
Opportunism.
* The Perussuomalaiset (PS) party imploded on June 13, 2017, into two factions, the PS and New Alternative, which is now called Blue Reform. In the last parliamentary election, Blue Reform has wiped off the Finnish political map when their numbers in parliament plummet from 18 MPs to none. A direct translation of Perussuomalaiset in English would be something like “basic” or “fundamental Finn.” Official translations of the Finnish name of the party, such as Finns Party or True Finns, promote in our opinion nativist nationalism and racism. We, therefore, at Migrant Tales prefer to use in our postings the Finnish name of the party once and after that the acronym PS.
Dante Tessieri, che era di Cecina, per ragioni politiche a fine ‘800 lasciò l’Italia per il Brasile, dove ebbe due figli da Aida Guaimonti, tra cui Nemo, mio nonno, nato nel 1899. Nel 1900 circa si trasferì in Argentina ed ebbe altri tre figli nella sua nuova patria: Sara, Iris e Carlos.
Dante Tessieri fu un matematico e probabilmente servì nella Marina Militare Italiana.
Sono alla ricerca della sua famiglia in Italia. Era un tuo avo?
Questo è stato trovato per caso su eBay. Dante Tessieri è il guardiano del faro dell’isola di Pantelleria. La firma in calce è di suo padre, Serafino Tessieri.
Spedita a Serafino Tessieri a Cecina, in provincia di Pisa.
*Un ringraziamento speciale va a Chiara Sorbello per aver tradotto il testo.
Dante Tessieri, who was from Cecina, left Italy for political reasons in the late 1890s to Brazil and moved to Argentina about 1900 after the death of his first son with Aida Guaimonti. He had three children in his new homeland: Sara, Iris, and Carlos after Nemo, my grandfather, was born in Brazil in 1899.
Dante Tessieri was a mathematician and apparently served in the Italian Navy.
I am searching for his lost family in Italy. Was he your relative?
This was found by chance on eBay. Dante Tessieri is the lighthouse keeper of the island of Pantelleria. The signature below is of his father, Serafino Tessieri.
Posted to Serafino Tessieri in Cecina, province of Pisa.
Migrant Tales got two pictures of racist graffiti in the Eastern Helsinki neighborhood of Kontula. The first one below was sent Saturday and the latest one above was sent Sunday evening.
NOW.This was sent this evening by a kind reader. A just answer to a racist graffiti’s en. BEFORE.
A poll by Yle shows that the far-right Perussuomalaiset (PS)* party enjoys the most support with 19.5%, according to Yle News. Since 2011, when the PS won its historic election victory, we have seen the party come and go in the polls.
Of all the Finnish parties in parliament, the PS is the most hostile to migrants and minorities.
I am pessimistic that white Finns and their parties could help rid the PS from the Finnish political map. They too are white like the PS. Why would they want to stick their necks out for migrants and minorities if there is no political gain in it?
Denmark offers a warning for us in Finland.
Even if some see the victory of the Social Democrats in Denmark in this weekend’s parliamentary election as a death blow to the Islamophobic Danish People’s Party, think twice.
Writes The Nation: “The Social Democrats, faced with waning support in the past two decades, have parroted the Danish People’s Party on immigration, backing hard-line policies they characterize as necessary to save the country’s prized welfare state.”
If the white political parties are to be believed, migrants are putting in danger the welfare state in a rich country like Denmark. Studies in that country show that strains on the welfare state hinge on an aging population.
The Nation continues: “While other social-democratic parties [in other countries] have adopted tougher immigration laws in times of ‘crisis’ and used anti-immigration and Islamophobic language, no party has so openly ran on a nativist and welfare-chauvinist agenda as the Danish Social Democrats,” said Cas Mudde, a political scientist at the University of Georgia who specializes on populism.
The big question that we should ask is how far will the Social Democrats in Finland go and will they jump on the anti-immigration bandwagon as they already have in some cases. It may be that the Left Alliance, Greens and Swedish People’s Party are keeping them in check fo the moment but for how long?
It would be naive to leave to chance the future of migrants and minorities in this country to political parties. When matters get tough, they will be the first ones to ditch us.
This leaves us with an option: migrants, minorities and especially people of color have to unite and work hard to get their voices heard and our grievances answered.
Watching and listening to parties like the PS constantly mock and undermine our rights are a constant insult to decency. Their anti-immigration rhetoric is an insult to our Nordic institutions.
What I can say with certainty is that their leaders, like other xenophobes from other parties, will not be forgotten. We will do everything possible to inform our children and grandchildren of Finland’s hostile environment so that we never return to this wretched place again.
* The Perussuomalaiset (PS) party imploded on June 13, 2017,
into two factions, the PS and New Alternative, which is now called Blue
Reform. In the last parliamentary election, Blue Reform was wiped off
the Finnish political map when they saw their numbers in parliament
plummet from 18 MPs to none. A direct translation of Perussuomalaiset in
English would be something like “basic” or “fundamental Finn.” Official
translations of the Finnish name of the party, such as Finns Party or
True Finns, promote in our opinion nativist nationalism and racism. We,
therefore, at Migrant Tales prefer to use in our postings the Finnish
name of the party once and after that the acronym PS.
Perussuomalaiset (PS)* MP Ano Turtiainen [1] is a lawmaker that claims that breaking the law is a feather in his cap. His most recent posting on Facebook appears that the PS MP is fliting to get another feather in his cap.
The posting is demeaning and straightforward (which is why we prefer not to post it in Migrant Tales): There is a black man that looks lost and states “Hi, when will I get money.”
The black man asks for money because, in Turtiainen’s world, black people don’t work but live off social welfare. The black man is asking for money because Finland’s new minister of the interior is a woman, Maria Ohisalo, of the Green party.
The fact that there is a woman and, on top of it, a Green is heading the ministry of interior is like consuming poison for the PS in general and MP Turtiainen in particular.
The post reads: “Finland has a Green minister of the interior. What’s your opinion..?”
PICTURE DELETED BECAUSE IT IS RACIST AND OFFENSIVE.
If we switched things around a bit we’d get the following Facebook post: “Finland got Ano “Feather in One’s Cap” Turtiainen as an MP. What is your opinion..?”
Ano Turtiainen.
* The Perussuomalaiset (PS) party imploded on June 13, 2017, into two factions, the PS and New Alternative, which is now called Blue Reform. In the last parliamentary election, Blue Reform was wiped off the Finnish political map when they saw their numbers in parliament plummet from 18 MPs to none. A direct translation of Perussuomalaiset in English would be something like “basic” or “fundamental Finn.” Official translations of the Finnish name of the party, such as Finns Party or True Finns, promote in our opinion nativist nationalism and racism. We, therefore, at Migrant Tales prefer to use in our postings the Finnish name of the party once and after that the acronym PS.
[1] Ano is a real name in Finland. The equivalent name for women is Anna. The translation of “ano” in Spanish is anus.
Former Minister of Justice Antti Häkkänen, 34, is a conservative politician of the National Coalition Party (NCP) who doesn’t like Muslims and refugees. His recent tweet about Peussuomalaiset(PS)* party leader Jussi Halla-aho shows how the NCP has helped to make the PS and racism normal in Finland.
One of the matters that people say about Häkkänen in his home town of Mänyharju (pop. 5,900) is that apart from politics, he has never had a regular job.
What did Häkkänen tweet?
“Jussi Halla-aho [the chairperson of the PS who was convicted for ethnic agitation and breaching the sanctity of religion in 2012] has strong confidence from the people due to his thoughts and actions. He is a politician with whom you should cooperate.”
* The Perussuomalaiset (PS) party imploded on June 13, 2017, into two factions, the PS and New Alternative, which is now called Blue Reform. In the last parliamentary election, Blue Reform was wiped off the Finnish political map when they saw their numbers in parliament plummet from 18 MPs to none. A direct translation of Perussuomalaiset in English would be something like “basic” or “fundamental Finn.” Official translations of the Finnish name of the party, such as Finns Party or True Finns, promote in our opinion nativist nationalism and racism. We, therefore, at Migrant Tales prefer to use in our postings the Finnish name of the party once and after that the acronym PS.
