Finland Archives - Page 198 of 359

Facebook: PS MP Huuhtasaari wants less immigrants to come to Finland

Posted on June 10, 2015 by Migrant Tales

We’ve all read about Perussuomalaiset (PS)* MP Laura Huhtasaari, the conservative anti-immigration politician who believes that Muslims are a security risk for Finland. In a Facebook post below she’s at it again but this time she labels and attacks all migrants.

But before we get to the story, I want to confess that when I write these types of stories, and there have been many of them, I sometimes feel like one of the space travelers in the Alien movie below, who is eating with his buddies and then a baby monster bursts rudely from his chest. The monster that I carry is similar and comes in the form of a racist insult or xenophobic comment by a politician. Like the baby Alien, the statement enters my mind as I write and then bursts out when I click the publish button.

I feel as well that these stories play an important role since they are published in English, which means that lots of people in Europe, like politicians, policy-makers and journalists, can read about the sad things going on in Finland today.

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UPDATE (June 10): Migrant Tales’ 2015 Hall of Poor and Sloppy Journalism

Posted on June 10, 2015 by Migrant Tales

Migrant Tales’ 2015 Hall of Poor and Sloppy Journalism will be updated separately. To see other examples of opinionated journalism in Finland about cultural diversity, please go to this link.

June 10

Suurlähetystö joutuu selittelemään Timo Soinia: “Ymmärretään usein väärin täällä Saksassa (Ilta-Sanomat)

What’s wrong with this story? The headline offers us an answer to the latter question why their new boss, Perussuomalaiset (PS)* Foreign Minister Timo Soini, is commonly misunderstood by the German media. What has the German media “misunderstood” about Soini? The Finnish embassy spokeswoman stated that the PS is commonly seen in a negative light by the German media and labelled as a far right party. In all of the seven German dalies quoted in the Ilta-Sanomat story, none of them claim that Soini’s party is “far right” but “right-wing populist” and “EU-skeptic.” If Ilta-Sanomat were interested in quality journalism it would ask why there is such a perception of the PS in the German media in the first place and are they wrong in claiming that it is a right-wing populist, anti-immigration and anti-EU party? A lot of stories and names could serve as sources to reinforce the latter: Jussi Halla-aho, Olli Immonen, Juho Eerola, Teuvo Hakkarainen, Olli Sademies, Teemu Lahtinen, Jussi Niinistö, Harri Tauriainen, Tommi Rautio, Tony Halme, Hanna Mäntylä, James Hirvisaari, who was sacked from the party, and many, many others.

Continue reading “UPDATE (June 10): Migrant Tales’ 2015 Hall of Poor and Sloppy Journalism”

Timo Soini Finland’s “Dracula” and Charlie Hebdo’s take on “true” and “false” Finns

Posted on June 8, 2015 by Migrant Tales

It’s been a rough week for Euro-skeptic Perussuomalaiset (PS)* Foreign Minister Timo Soini. The firs jab came on Saturday when Sir Graham Watson, the former chairman of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (Alde) in the European Parliament, who said that Soini’s appointment as foreign minister was like having Dracula guarding a blood bank, according to YLE.

The second jab came from the French Charlie Hebdo, which was attacked in January, makes fun of the Perussuomalaiset’s name and outlines who are “true” and “false” Finns, reports YLE.

According to Charlie Hebdo, and since the party claims to represent “true” Finns, those “false” Finns are the Swedish-speaking Finns, Saami, Russian-speaking minority of this country and migrants.

Here’s Charlie Hebdo’s view of the “true” Finn.

Continue reading “Timo Soini Finland’s “Dracula” and Charlie Hebdo’s take on “true” and “false” Finns”

Dana: Stand up Finland this is your moment of truth

Posted on June 7, 2015 by Migrant Tales

Dana

Who are you if you’re afraid of a hijab and a woman?… this is what she chose, not your problem, not mine, are you really human?

Who are you if you afraid of color?… are you working for Satan, is it your favor?

Who are you if you afraid of black beards?… world will laugh at you, think better before your death comes

Don’t judge people because they were born Muslim… don’t try to paint them as bad in your ugly black film

You can not change anything, don’t make so much noise…. But you can changing yourself this would be really worth it

Religion is good or bad people are not guilty …can you have a good mind? soft and fresh and silky?

Muslims are our neighbors on the planet Earth …for GOD all is ONE, no one is SECOND or FIRST

Who are you if you’re afraid of a hijab and a woman?… this is what she chose, not your problem, not mine, are you really human?

Who are you if you hate your brothers?…Adam and Eve are our parents, yes we are truly your brothers, sisters !!!

Be happy that we have different colors….We are a big family like a garden with colorful flowers

Rainbow is a rainbow because its colors are beautiful

Rainbow would not exist if it were simple and colorless

Continue reading “Dana: Stand up Finland this is your moment of truth”

Juha Sipilä’s government is one of the few in the world that still ponders whether immigration is good for the host country

Posted on June 7, 2015 by Migrant Tales

The Finnish government of Prime Minister Juha Sipilä must be one of the few if not the only one in the world that is still pondering whether immigration is good or bad for the country. Even if the new government decided to carry out such an assessment by an independent body, thanks to pressure by the Perussuomalaiset (PS)*, it’s universally accepted by economists that immigration is good for the host country.

But plans to carry out such an assessment not only shows the xenophobic mindset of the PS but the shameful lack of leadership of the country’s two major parties in government, the Center Party and National Coalition Party (NCP).

A recent study by the OECD showed that immigration boosted the Finnish economy by 0.16% in 2011 including pensions.

This story by YLE was a good example of questionable journalism in Finland. Find out why here.

Such plans to commission such an assessment are also a direct insult to all migrants and minorities living in this country.

The only party that has criticized the assessment on the cost of immigration is the Swedish People’s Party. Its chairman Carl Haglund said Saturday that “it remains a mystery how we’ll succeed at luring people to move to our country when Sipilä and his buddies are standing at the border labeling [newcomers] on the forehead with a price tag.”

Not only is the government unsure whether immigration is good or bad for Finland, immigration affairs are handled today by PS Minister of Justice and Employment Jari Lindström, who is a former paper mill worker and lab assistant.

Do you believe that the plight of migrants living in Finland will improve with Lindström? Do you believe that Lindström has the political will to challenge discrimination and structural racism in this country?

If you do then you know something that a lot of us don’t know.

Continue reading “Juha Sipilä’s government is one of the few in the world that still ponders whether immigration is good for the host country”

Swedish People’s Party Carl Haglund: Who wants to move to Finland knowing that a price tag will be placed on your forehead?

Posted on June 6, 2015 by Migrant Tales

Imagine a country that needs skilled labor due to the rapid graying of its population and whose new government still doesn’t know whether immigration brings benefits or not? Well that country, folks, is none other than Finland. Yes, the country that saw over 1.2 million of its people emigrate between 1860 and 1999 to the world and which saw the rise of an anti-immigration party from the minor political leagues to become the second-biggest party in parliament.

The party, the Perussuomalaiset (PS)*, bases its newly acquired power on its anti-immigration message and strengthening “us” against “them.”

It recently published a study, which got a lot of criticism due to its methodology, which concluded that immigration costs Finland 700 million euros.

It didn’t matter if the study had a lot of methodological holes because its main aim was to send a clear message to its voters: We don’t want migrants unless they’re white.

Government immigration affairs are under Justice and Employment Minister Jari Lindström, a former paper mill worker who later became a lab assistant.

Read full story in Finnish here.

Chairman of the Swedish People’s Party Carl Haglund had at the party’s annual convention harsh criticism or the new government and echoed what Migrant Tales has been saying for a long time.

Continue reading “Swedish People’s Party Carl Haglund: Who wants to move to Finland knowing that a price tag will be placed on your forehead?”

Feeding our amnesia and sidestepping the issues in the immigration and refugee debate

Posted on June 6, 2015 by Migrant Tales

You can remind me four years from today what I’ll say now: Very little will be resolved concerning the challenges facing our ever-growing culturally diverse society except for witch-hunts and underlining the poisonous message of “us” against “them.”

In the plainest English it means very little will be resolved concerning our ever-growing culturally diverse society because the power that parties like the Perussuomalaiset (PS)* of Finland have today is based on nationalistic fear of the outside world and strengthening “us” against “them.”

What will, then, Center Party Prime Minister Juha Sipilä’s government accomplish during its four-year mandate except for greater social inequality that will in turn fuel greater anti-immigration sentiment?

Most likely it’s greatest “accomplishment” will be the further impoverishment of Finland, ever-growing poverty and society’s polarization.

Who will speak up for this dear little girl at sea? Our amnesia?

Former EU’s high representative for foreign and security policy and former secretary general of NATO, Javier Solana, writes in an opinion piece about our collective amnesia. He states:

Continue reading “Feeding our amnesia and sidestepping the issues in the immigration and refugee debate”

UPDATED Liikkukaa’s Christian Thibault: The Finnish Football Association should remain vigilant on racism

Posted on June 4, 2015 by Migrant Tales

FC Inter Turku player Vahid Hambon, who is a dual Finnish and Bosnian citizen, was a target of racial slurs at a recent match against FC Lahti. The incident has received national attention thanks to tabloid Iltalehti.

While racial slurs can be heard in Finland as well by fans, the important question we should ask is if bodies like the Finnish Football Association (FFA) are doing enough to address such problems, said Christian Thibault, executive director of Liikkukaa – Sports for All, an association that promotes greater inclusion of migrants and minorities in sports.

Amnesty International’s managing director for Finland, Frank Johansson, said last year that racial slurs and racism at football games were common in Finland.

“Why do experts at the [Finnish] Football Association say racist incidents should be reported to the home club but not directly to the Association?” said Thibault. “Why are they playing down the problem if it happens more often than we know?”

Read full story here.

Maurizio Pratesi, an expert on multicultural issues at the FFA, said recently that fans can help at games by reporting any racist incidents to the home team. He said that the problem isn’t as widespread in Finland as in other European country but that vigilance is still necessary.

“In Finland we don’t have that strong of a supporter culture so you can’t really talk about a widespread problem,” said Pratesi. “On the other hand this happens too often in the stands taking into account how few people attend games in Finland.”

The most recent case involving Hambo of FC Inter Turku is another sad example of racism at football matches in Finland.

“What is Football Associaiton doing to address these types of incidents,” asked Thibault. “It’s very rare in Finland that a player like Hambon takes up such an issue in the media. This is a good opportunity for them to address the issue.”

The Liikkukaa executive director added that since talented players like Hambon are the future of Finnish football they should do their best to defend and support them against racial slurs at games. Continue reading “UPDATED Liikkukaa’s Christian Thibault: The Finnish Football Association should remain vigilant on racism”

Perussuomalaiset Maria Lohela: Inte min talman, or not my speaker of parliament

Posted on June 1, 2015 by Migrant Tales

Perussuomalaiset (PS)* Maria Lohela got elected Friday as speaker of parliament. Lohela is no ordinary MP but one who doesn’t believe in religious freedom, migrant and homosexual rights. As a politician she is the antithesis of Nordic values unless you believe that those values are supposed to advance bigotry and racism.

The picture below was found on the internet and means in English: Not my speaker of parliament.

The famous saying, Inte min talman, or you’re not my speaker of parliament, comes from Swedish MP Rossana Dinamarca of the Left Party. In the video below, Dinamarca goes to the podium and addresses the Swedish Riksdag (parliament). When Sweden Democrat deputy speaker of parliament Björn Söder tells her to address him as “honorable speaker” she refuses and states, Inte min talman.

Source: Internet

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Xenophobia and Islamophobia get to first base in Finland: And now, what?

Posted on May 31, 2015 by Migrant Tales

Living in Finland after the April 19 parliamentary elections is like witnessing a coup where xenophobia and Islamophobia have strengthened their stranglehold on our country with the blessings of the Center Party and National Coalition Party (NCP). With the Perussuomalaiset (PS)* in government and the election of PS MP Maria Lohela as the new speaker of parliament send a disturbing signal to many Finns and especially to our ever-growing culturally diverse community.

Finland is already a culturally diverse society. If parties like the PS would have wanted to shut our borders to visible migrants they’re too late. Cultural diversity in Finland is unstoppable and will grow in the years and decades ahead.

The rise of a hostile party like the PS, yes hostile to migrants and minorities let there be no questions about that, hasn’t been clearer and more disturbing than after the elections. Their message in coded language couldn’t be clearer: We want Finland to remain white.

A good source of inspiration for social equality and change in Finland is the Civil Rights Movement (1955-68) of the United States. In some cases what MLK said is applicable to Finland. In 1982 we marched in Helsinki to parliament to speed up passage of the country’s first aliens act. Foreigners weren’t allowed back then to organize marches or participate in demonstrations.

Continue reading “Xenophobia and Islamophobia get to first base in Finland: And now, what?”

Tag: Finland