One of the matters that Argentineans can be proud of is its history, especially those that never gave up their hope for social justice. Reading Argentinean history especially from the 1880s to the present is like reading a novel of an ongoing and never-ending struggle.
What does that history tell us? It reveals to us of a people who have won and lost and won and lost again in their hope to build a country that is based on social justice.
One of the biggest instigators of change in Argentina were the millions of immigrants who came here like my great grandparents.
In light of the latter, it is surprising that the present discourse in Finland tends to show that immigration and immigrants are “a problem.”
That is how off base the debate is in Finland is and how little we know about our own immigrant history. Over 1.2 million Finns emigrated between 1860 and 1999. They
Over 1.2 million Finns emigrated between 1860 and 1999. They
They too led the way and gave us roots, which, unfortunately, aren’t still acknowledged in Finland.
What has the fact that some finnish emigrated have to do with the problems caused by immigration to here? Nothing, the fact they emigrated don’t remove problems caused by the immigration.
Also it is amusing to see how you seem to believe European and african immigration to Americas was the greatest thing ever. May I remind you that Europeans destroyed the local culture and people. People living there before europeans came became mostly replaced by the immigration you so much praise! From indian point of view, do you think the immigration was such a success story? Reading between the lines, you want finns to experience the fate of american indians!
Yossie, it’s called denial. Since you do not acknowledge the fact that over 1.2 million Finns emigrated from here and you comment and act as if immigration is negative, it’s your attitude that surprises me.
Where did I say that immigration to the New World was “the greatest thing ever?” Africans were brought to the New World as slaves. But I haven’t said what you claimed. Since I am well aware of my roots and history, I understand that European immigration had a devastating effect on indigenous populations in the Americas. Blame this on colonialization and European white racism. It’s the same kind you see in many parts of Europe today.
But for you to try to suggest that “Finns are some indigenous group under the threat of immigration” is not only disingenuous but totally off the mark. It’s one of the arguments used by extremist anti-immigration groups in Europe and in Finland and by the Hommaforum crowd, of which you are a part of.
“Yossie, it’s called denial. Since you do not acknowledge the fact that over 1.2 million Finns emigrated from here and you comment and act as if immigration is negative, it’s your attitude that surprises me. ”
I do not deny it. I believe it is totally unrelevant though when we talk about if or if not the immigration TO Finland is problematic.
“Since I am well aware of my roots and history, I understand that European immigration had a devastating effect on indigenous populations in the Americas. Blame this on colonialization and European white racism.”
So what is colonialization? Term for something historians came up well after everything had settled. What happened was europeans came for riches, stole them if they could and settled to build their own communities. It is certainly no different than what happens now. People come for better standard of living, yet prefer to live in their own neighbourhoods accoring to their own culture.
You can blame white racism and believe whites are somehow exceptionally evil. If you just open your eyes you should notice that western democracy and way of life is not really admired in middle-east or africa. Just read Helsingin sanomat for a turk Erdogan admirer living in Finland that openly loathes secularism and wants a country based on islam. Those people move here because standard of living is better, but they loath and hate us and think their way of life is better. So no, racism is not something whites have priviledge. What happened back then can happen again.
Only reason things are fine as they are because we have luckily not that many immigrants yet. We have seen how shitty things have turned in countries with more immigrants.
“But for you to try to suggest that “Finns are some indigenous group under the threat of immigration” is not only disingenuous but totally off the mark”
Why is it off the mark?
–Why is it off the mark?
Because white Finns aren’t an indigenous group to start with. That example is used by far-right groups. It’s an old one that you are still using.