Here we go again, folks, it’s election time in April 2017 in Finland. The populist-nationalist Perussuomalaiset (PS)* is picking up its hostile attacks against migrants, minorities and our ever-growing and proud culturally diverse community. Their allies in these attacks are their government partners, the Center Party and National Coalition Party (NCP).
You may rightly ask how it is possible for a government party like the PS to freely target our community with hostile and vengeful attacks? How is it possible that mainstream parties like the Center Party and NCP, which should know better, are near-silent to the PS’ anti-immigration rhetoric?
Even opposition voices like the Social Democrats, which use catchphrases like “we’re against racism,” it’s unclear how seriously the party wants to challenge structural racism and greater inclusion of migrants in the labor market.
You may ask how we have arrived at to this terrible juncture. The answer is simple: Too few people in this country care or believe in our Nordic rights that promote social inclusion and social equality.
When some accuse us of being “naive” for believing in the very Nordic values that bond us as a society they are saying that these rights don’t apply to certain groups like migrants and minorities.
If we are naive for believing in our Nordic values then those that accuse us are disingenuous and/or ignorant of our laws.
The ongoing discussion has shifted to undocumented migrants and if we should cut off all support and leave their fate to chance.
Excluding others from being equal citizens is a sure recipe for failure and ever-growing social problems. That is why there can be no room for parties like the PS which polarize and promote suspicion of migrants and for any others like them.
* The Finnish name for the Finns Party is the Perussuomalaiset (PS). The English names of the party adopted by the PS, like True Finns or Finns Party, promote in our opinion nativist nationalism and xenophobia. We, therefore, prefer to use the Finnish name of the party on our postings. The direct translation of “Perussuomalaiset” is “basic” or “fundamental Finn.”