The question is not if you can be Finnish but who is tying up but who or what is denying you from being Finnish?
Even if we can blame parties like the openly xenophobic Perussuomalaiset (PS)* for making immigration issues as the bedrock of their identity.
In Finland, coalition partners like the National Coalition Party (NCP), Swedish People’s Party and Christian Democrats, which collude with the PS and make their restrictive policies towards migrants and minorities possible, are also culprits.
Finance Minister Riikka Purra (right) stated that there is no room for Muslims in Finland. “Finland and Finnishness are based on Christian values,” said Interioir Minister Mari Rantanen. Purra stated that she considers Islam an “aggressive” culture that is preying on Finns’ tolerance, friendliness, and kindness. “But Finns must not give up their language, culture, values, nothing to such groups!” she said. Source: Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/reel/1460584212024116
nstitutional racism is another culprit that dominates the debate. The police considers “a person of foreign background” anyone whose parents weren’t born in Finland. If one of the parents is a Finns, that person is “of Finnish background.”
Since Sari Essayah’s farther is Moroccan, she is never referred to as a “person of Finnish descent.”
Apart from being exclusive and racist, these types of labels are used at schools to not only separate Finns and non-Finns, but to reinforce that they will always be second-class members of society.
I have lived on and off for over forty years in Finland and have faced exclusion since the beginning when I moved here. What have all these years and challenges taught me? That Finland is my home no matter how racists try to convince me of the opposite.
