Tag: Finland

Schuurmudgeon: Sanoma, your ignorance is not sexy

Posted on by Migrant Tales

By Jos Schuurmans

“Hello? This is the nineteen-thirties calling. Can we have our nazi family snap shots back, please?”

How is it possible that Sanoma, one of Finland’s largest, most professional and most respected media firms, gets away with publishing a cosy, three-page family portrait of far-right MP Jussi Halla-aho in its November 1, 2012, issue of Me Naiset, the mainstream human interest women’s magazine?

Headlined, Jussi and Hilla Halla-aho: “Intelligence is sexy”, the article (web-version here) runs photos of Halla-aho and his wife at home and at the diner table with their children. On the cover of the magazine they are quoted as saying:

“Home is a place where one doesn’t need to face criticism.”

Well… tell that to the visible immigrants whose homes have fallen prey to arson attacks from anti-immigration extremists in recent years!

Halla-aho is a contender to the leadership of the far-right ‘Perussuomalaiset’ party. Not hindered by political correctness, his blog writings are crudely critical of immigration and multiculturalism. He has been convicted by the country’s Supreme Court of enticing intolerance.

Yet the article doesn’t go into details concerning his political actions or agenda. The closest writer Essi Myllyoja and photographer Milka Alanen come to touching upon his controversial track record is this:

“(…) Jussi is a man who evokes emotions – even fears. His radical opinions and provocative blog articles have taken him even to court. But when Kerttu jumps onto Jussi’s lap and drowns her father in kisses, what springs to mind is that there is surely also a softer side to the man. (…)”

Excuse me, I feel slightly nauseous. Saisinko vatin, kiitos?

In June 2012, following Halla-aho’s appeals after conviction in lower courts, the Supreme Court of Finland found him guilty of both disturbing religious worship and ethnic agitation. He was sentenced to pay fines as well as to remove parts from his blog.

Halla-aho had remarked that the prophet Muhammad was a paedophile, and Islam a religion of paedophilia, because Muhammad had intercourse with his 9-year-old wife and according to Sunnah Mohammed’s life is exemplary in every way.

He also asked if it could be stated that robbing passers-by and living on taxpayers’ expense are cultural and possibly genetic characteristics of Somalis. This was apparently stated in sarcastic response to a Finnish columnist who wrote that drinking excessively and fighting when drunk were cultural and possibly genetic characteristics of Finns.

The Supreme Court considered the blog posts’ descriptions to be defaming and abusive to an ethnic group. It found the writing in itself to evoke intolerance, contempt and possibly even hatred. (Sources via Wikipedia, Wikiquotes, HS.fi, Migrant Tales)

Of course the man’s unattractive political accomplishment is very disturbing and a cause of outrage in itself. We’ve known for a while that Timo Soini’s Perussuomalaiset (which translates into ‘True Finns’, although the party adopted ‘The Finns’ as its official English name in August 2011) harbor dangerously right-wing elements and it’s really objectionable that the party leader doesn’t seem to have made any effort to dis-associate them from his movement.

The far-right thugs in this country are receiving way too much air time already and I wouldn’t want to add to that.

But with this article in Me Naiset, the boundaries of what is considered to be acceptable in mainstream journalism are being pushed to a new level. This should not be allowed to pass without notice.

It’s staggering that Sanoma can publish such politically and historically ignorant fluff without causing a public outrage and without repercussions for its insensitive and irresponsible management.

This piece was reprinted by Migrant Tales with permission.

MP Hirvisaari claims PS anti-immigration message not strong enough

Posted on by Migrant Tales

Perussuomalaiset (PS) MP James (Erkki Kalevi) Hirvisaari claims that his party did poorly in the municipal elections because it wasn’t as outspoken on immigration issues as before the 2011 parliamentary elections, according to YLE. Migrant Tales disagrees. The PS did poorly in the municipal elections because of the crackpot stuff they say and do to gain attention, listeners or votes. 

Contrary to what Hirvisaari claims, the PS and his band of Counterjihadists tried very hard to raise immigration issues during the last municipal elections. See the long list of blog entries below that were published by Migrant Tales that show that Hirvisaari and other PS politicians tried to gain attention and votes by fueling anti-immigration, anti-Islam, anti-Roma and homophobic sentiment.

Moreover, the anti-immigration message of the PS sounds like a broken record at this stage. The more it plays, the more their lies and opportunism are exposed. The public, media and politicians are not eating out of their hands as they did before last year’s parliamentary elections.

Politicians like Hirvisaari in the PS, with his usual witch-hunt comments about Islam and immigrants, is one reason why the party has lost popularity and credibility with voters.

One of the PS MP’s many bizarre comments were made after Anders Brevik went on the rampage killing in cold blood 77 Norwegians on July 22, 2011.

On his Uusi Suomi blog he blamed “immigration policy” and “100% rape cases by foreigners [sic!]” for Norway’s worst tragedy after World War 2. “A sensible immigration policy could have lowered tensions and helped avoid many problems as well as the atrocity [in Norway],” he wrote. “And we still can. In Finland as well.”

Hirvisaari, who was convicted for hate speech in December, has not only lost touch with his party but with his constituents.

Here are some blog entries that Migrant Tales published before the October municipal elections that had a strong anti-immigration, anti-Islam and homophobic message:

 

 

Reports: Greatest threat to immigrants are not far-right groups in Sweden

Posted on by Migrant Tales

Two reports published on November 9 in Sweden show that the greatest threat to immigrants and visible minorities in that country aren’t far-right groups, but everyday intolerance and racism from white Swedes.

What does this report say about Sweden and suggest about how foreigners are treated in Finland? Contrary to our neighbor, Finland’s third-largest party in parliament, the Perussuomalaiset (PS), is staunchly xenophobic and against immigrants.

Relatives of the PS, the Sweden Democrats, are a minor force in parliament.

Cecilia Englung said: “The biggest challenge is to tackle the problem of everyday xenophobia by comments, evil staring and other negative behaviors toward non-ethnic Sweden.”

One of the reports asked 1,490 students about racism. Half of them, who were born elsewhere than Sweden, had experienced racism (28% said there is racism at their school and 24% knew of a racist assault at school).

Martin Luther King had a point when he said: “History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of social transition was not the striden clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people.”

MLK had a point but how many of those people he mentions were actually that “good?”

What Saul Schubak did wrong in Finland

Posted on by Migrant Tales

Saul Schubak, the National Coalition Party politician who said that ”inferior people” should not get child allowances, resigned Friday as vice president of the party’s youth wing. If there is a lesson to be learned from the Schubak scandal, it’s which group you insult. 

If Schubak speaks of ”inferior people” and gets dumped by his party for his statement, why doesn’t the same happen when the Perussuomalaiset (PS) and its anti-immigration extremists get showered with votes in elections?

The answer to this very simple question is obvious: Don’t insult the wrong group. Schubak insulted whites while the PS near-constantly insults immigrants and visible minorities.

The moral of the Schubak scandal? If you are going to insult people in Finland,  stay clear from white people especially if you have a Jewish background. Bashing immigrants and even visible minorities is, however, fine. You won’t lose face.

Schubak said in a statement that he ”did not mean to insult anyone” although that is exactly what he did.

The former National Coalition Party youth wing vice president said that politicians don’t take responsibility for what they say and do. Schubak, contrarily, does, which is why he is resigning, according to his words.

Pushing aside the melodramatics and political soap opera, Schubak is resigning because of what he said and to whom,  which made his position in the party untenable.

The National Coalition Party youth wing has been on other occasions a political thorn in the conservative party’s side.

 

 

Paavo Lipponen does not see far right threatening Finland

Posted on by Migrant Tales

There are few politicians in Finland who speak out against the far-right threat in Finland. One of these is former Social Democrat Prime Minister Paavo Lipponen, who expressed concern about the issue in a seminar in Helsinki on deportation of Jews to Germany in World War 2, reports Iltalehti. 

Lipponen expressed surprise that some parties use “racial hygiene” as part of their political agenda. The concept was exploited by Nazi Germany from 1933 and led to the mass murder of millions of Europeans, especially Jews.

Lipponen does not, however, consider the far right to be a threat to Finland.

While Lipponen may state that far-right ideology isn’t a big threat to Finland, some would disagree. Determining what is a threat to our society depends a lot on your perspective. If you are middle class, white and employed, the far-right wing of a party like the Perussuomalaiset (PS) isn’t a threat.

If, however, you ask certain immigrant groups and visible minorities, the answer may be much different.

Here’s a Suomen Sisu t-shirt that shows the group’s hostility towards cultural diversity.

Lipponen used Saul Schubak, the vice chairman of the National Coalition Party’s youth wing, as an example of how public opinion has hardened in Finland. Schubak wrote on Facebook that “inferior people” should not get child allowance.

The PS is the party in parliament with the biggest number of anti-immigration fanatics, who base their views on racial hygiene, eugenics and cultural myths like ethnic superiority.

If Migrant Tales had the opportunity to draw a cartoon about PS chairman Timo Soini’s relationship with these far-right politicians, the setting would be a concentration camp in World War 2 with some infamous commandants like Rudolf Hoess and Franz Ziereis, hiding behind Soini.

Soini would state with a poker face: “Anti-Semitism isn’t an issue in our party.”

Barack Obama victory: “The most diverse [and powerful] nation on Earth”

Posted on by Migrant Tales

President Barack Obama’s election victory is the best news embattled United States could hope for. The U.S. president’s leadership on many fronts in the past should be a source of inspiration for European politicians who are being put under the gun by ever-growing populist mainstream intolerance and racism.

Obama has shown leadership on many occasions. He opposed the U.S led invasion of Iraq at a time when it was considered political suicide to be against President George W. Bush’s right to wage preemptive war on anyone Washington pleased. His support for gay marriage is another political milestone of his administration.

While these and many other difficult policy calls are risky, the job of an exemplary politician is to offer leadership and do what is right. Sometimes we need tap our gut instincts to make hard calls. Time will eventually reveal whether those political decision were right or wrong.

One of the many powerful messages in Obama’s victory speech was praising the United States as the most diverse nation on Earth. He said: “As long as we have the courage, to keep reaching, to keep working, keep fighting. Everyone can make it in America. Black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, young, old, rich, poor, able, disabled, gay, straight. You can make it here in America if you are willing to try.”

Too many politicians in Europe and Finland still patronize with populism and racism. Instead of fueling inclusion, they promote social exclusion of certain groups with their silence and  views. This is a ruinous path that we must challenge with leadership.

Obama’s message, that the United States is the most diverse and  powerful nation on Earth, should inspire us to do much more in Europe and Finland to promote diversity.

If we fail in the task and allow our fear and myths to devour our courage, it’s pretty clear that we’ll be the biggest losers.

 

 

Finland must do more to ghostbust its race-and-blood myths

Posted on by Migrant Tales

What do the rise of an anti-immigration party like the Perussuomalaiset (PS) and Kokoomus’ Saul Schubak’s statements concerning child allowances have in common?  Setting racism and greed aside, they are the ethnic and social myths that continue to be taught and reinforced at our schools, homes and society. 

One of the biggest myths and social constructs about our national identity is that only one group owns it or, as Schubak claimed, rich people who make money and have conservative views have special rights and privileges in our society.

The mere fact that a person like PS MP Jussi Halla-aho can spew fascist-eugenic ideology from the 1930s and claim that certain groups have less human dignity than others, shows an enormous failure of our educational system that is haunting us today.

One clear characteristic of how racism and discrimination work in Finland is that they tirelessly aim to undermine your rights and place obstacles in front of your path. There are no solutions, only obstacles.

While many racist ideas in Finland have their roots in eugenics and nineteenth-century colonialism, they continue to flourish in some circles like the PS and Schubaks’ National Coalition Party youth wing.

At the best, parties like the PS and Schubak show that Finland is still a predominantly white society that has no intention of relinquishing its privileges to other groups. Values such as social equality (tasa-arvo) are not meant for immigrants and visible minorities. They are for white Finns.

Meanwhile, the Police College of Finland  told Migrant Tales that 2011 hate crime statistics will be probably published by the end of November.

A total of 860 hate crimes reported to the police in 2010, which is a 15% fall from 1,007 cases in the previous year.

While some officials claim that ”hate crimes fell in 2010,” they may reveal a more worrying trend: Reluctance by some immigrants and visible minorities to report such crimes to the police.

 

Migrant Tales Literary: We’re already here (in Finland)

Posted on by Migrant Tales

We are the new minorty

already here, if you like it or not

ready to build whatever needs building

and travel that long difficult path

of acceptance.

Like it or not

we’re your neighbors

and don’t forget, that we’re here

like chimapnzees swinging on birches, sixes and aspens

in this freezing cold

with you, albino monkeys.

                                                     Helsinki, early 1980s

Spiegel Online International: A case that successfully challenged ethnic profiling in Germany

Posted on by Migrant Tales

This story, which was published by German Spiegel Online International, offers some good points on how to challenge ethnic profiling. It’s pretty clear that this illegal practice goes on in Finland as well and is more widespread than believed.  

Migrant Tales asked in June blog entry: “How serious is ethnic profiling in Finland? Denials that it doesn’t occur at all by the police suggest that it may be a much wider problem than believed.”

Like any challenge facing society, we need proactive solutions. This story of a black German who was a victim of ethnic profiling on Spiegel Online International is not only inspiring, but offers hope: We can challenge such an injustice with our example.

An important matter to remember if you are harassed in public or are a victim of ethnic profiling and discrimination, is that it’s all about our children and grandchildren. We want them to live in a society that lives up to its values and that its laws should protect everyone.

The black German simply got tired of being constantly stopped by police because of his ethnic background.

“In the two years prior, they [police] had selected me about 10 times for a random check of my identification. It’s a pretty rotten feeling. I was born and raised here. I am German. According to the anti-discrimination law in the constitution, skin color is not grounds for a spot check.”

Read I didn’t want to be treated differently any longer here.

 

What some Finnish conservatives think of the poor

Posted on by Migrant Tales

Saul Schubak, the vice chairman of the National Coalition Party’s youth wing, has unleashed a storm due to his views on poverty. Schubak wrote on Facebook that people who aren’t fit to parent should not receive child allowances.

He writes on his original post: ”Child allowances should be definitely eliminated. It’s absurd that we give support to weaker material [parents] to reproduce and then we wonder why there are drug-addicted children that are taken into protective custody from their alcoholic parents.”

Schubak’s views were strongly criticized because they hinge on eugenics, a disgraced pseudo-science that was used before the end of World War 2 to justify racism and ethnic inferiority of other groups.

After the National Coalition Party distanced itself from Schubak’s view, the young National Coalition Party youth leader patched up his original comment by admitting that it was ”a bit indiscreet,” stressing that he wants child allowances to be scrapped for all socioeconomic groups.

Just like racists use the ”we-want-to-debate-openly-immigration” argument, which is only a byword  or phrase to bash immigrants, Schubak uses the same tactic to scorn the poor and vulnerable

It’s amazing that whenever these people want to “openly debate” an issue in society, it’s commonly about those groups that are the most defenseless and that have the least means to defend themselves against such attacks.

To what extent can we or should we debate the watering down of our human and Nordic civil rights?

Those that want to undermine and fuel greater social differences and income gaps in our society, not only reveal their contempt for our Nordic welfare state values.

Schubak’s Facebook page picture of him attending the Republican presidential convention speaks a thousand words about his values and political views.  His comments about Finland’s poor is no surprise.

Saul Schubak appears to like Mitt Romney.  Said Romney:  “There are 47 percent of the people who will vote for the president no matter what. All right, there are 47 percent who are with him, who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims, who believe the government has a responsibility to care for them, who believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing, to you-name-it. …