Far-right populism is an illness inflicting Europe at present and it now has a beachhead in Finland. Migrant Tales (18.4.2011) About 20% – if not more – of Finnish voters are racist di**heads. Few, if any, were alarmed by the Perussuomalaiset (PS)* victory in the 2011 election, which raised the number of MPs to 39…
Tag: exclusion
The elephant in the room and Finland’s hostile environment against migrants
Finland’s xenophobic message has been based for years on lies. Instead of lying, why not ratchet up the hostile environment against migrants and minorities? Be honest with yourself. The government is now spearheading these lies to justify their inhumane and counterproductive policies. Just like in the UK in 2012, Finland is passing laws to make…
Foreign Student: September 1981
After a three-month summer break, the September issue of the Foreign Student came out and wished all the members welcome back and gave them a heads-up about the Foreign Students Club’s 15th anniversary celebrations in October. Vice chairperson Alexandr Sannemann wrote that in Finland there is a lot of room for improvement concerning foreigner rights….
Foreign Student: Summer 1981
If the April issue was the longest with 12 pages, then the summer issue was the shortest Foreign Student with only four pages. Apart from wishing everyone a good summer and thanking the activism of its members, the Foreign Student expressed disappointed with those who did not speak out. “The past club year has been…
Foreign Student: March 1981
Migrant Tales will publish all of the eleven issues of the Foreign Student, the newsletter of the Foreign Students Club of Helsinki. The March 1981 issue continued to test the waters by speaking out for foreigners’ rights. Writes the Foreign Student: “Foreigners in Finland are taking a new stand concerning their rights here. All of us are asking: why…
PM Petteri Opro: “There is nothing racist or discriminatory in the government program”
And that is not all that Orpo said in Helsingin Sanomat: “We are doing everything in our power to eradicate racism and discrimination,” he continued, “We are doing more [on this front] than any government before us.” In light of the scandals that have rocked Orpo’s government from the start, there appear to be an…
Dr. Gareth Rice: The Finnish happiness myth
When asked about racism towards foreigners in Finland, Finns answer in a culturally approved script: “We Finns are not racist”; “If there is racism in Finland it is not as bad as it is in other countries” and; “Racism is the fault of the foreigners who move to Finland with unrealistic expectations.” Such dismissals require willful ethnic blindness to racism,…
Exposing white Finnish privilege #75: Obsession with race, ethnicity, and us versus them
THE STORY WAS UPDATED If we want to give a massive blow to racism in Finland and parties that promote this social ill, we need to change the language we use when speaking of all those that live here. One label that I have always disliked is “person with migrant or foreign background.” What does…
Why doesn’t Prime Minister Juha Sipilä respond and show leadership?
Dear PM Sipilä,
I am resending and reminding you of my communication on an issue that has not gone away and which – in my opinion – you have yet to acknowledge.
Camtu Suhonen: Women in Academic Careers
Discrimination against women who are advancing their career is a breaking down the rule of equality. Men and women are created equal. All the rights, treatment and opportunity that a man has should also be even to women who are pursuing careers of any sort. It will be called unfair, biased and not just when it comes to women.