From 1 August 2023 to 29 January 2024 a total of 1,271 persons sought asylum at the Finnish-Russian border. Well over 90 of the refugees are from Muslim countries like Syria (491), Somalia (360), Yemen (120), and Iraq (57). The total amount does not include some 200 Russians in legal limbo awaiting an interview by…
Category: Enrique Tessieri
Finland’s different shades of denial and racism
Racism is like a Cadillac, they bring out a new model every year. Malcolm X Few these days deny that Finland has a racism problem against Muslims, people of color and Third Worlders, the Romany and Russian-speaking minority, the third largest after Finnish and Swedish speakers. The serious student of society does not only look…
Linkedin: The Russians are coming!
The Finnish media, including Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, have attacked in mob fashion Kimmo Kiljunen, member of the Social Democratic Party and chairperson of the foreign affairs committee, for speaking candidly to representatives of the Alexander Union, a Finnish-Russian association, about the Finnish-Russian border as well as other matters. Today, an editorial by Helsingin Sanomat…
Linkedin: Finland’s Interior Minister Mari Rantanen: Liar, liar, pants are on fire, your nose is longer than a telephone wire
I’m surprised that the media and politicians are surprised by far-right Finns Party (PS)Interior Minister Mari Rantanen’s double-talk about favoring Christians over Muslims in next year’s quota refugee pick. Rantanen’s fishy denials that next year’s selection of quota refugees had anything to do with preferring Christians over Muslims, prompted the non-discrimination ombudsman to do some…
Linkedin: Islamophobia is on the rise in Finland: What is the role of the government?
If this question were asked to Prime Minister Petteri Orpo of the National Coalition Party, we would not have to guess his answer. Pointing to the anti-racism plan and a “very good” government program, Orpo would dodge the question in his usual style by sweeping the issue under the rug. In other words, his response…
How the media feeds xenophobia in Finland and forgets to tell us that the sole aim of Denmark’s exteme migration policy is to keep Muslims out
In an interview with Helsingin Sanomat, Danish MP and Minister for European Affairs Maria Bjerre only had positive things to say about her country’s migration policy, one of the most restrictive in the EU. The interview by Elina Kervinen was in my opinion a good example of how the media feeds xenophobia by sidestepping some…
MTV reporter Ivan Puopolo has zero credibility
MTV reporter Ivan Puopolo must be the most opinionated reporter working for the mainstream media. His reporting is not credible because he breaks one of the golden rules of journalism: do not editorialize in your stories. Puopolo’s interviews and stories are full of toxic opinions. Apart from his non-existent credibility, he does a lot of…
The PS is fascist and racist to the core
On Wednesday’s A-studio talk show, viewers got once again a taste of the depths of fascism and racism of the Perussuomalaiset (PS) through MP Joakim Vigelius. One of the matters that surprised me was how the host, Petri Raivio, did not stop to fact-check Vigelius’ brazen lies. Since the Finnish media rarely fact-checks or takes…
The PS is fascist to the core and so is its enabler, the National Coalition Party
With poll ratings heading south and the municipal election approaching in April, parties like the Perussuomalaiset (PS)* are turning (as usual) to racism and bigotry. They do this because they are fascists to the core. The media in Finland is part of the country’s racism problem. Since it is white, it would care less for…
Linkedin: Finland’s perilous watershed
While politicians of the Finns Party (PS) and National Coalition Party beat their chests every time Finland tightens its migration policy, the two minor government parties, the Swedish People’s Party and Christian Democrats, look the other way with shameful silence. The government, especially the PS, claims that its anti-immigration policies will make us stronger as…