Migrant Tales publishes on and off Finnish tabloid ads* (lööppi in Finnish) from the 1990s. Taking into account that Finland’s immigrant population started to grow during that decade, it is easy at least through some of the main stories of tabloids like Ilta-Sanomat and Iltalehti to see how some of them reflected our xenophobic and racist views.
The billboard below is a worrying example of what employees, officials and researchers face in Finland if they work with refugees or the immigrant community. The headline of the ad states in bold letters: “Employees who work with refugees get death threats.” Sounds eerily familiar?
One common argument used by some to justify these types of death threats is that their grandparents fought against the former Soviet Union to preserve our independence. Even if they have never seen the horrors of wars, they are willing to instill terror in others in the most cowardly fashion: anonymously.
Some even state with bravado that they are over 120 years old. They ask our newest inhabitants if their relatives fought in the Civil War of 1918, Winter and Continuation War. I am pretty certain that if those that threaten other people’s lives anonymously ever had to defend this country, they’d be the first ones out of here.
Give me a break! Threatening people’s lives is as lowly as one can stoop! Did the veterans who fought for Finland defend this country so that some people could take the law in their hands and terrorize others? Certainly not!
*Migration Institute archive.
So whom did they get the death threats from – the “refugees”? They do these days, social workers, immigration officials, police. From their “customers”. So what makes you think it was any different then? As you say – your racism and xenophobia.
Allan, any death threat against any person is unacceptable. Do I have to spell that out. Migrant Tales is that kind of a blog.
Allan is on a right track here. Even nowadays the violence against the people who work in refugee centers etc had been committed by the refugees who live in those centers.
Enrique has clearly wrote this text to give an impression that they are Finnish racists who have given these threats. Do you have anything to back that up? I don’t think so, this is just the same lying propaganda you keep telling to slag Finland and Finns. No wonder there are lots of Finns who don’t like you. And surely you claim that they don’t like you because they are racists, while the truth is you are not liked because YOU are yourself racist agains Finns.
–Even nowadays the violence against the people who work in refugee centers etc had been committed by the refugees who live in those centers.
Farang, I like your sense of dark humor. So, the ones making death threats are the refugees against those that help them? Oy vey!
Farang
Provide an example!
Farang. Migrant Tales does not slag Finland and Finns. Migrant Tales deals with issues of racism and the situation of immigrants in Finland. If you decide that any criticisms made are made against ALL FINNS, then that is your mistake. This has been stated many many times on here, and if you still refuse to see accept these very clear assurances about the point of these discussions, then I suggest you leave. I will not tolerate you slurring this blog contintuously with things that are simply not true. Get it?
I hope so. Otherwise your contributions here will come to a swift end.
Farang
Same applies to this comment also. If you want to make the case for why you think we are racist, you are welcome to. But if you just throw these accusations into your comments with no justification or explanation, then I will delete your posts. It’s very simple, Farang. It’s called having a civilised discussion. You can say pretty much anything you like if you keep it civilised and make an argument rather than calling names or simply venting your spleen.
“So, the ones making death threats are the refugees against those that help them? Oy vey!”
Exactly.
Hi Junes Lokka, do you have any evidence of this and what is the motive? Welcome to Migrant Tales.
Migrant Tales:
“Allan, any death threat against any person is unacceptable. Do I have to spell that out. Migrant Tales is that kind of a blog.”
Yes, it’s unacceptable. But it’s also unacceptable to claim that they are Finns who make the death threats, if that is not the truth.
Farang, the three death threats were from Finns.
Migrant Tales:
“Farang, I like your sense of dark humor. So, the ones making death threats are the refugees against those that help them? Oy vey!”
Exactly. In a refugee center the refugees had beaten up the staff (Finnish) because they were not satisfied with the food served there and also there was one occasion that staff was threatened because they didn’t have a certain television channel available at the center.
Also there have been lots of occasions where the refugees at the refugee center have attacked other refugees, who have been from other country. Interesting to see that a person who have been saved from war etc and given a safe place, would then have the nerves to attack other people physically. One could honestly (100% truth) say that lot of those regugees or asylum seekers are the worst racists.
DISCLAIMER: I don’t know if a refugee center is a correct English translation about these facilities. I mean the places where refugees and asylum seekers stay before the have their own apartment.
Farang
Good to see you saying these threats are unacceptable.
Show me where he claimed they were all done by Finns. The threats are plural – there were several. Enrique referred to ‘some making threats’ when he talked about the justifications of having fought in the wars. No doubt some of those threats come from Finns.
Enrique makes the good point that why would an immigrant send a death threat to an employer who is employing immigrants? You have not replied to this?
Farang
Reception centre is one such name for a ‘refugee centre’. These days, they tend to be like prisons. As such, they can bring out anti-social behaviour. If you doubt this, then you should become familiar with the literature on prison studies of putting normal people into prison-like circumstances.
Funny how you are hunting around for reasons to call immigrants racists. But of course, you are right if the simple point you are making is that racism, prejudice and discrimination affects all populations the world over. Of course it does. However, the fact that you see us here as racists, and people locked up in reception centres as racists because they express the typical behaviours of people heavily institutionalised, then really you are stretching the idea of ‘racist’ well beyond what it is supposed to cover. Basically, you seem to have misunderstood the concept.
Not all inter-group conflict is down to racism, in the same way that not all anti-immigration feeling in Finland is down to racism either. If you are sold on the idea that Finnish identity is at stake in these debates, then I can understand why many people would be opposed to immigration out of a sense of personal identity. But this should really be challenged. People should challenge themselves more on these issues. Is Finland’s identity really at stake? Why would someone choose to say it is? Do they have anything to gain from politicising identity in this way? Perhaps the skepticism should be applied not just to ‘immigration’, but the whole immigration debate!
Migrant Tales
”Farang, I like your sense of dark humor. So, the ones making death threats are the refugees against those that help them? Oy vey!”
Have not you heard of the rapes that have taken place in centers in Sweden? There was one center (Gärdshyttan) where the staff left, it was too dangerous to be there. The clients were violent and tried to set the place on fire. 30 visits by the police in 2 months.
Apparently the asylum seekers were not happy with the quality of the accomodation. See your self, to me it looks like a castle.
http://www.google.fi/imgres?q=g%C3%A4rdshyttan&um=1&hl=fi&client=firefox-a&sa=N&rls=org.mozilla:fi:official&biw=1280&bih=610&tbm=isch&tbnid=w3aQzPrIHRi1aM:&imgrefurl=http://svt.se/2.33831/1.2696537/asylboendet_gardshyttan_ar_tomt&docid=wDAIKVc6fe_jzM&imgurl=http://svt.se/content/1/c8/02/69/65/37/es-gardshyttanNY_370.jpg&w=370&h=208&ei=8HF5T4uRDe3P4QTM8IH0Dg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=593&vpy=142&dur=692&hovh=166&hovw=296&tx=160&ty=97&sig=115418933117468275882&page=2&tbnh=93&tbnw=165&start=18&ndsp=24&ved=1t:429,r:3,s:18
“This comment was removed because it broke the House Rules of insulting other commentators!”
You are welcome to re-post your comment and to make your points without resorting to personal insults.
This comment was removed for breaking the House Rules of insulting other commentators!
You are free to re-post your comment and to make your points without resorting to making personal insults.
“Reception centre is one such name for a ‘refugee centre’. These days, they tend to be like prisons.”
Prisons where you can get in and out as you please? More like hotels, actually they are former hotels and motels. Finnish students live in poorer soluasunto than what the centres are like. Theres no “guards” or fences. The only “closed” facility is Metsälä, for illegals and those waiting for deportation.
Enrique and Mark, do you have a hard time accepting the truth?
“Funny how you are hunting around for reasons to call immigrants racists. ”
When did these people all of a sudden become immigrants, they were refugees just a minute ago?
”Farang, I like your sense of dark humor. So, the ones making death threats are the refugees against those that help them? Oy vey!”
That is what we have been asking, but apparently gratitude is too much to ask. The fact is, the most threats and violence the staff faces is from their “customers” rather than some random outsiders.
I find it ridiculos you try to deny facts that are common knowlege.
Allan
If you mean accepting insults to our intelligence, then it has nothing to do with truth and everything to do with basic norms of society to show respect. If you don’t want to do that, then you don’t have to comment, do you?
They are not technically speaking ‘illegal’ Allan until their case has been dealt with. They are ‘irregular refugees’, which usually means that they have not necessarily been able to arrive in Finland via the normal channels. These also include people who’s identity needs to be established (1 in 10 cases of detention). In 2008, detainees at Metsälä went on hunger strike because of the length of time there were being held there. Nowadays, if someone is detained for 3 months and cannot be deported, then they are released.
Yes, actually Finland does have only one detention centre, at Metsälä, but the Metsälä complex is home to both the detention centre and a ‘reception unit’. Yes, in reception units, the people are free to come and go.
Of course, now Göran has had to go surfing the web looking for instances of unrest in detention/reception centres and had to go to Sweden. No doubt that one incident is meant to reflect on all detainees and immigrants in general?!! Hardly.
Allan
Actually no-one has yet stipulated what or whom we are talking about. This is a vague set of comments that has drifted towards slurring ‘refugees’.
Allan, are you following this thread carefully? The first mention of death threats was made to Finnish employers of immigrants. Then, YOU decided unsuprisingly to try to change the terms of reference for this conversation to talking about ‘refugees’ assaulting police and other service providers. Farang then quickly joined in support of this very rapid change of subject from the point of the article.
Not content to change the subject, you have now conflated both subjects, by suggesting that somehow ‘denying facts’ (that actually no-one denied, but rather asked for actual examples) about refugee services and assaults of staff was ridiculous. Well, I suppose it would be, but for the fact that you wondered off into your own little conversation only barely checking to see if it was relevant or what was actually said in response to your diversion.
Mark, how about your reading comprehnsion in this thread?
“The first mention of death threats was made to Finnish employers of immigrants.”
Enrique wrote “The headline of the ad states in bold letters: ”Employees who work with refugees get death threats.”
I do question your intelligence, as you apparently can not follow the discussion yourself.
And Mark,
Farang. Migrant Tales does not slag Finland and Finns. Migrant Tales deals with issues of racism and the situation of immigrants in Finland. If you decide that any criticisms made are made against ALL FINNS, then that is your mistake. This has been stated many many times on here, and if you still refuse to see accept these very clear assurances about the point of these discussions, then I suggest you leave. I will not tolerate you slurring this blog contintuously with things that are simply not true. Get it? ”
Meanwhile, you decide that any criticisms made are made against ALL IMMIGRANTS?
Why should we tolerate you slagging Finland contintuously with things that are simply not true?
“Yes, actually Finland does have only one detention centre, at Metsälä, but the Metsälä complex is home to both the detention centre and a ‘reception unit’. Yes, in reception units, the people are free to come and go. ”
OK, so why did you then start with “prison-like conditions”? And when I was saying Metsala detention housing illegals, I was meaning exactly those that have gotten their decision and are waiting repatriation.
“No doubt that one incident is meant to reflect on all detainees and immigrants in general?!! Hardly.”
No, but the original post made it quite clear it is the Finns doing these death threats and so forth. Was this one billboard not manet to reflect on all Finns in general?!! Hardly.
You just do not like when you face with the same treatment.
The facts – which you deny – is that the detainees are more likely to be the source of violence to the centres’ population and also the staff, than any native chavs in the village.
That is a fact, plain and simple.
However you go out of your way to spread these kind of slanderous comments about ONLY FINNS, and do not restrict this in any way. Do you even comprehend what you are doing?
You shouldn’t tolerate it. I certainly won’t tolerate it.
I would welcome this kind of qualification and clarification from you when you are making your arguments. Indeed, I would ask YOU to give some kind of perspective to these debates, so that when you are referring to a crime statistics for example, to you tell us just how many individuals are you referring to and how many other individuals are unaffected and not responsible for the behaviour that you, probably justifiably condemn.
That would bring some refreshing perspective.
Mark, fine. As long as you stop slagging ALL FINNS. It includes me, and I get upset of such personal attacks..
Fair enough, but this is not the total population in Metsälä detention centre.
The reason I mentioned prisons is because a lot of the ‘riots’ that have emerged across Europe have been in just such detention centres. But yes, I was not being specific to Finland. But then, no-one else was either. Göran was throwing an example from Sweden, for instance.
No, it was not meant to reflect on all Finns in general. Would you like a disclaimer in every single sentence that discusses issues related to immigration and discrimination?
Actually, this reflects on certain individuals who took it upon themselves to be so offended by immigrants working in Finland that they chose to phone them up and issue a death threat. I don’t think something unusual and rare like this reflects on all Finns. Was it Finns? It’s a fair question.
My answer would be ‘yes’. Have immigrants issued death threats? I wouldn’t be surprised. You see, I don’t think that Finns and immigrants are really that different, as populations. Does that surprise you?
I can see you get upset, but I cannot see the ‘personal attacks’. If there were any, I would stand up for you. Okay?
“Actually, this reflects on certain individuals who took it upon themselves to be so offended by immigrants working in Finland that they chose to phone them up and issue a death threat. I don’t think something unusual and rare like this reflects on all Finns. Was it Finns? It’s a fair question. ”
Reading comprehension, still.Granted, the word in Finnish can have two meanings, but anyone who actually can the language can figure out the meaning of “refugee worker” in the context. A “social worker” is not a single mom on benefits we’re taking of being employed is it?
The refugees were not the ones working. The workers were Finns. They worked in a refugee centre as staff. And probably not the only the staff but say human rights lawyers of pakolaisneuvonta and such.
“The reason I mentioned prisons is because a lot of the ‘riots’ that have emerged across Europe have been in just such detention centres. ”
And what makes your reference to say Greek detention centres valid if you dismiss Goran’s, as Sweden has similar reception centres as Finland? Yes, I can dig you up knife fights and scuffles. Somalis and Ingushians last January, Bulgarians and Somalians over internet acces the previous summer… not in Metsala detention though.
“My answer would be ‘yes’. Have immigrants issued death threats? I wouldn’t be surprised. ”
So why was this post then myopicly accusing Finns and denigrating Finland?
Mark:
“Enrique makes the good point that why would an immigrant send a death threat to an employer who is employing immigrants? You have not replied to this?”
Since have the refugees in refugee center been employees? Have you now mistranslated something? It was about the refugees threating the employees of the center. There was no employer/employee situation.
Migrant Tales:
“Farang, the three death threats were from Finns.”
Are you now talking about the threats made against you, or the threats mentioned in this particular tabloid ad? I am talking about the tabloid, like we all should stay on topic. This topic is not about you.
–I am talking about the tabloid, like we all should stay on topic.
The death threats could be coming from anywhere. Normally we’d think Finns are doing that but who knows, we’re in Finland and looking at Ilta-Sanomat.
Yes, somewhere I got confused. Actually, is it ’employees working with immigrants’ or ‘immigrant employees’ that this headline refers to?
But this headline does not refer to refugee centres. That was you and Allan very swiftly trying to change the subject, from what I understand. Correct me if I’m wrong.
Okay, fair enough. I didn’t get this meaning from the headline. I see perhaps the connection now with refugee centres. It seems reasonable to ask for clarification on this.
Well, it isn’t relevant and I didn’t mention any Greek detention centres. In fact, I very quickly did some research on the Finnish detention centre and posted information on that one.
Okay, but I’m sure these are not the only incidents. I know you are pretty selective in presenting your data, much more so than we are. Your data is exclusively negative.
Enrique
In future, if you are going to be posting these billboards, also post the original article it references. It will prevent most of the kinds of obtuse comments and accusations we see here. They don’t help to take the debate further if they are read completely out of context.
Hi BlandaUpp I don’t have the original article and I doubt that you will find it on the net. Either way, the billboard tells us something about society back then and especially about a Finnish tabloid.
“Okay, but I’m sure these are not the only incidents. I know you are pretty selective in presenting your data, much more so than we are. Your data is exclusively negative.”
I think the topic was “death threats received by people working with refugees (refugee workers)” I don’t think you can get much “positive data” out of that?
And yes, I am just as selective in my data collection as you are selective in blaming the Finns.
“Well, it isn’t relevant and I didn’t mention any Greek detention centres. In fact, I very quickly did some research on the Finnish detention centre and posted information on that one.”
No, you didn’t say “Greece” when you said the refugee centres are like prisons. Then you later on said you were talking about “detention centres across Europe”. Greece pops up in my mind as it has the worst conditions in the EU as far as detention facilities are considered.
The difference to Finland, or the Nordic countries is quite drastic.
While Goran provided you an example from Sweden where the reception centres have riots & unrest just like in Finland, centres which are not “prison-like” at all.
In other words, you were talking out of your hat. Doesn’t quite fly, next time do the research beforehand so you know what you write about. Its not a deadline issue like in print media.
Mark:
“Yes, somewhere I got confused. Actually, is it ‘employees working with immigrants’ or ‘immigrant employees’ that this headline refers to?
But this headline does not refer to refugee centres. That was you and Allan very swiftly trying to change the subject, from what I understand. Correct me if I’m wrong.”
Yes, that headline could be easily translated either way.
My purpose was not to change subject, I honestly assumed that this particular headline was about the people who worked in the centers, and I’m still under that assumption. Did someone clarify this and was this about some other workplace?
Farang
Fair enough, I might have got the wrong end of the stick.
“Okay, fair enough. I didn’t get this meaning from the headline.”
Yes, well that meaning is quite obvious. Maybe the analysis of the Finnish language and Finnish figures of speech is better left to someone who can comprehend the subtleties? Otherwise all the other kids in the class will point the finger at you and laugh and the teacher gives you a minus point.
Allan
Priceless stuff, as usual 😀
When I was working in London, one of the things I used to do as a environmental biologist was write reports on the living conditions of a great many (over a dozen) of these reception centres (i.e. mostly bedsits and converted hotels), even a good few in the lovely Kensington and Chelsea parts of London.
I visited them as regularly as every six weeks for several years and made long long lists of structural and hygiene recommendations because the conditions were so appalling!!!!! Getting landlords to act on the recommendations was a long drawn out process.
Overcrowding was horrendous, with a family of five to seven commonly living in just one room. The toilets and shower facilities were often completely run down, while almost all the places had significant problems with insect, fungal and mammalian pests. Several properties were an absolute perfect breeding ground for Legionnaires disease. Now, tell me Allan that you know more about this topic than I do. .lolol
Allan
No, just you Allan. And I really don’t care for being wrong, it’s perfectly normal to be wrong about something sometimes. You see, perspective comes with old age, son!
“Did someone clarify this and was this about some other workplace?”
Who works with refugees? In the 1990’s it was SPR who were staffing the refugee centres, counties had some social workers and coordinators, and then there were human rights lawyers at pakolaisneuvonta and such, also maybe the foreigners ombudsman and some NGO’s like IOM could be counted in this.
So any of those people couls have been the target. Probably in the 1990’s it was hotheads calling rude phonecalls to the visible spokespeople. However it doesn’t in any way negate the fact that also the workers in the refugee centres, ulkomaalaisvirasto and such got threats from their “customers” – its daily occurrence in the social office, or why do you think they have plexi glass and guards in those places?
So I do not know what this discussion proved, except that Enrique thinks its absurd that a poor refugee would be violent in the centre. And its only Finns that are racists and make death threats. As we are on the subject of death threats, why don’t you write on todays headline scandal of miss somebody in the jungle, its thieves, pikeys and death threats. Lets see who you objectively condemn.
Kiintoisaa Mark Kiitti kun kerrot.
Britit ovat tunaroineet monia asijoita maahanmuutossa ja etenkin rotu asiassa. Jos mittarina on viimeisin mellakka, joka alkoi poliisin vanhinko “laukaussesta” pidätettävään mustaan.
Yksi moite briteille lisää vaan
“And I really don’t care for being wrong, it’s perfectly normal to be wrong about something sometimes.”
You really don’t take it well when it is pointed out that you are wrong all the time about everything.
“When I was working in London, ”
Yes, so write then about the UK what you know something about, the carpetted bogs and outdoords plumbing. Don’t write about Finland until you know something about Finland. Don’t know if you have noticed, its not the UK.
Sasu
”Britit ovat tunaroineet monia asijoita maahanmuutossa ja etenkin rotu asiassa.”
Mä oon eri mieltä, britit ovat ehkä onnistuneet kaikista parhaiten Euroopassa ”rotu asiassa”, ehkä Ranskassa on onnistunut paremmin.
Onko tullut käytyä Lontoossa tai maaseudulla briteissä? Paras asia briteissä on futis, kakkosta en tiedä, ehkä sä tiedät.
Allan
I will write about what i want to write about, thank you.
And you are very close to having your posts deleted again for using the comments to make personal attacks on other commentators. 😀
We know what kinds of rules you like play by Allan.
Göran Ok
Mark
what is the best in Britain?
Do you find Britain racist?
I think footie is nr uno and Britain is not racist compared to most of the western european countries.
Onko tullut käytyä Lontoossa tai maaseudulla briteissä? Paras asia briteissä on futis, kakkosta en tiedä, ehkä sä tiedät.
Lämmin kalja ja kylmä sade?
Cba to read all but…
Enrique “Allan, any death threat against any person is unacceptable. Do I have to spell that out. Migrant Tales is that kind of a blog.”
So why you didnt immediately remove death threat from your blog 😀 You did after pressure but…..
Ps. Mark ask your wife to provide us proper statistics.
Pss. What i have learned from rähmispossu blog, and others, its more likely that people in reception centre assault or threat workers.
Enrique mind to give us that news and not only tabloid?
–Enrique mind to give us that news and not only tabloid?
It’s interesting that the billboard produced such divergent views of who was doing the threatening. This tells a lot about where we stand and how we see this matter.
“I will write about what i want to write about, thank you.”
Yes, and I will appreciate them for their intellectual content and wide knowlege… as if.
“And you are very close to having your posts deleted again for using the comments to make personal attacks on other commentators”
Finding it hard to face the truth are we?
smutsiga barer som stinker piss, hårda vindar i Brighton o Bournemouth. Halvnakna töser mitt i vintern som köar i till nattklubbar.
“Hi BlandaUpp I don’t have the original article and I doubt that you will find it on the net. Either way, the billboard tells us something about society back then and especially about a Finnish tabloid.”
The billboard tells that of society in 1990, but the article tells more about you in 2012.
“Halvnakna töser mitt i vintern som köar i till nattklubbar.”
No jo de e sant, inte sätt ögonen till en femtiäring famu klä sig upp som en femtonåring pissis förre ja kom hit till byn.
“Mitt i vintern” är då +5 och regn, men ännu halvnaken och full som fan. Jag har varit runt om men de här folket supar mer än ungdomen i Finland.
O Görre, checka i karttapaikka, där är par “Kongo å” i Finland, en i Kirkenes
Allan, dear boy, the house rule is that you don’t make it personal. If your arguments are good enough, then you don’t need to use insults as a way to push home your point. Anything else goes. Take it or leave it!
Migrant Tales:
“It’s interesting that the billboard produced such divergent views of who was doing the threatening. This tells a lot about where we stand and how we see this matter.”
No Enrique. It produces different views based on if the truth or lie is told.
–No Enrique. It produces different views based on if the truth or lie is told.
Farang, “lie” is a pretty strong word. It suggests that somebody is trying to deceive another person.
But let’s go to the bottom of the story: Do you have it?
You seriously expect any sane person would have old Iltasanomat stored somewhere?
“Allan, dear boy, the house rule is that you don’t make it personal. If your arguments are good enough, then you don’t need to use insults as a way to push home your point. Anything else goes. Take it or leave it!”
mark dear boy, either prove you are at my par, or be my inferior
Allan: mark dear boy, either prove you are at my par, or be my inferior
You really do have a suprerioty complex do you