Tag: Cultural diversity

QUOTE OF THE DAY: How anti-diversity and Islamophobic is Finland?

Posted on by Migrant Tales

“One of the big denials that one still hears a lot in Finland is its denial of the rise of the Perussuomalaiset (PS)*, an Islamophobic party that won 39 seats in the parliamentary elections of 2011 from just 5 MPs in previously. There was an ongoing debate after 2011 within the PS on what caused its historic election victory. Then party leader Timo Soini claimed it was anti-EU sentiment while its present leader, Jussi Halla-aho, claimed it was the PS’ Islamophobic stance. 

While it’s clear that the PS’ anti-Islam campaign rhetoric played a crucial role in 2011, one wonders how some 20% of the voters were receptive to Islamophobia and bigotry. The PS’ election victories in 2011 and 2015 are valid examples that Finland has serious issues with xenophobia and especially with Islamophobia. Unless we want future generations of Finns to learn how not to hate other cultures and ethnic backgrounds, we need a radically new definition of Finnish identity.

In that new definition, all religions, ethnic backgrounds, and cultures fit in that new identity.”

 

 A study on Europe’s most racist countries commissioned by the European Commission published in Fem Positive.

 

* The Perussuomalaiset (PS) party imploded on June 13 into two factions, the PS and New Alternative, which is now called Blue Reform. Despite the name changes, we believe that it is the same party in different clothing. Both factions are hostile to cultural diversity. One is more open about it while the other is more diplomatic.

A direct translation of Perussuomalaiset in English would be something like “basic” or “fundamental Finn.” Official translations of the Finnish name of the party, such as Finns Party or True Finns, promote in our opinion nativist nationalism and racism. We, therefore, at Migrant Tales prefer to use in our postings the Finnish name of the party once and after that the acronym PS.

Pressiklubi gives simplistic, apologetic view on how the Finnish media is “more balanced” today when writing about non-white Finns

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It is surprising to hear how some politicians and journalists continue to have simplistic and apologetic views of racism and bigotry in this country. If YLE’s Päivi Happonen and Atte Kaleva’s words are to be believed on Pressiklubi, the Finnish media has finally woken up and writes more balanced stories about migrants and minorities that live in Finland. 

After Ruben Siller’s exit, Sanna Ukkola became Pressiklubi’s host. Don’t be surprised why her guests are who they are and say what they say on her program. Ukkola is married to Matias Turkkila, who has launched an all-out war against migrants in Finland through the Perussuomalaiset (PS)* party and hate platforms like Hommaforum.

When Kaleva claims, like on the show, that there are two extremes in the debate on our ever-growing culturally diverse society, what he is suggesting is that racism and bigotry aren’t issues in our society but only a consequence of the “two extremes” debate.

The way I see it, the rise of a party like the PS and their supporters in other parties have bulldozed and reaffirmed white power and privilege.

Here is what is really weird about Finland. White Finns (without usually the participation of migrants and minorities) can agree that we have to hear the other person’s opinions even if if is racist. What would they say if we spoke in the same disrespectful manner about women? That discussion would be off limits but the one relegating migrants and minorities to third-class members of society isn’t.

Päivi Happonen claims on Pressiklubi that the Finnish media reporting about migrants is more balanced. Even so, she forgets to mention that the reporting and narrative of the media is anchored in a very biased view of cultural diversity because the media is white and Christian.

As a minority who has lived in Finland for over thirty-five years, as a journalist that wrote for all the main publications of Finland, who has worked as a foreign correspondent in Finland, Spain, Italy, Argentina and Colombia, I consider Happonen’s and Kaleva’s affirmation oversimplistic and apologetic.

Racism and bigotry are deeply embedded in Finnish culture. We should ask minorities like the Roma, Saami and stereotypic portrayals of migrants for decades by the media if it were ever that “friendly.” On the contrary, the Finnish media has been the tool of power, and it has been used relentlessly against Others.

Continue reading “Pressiklubi gives simplistic, apologetic view on how the Finnish media is “more balanced” today when writing about non-white Finns”

A poll that that tells us that Finland will continue to be Islamophobic and weary of cultural diversity

Posted on by Migrant Tales

An opinion poll and two results: how do young and older people vote and what does it say about the political future of Muslims and cultural diversity in Finland? For one, it suggests that matters will get worse before they improve. 

YLE published Sunday a poll that shows two different political paths for Finland: Among the older voters (50-79 years), the Social Democrats are the most popular party while the younger group (18-34 years) gives a different picture.

The popularity of the National Coalition Party is pretty stable among both age groups. The Centre Party’s popularity among younger voters takes a hit, but it is not as dramatic as with the Social Democratic Party.

The Greens, which are the most popular party among young voters, reveals that parties like the National Coalition Party, Centre Party and never mind the Perussuomalaiset (PS)* will continue with their subtle and harsh Islamophobic and anti-immigration rhetoric by treating migrants and minorities like second- and third-class members of society.

In Finland, you hear a lot about how young people in Finland are more open to difference. If you look at the young voters (18-34 years), parties (National Coalition Party, Centre Party, PS, and to some respects the Social Democratic Party) that have dragged their feet on recognizing that we are today a culturally diverse society, total 58%.

How many parties are open to difference and cultural diversity? They are the Greens, Left Alliance, and Swedish People’s Party. All three parties in the young-voter group total 36.6% compared with 18.9% in the older group.

The first table shows how 18-34-year-olds would vote. The second one, on the right, shows the 50-79-year-old-age group. Source: YLE.

One of the most surprising findings of the poll is the popularity of the anti-immigration PS among young voters, which indicates that there will always be an appeal among some voters for racist and bigoted politicians and parties.

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THE LONG INTERVIEW: Rebecka Holm, the adolescent who spoke out against racism, yesterday and today

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Rebecka Holm is the brave adolescent from Helsinki, who in 2012 spoke out against the racist harassment she regularly experienced on the way to school. She got fed up with the situation and wrote a letter to the Swedish daily, HBL, denouncing what she and her friends experienced too often.

“If Finland is now the most secure and stable country [in the world],” she said back then, “why do people of [different] ethnic backgrounds get attacked every day?”

For a while, the young adolescent was in the national spotlight. Apart from media attention, Holm was given an award by the Red Cross on the UN Day Against Racism.

Six years have elapsed since then and the brave young lady today lives and studies law in Uppsala, Sweden. I had to the opportunity to talk to her by phone and ask her about her plans and what she thought about what she did in 2012.

Read original story published in 2012 here.

Migrant Tales (MT): Tell me about your life in Sweden. How does it feel to live in that country?

Rebecka Holm (RH): I live in Uppsala which is a “white” city, and it’s not as diverse like Stockholm. But it is still much more diverse than if I would study in Turku and Finland. I must say that I blend in much better here even if most of the students that major in law are white upper-class students.

MT: What do you mean? 

RH: Racism is more subtle in Sweden. In Finland, you can sometimes get a lot of stares from people That does not happen here. I am an outsider in Sweden but in the same sense as in Finland even if I am a Finn and not accepted as one. In Sweden, I get fewer questions like “where are you from.” It is rude to start a conversation with a person in this country in such a way.

 In a way, people can say what they want in Finland but in Sweden that would not happen. If you say something racist, it would be political suicide. You would get kicked out of the party. That is not the case in Finland.

MT: What motivated you to speak out against racism in 2012? 

RH: When I was young, I was very sure about myself, and I was pretty sure that what I did was right. The letter I wrote to HBL took 30 minutes. I didn’t tell anyone about it. I just wrote it and sent it to the newspaper. The following morning my aunt text messaged me and wrote that they published a letter written by me.  I never thought what I wrote would attract so much attention.

Rebecka Holm graduated from high school in spring 2016.

MT: How has your perception of a social ill like racism changed from then? 

RH: My perception of racism today is different from when I wrote the letter. I don’t see it as many different incidents of overt racism but as a structural problem [in society]. Continue reading “THE LONG INTERVIEW: Rebecka Holm, the adolescent who spoke out against racism, yesterday and today”

Exposing white Finnish privilege #47: President Sauli Niinistö’s “culture inside four walls”

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THIS STORY HAS BEEN UPDATED

Instead of showing leadership and giving a public face to our ever-growing culturally and ethnically diverse non-white society, President Sauli Niinistö does the opposite again. I have said it before and I wil say it again: President Niinistö is no friend of non-white Finland. 

In an interview on YLE, Niinistö gave an Iraqi man’s example of how he thinks foreigners should practice their culture:

He said: “I read in a newspaper about an Iraqi who had lived a long time in Finland, and he said that this [his culture] isn’t any problem. When I leave home for work, go to the store, or anywhere, I behave like a Finn. In this society, [I] follow the rules of the [cultural] game. But when I come home, I have Iraqi culture – truly impressive. And together with acquaintances can practice [my culture] very well, but the starting point is that Finland’s values are respected, democracy, gender equality.”

Listen to the full Ylen Aamu TV talk show here.

President Niinistö speaks conveniently of gender equality but doesn’t mention the importance of non-discrimination.

White Finnish privilege #47

If we study a bit closer what Niinistö said, it suggests that cultural diversity has no public place in Finland. His affirmation is full of holes that expose his ignorance and prejudices of “other” cultures.

Even if Finnish public officials, politicians, and the president speak of two-way integration, it doesn’t mean that at all because it works as a one-way adaption process.

Continue reading “Exposing white Finnish privilege #47: President Sauli Niinistö’s “culture inside four walls””

Why isn’t there any street in Finland named after Rosa Emilia Clay (1875-1959)?

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Here’s a straightforward question: Why isn’t there in Finland any street named after Rosa Emilia Clay, the first African naturalized Finn in 1899? There is no street in Tampere that carries her name, where she resided shortly after migrating to the United States in 1904, and in Mustinlahti, where she was an elementary school teacher in 1898. 

Shouldn’t we strive to get a street in Finland named after Rosa Emilia Clay?

 

Rosa Emilia Clay. 

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Migrants’ Rights Network: Why we should teach migration in schools

Posted on by Migrant Tales

Migrant Tales’ insight: This piece is also relevant in Finland. Apart from putting them in special courses too easily, education authorities pay too little attention to migrants and minorities. This shouldn’t surprise us since they have little idea what it means to be Other in school.

 

Many migrant children feel excluded by their peers and silently endure prejudices, racism, bullying and discrimination. These cruel violations have the power to lock a child’s full potential away.

By Rockhaya Sylla*

One of my clients’ children said: “I don’t have any friends at school. I feel ashamed to approach other children because of my accent. In class, some children make fun of me or simply pretend that they do not understand me.”

She doesn’t talk about it to anyone though:” The teachers tell me to be patient and I can’t talk to my parents. I don’t want them to be worried about me.” Her parents have recently arrived and are facing similar forms of exclusion at work or when looking for housing.

Visit Migrants’ Rights Network website here.

“Where are you from?”

A friend recently told me: “my friend’s daughter goes to a private school and her friends refuse to believe that her father is a refugee because he has a very good job!”

It’s the same for children. For many, four little words make them feel excluded on a regular basis: “Where are you from?” And if when they respond that they are locals, they are asked again: “no, but where are you from?”

Continue reading “Migrants’ Rights Network: Why we should teach migration in schools”

What does Finland fear as its society becomes more culturally and ethnically diverse?

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What do you think are the main issues that migrants and minorities face in Finland? Is the majority population having a difficult time sharing public spaces with migrants and minorities? Are Finns suspicious of difference? Do they fear that they’ll lose power and privilege as our society becomes ever-culturally and ethnically diverse?*

One of the most significant problems facing our ever-growing culturally diverse community is that there are too few migrants and minority participation. It’s like an all-male board championing for women’s rights.

How does tokenism down out our voices in those associations that are supposed to stand up for our rights?

How could we change this?

 

Read the full story here.

* By cultural and ethnic diversity I mean anti-white-supremacist. White Finns are as well a part of our culturally diverse society, even if some, I suspect, believe that “them” are those that are culturally different from us and “us” are the white Finns. 

Defining white Finnish privilege #37: The master of near-everything

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What do independent government agencies like the Non-Discrimination Ombudsman, Ombudsman for Equality, Occupational Safety and Health Administration and National Discrimination and Equality Tribunal have in common?  All of them protect and defend the rights of women and minorities in Finland.

Another matter that these government agencies have in common is that minorities are underrepresented and that too few of us use their services.

One of the reasons could be ignorance and mistrust. Trust and credibility aren’t helped by the fact that few if any visible minorities are staffers in such bodies.

Another factor that doesn’t help is that in Finland women’s and minorities’ rights are defended by different agencies. In Sweden and Norway, women’s and minorities’ rights are protected by one agency.

While there are many dedicated people working for these bodies, one wonders if it is in their interest to splinter such an important issue in our society into four different bodies.

Finnish white privilege #37

One of the most important goals that migrants, minorities, and representatives of our culturally diverse community should strive for is more representation and say in these agencies.

Continue reading “Defining white Finnish privilege #37: The master of near-everything”