Tag: Perussuomalaiset

Finland and the PS: The face of racism becomes uglier as it ages

Posted on by Migrant Tales

The Perussuomalaiset (PS)* in general and specifically MPs like Juho Eerola, Olli Immonen and Teuvo Hakkarainen are, together with MEP Jussi Halla-aho, examples of the worst kind of extremism and racism we can find in Finland today in the halls of our parliament. They are permitted to spread their racist and bigoted views because they have white Finnish privilege. 

Disagree? Ask yourself what would happen if a Muslim spoke of white Finns in the same way as these politicians do about Muslims.

The Charlie Hebdo attack exposed a lot of things about us. Apart from our shock and grieving, it also unmasked our hypocrisy.

In Finland it exposed once again the opportunism of some PS politicians but also their extremist ideas and declaration of war against those migrants and Finns they loathe, like Muslims.

Racism in its most extreme forms has a goal: the annihilation of whole groups through genocide. We saw this when Europeans colonized the Americas, Africa and other regions like Australia. With the help of pseudo scientific “theories” like eugenics, Europeans were able to justify genocide or the displacement, exploitation and death of millions of non-Europeans.

What are we to make out of the following statements below by PS politicians before and after the Charlie Hebdo attack?

  • Eerola, who admitted being attracted to Benito Mussolini’s fascism and economic policies, states in a letter to the editor below that Finland can still be saved from Islam;
  • Immonen wants immigration from Muslim countries to end to Finland and Europe. Those Muslims that live here should be given incentives to return back to the countries they came from, according to him;
  • MEP Halla-aho states on his blog that the world view of the majority of Muslims is no different from those that carried out the Charlie Hebdo attack;
  • Hakkarainen claimed in 2013 that Europe is being invaded by millions of Muslims in a Trojan horse.

Näyttökuva 2015-1-18 kello 10.03.00

This tweet by Saska Saarikoski of Helsingin Sanomat says it all about Halla-aho and his cronies. “Halla-aho is worried about terrorism. Let’s not forget that the worst terrorist act [Anders Breivik on July 22, 2011] committed in the Nordic region was by a person who admired Halla-aho.”

 

How are we supposed to read these types of statements by members of Finland’s third-largest party in parliament? Should we shrug them off as populism or something more diabolical?

What do these politicians aim to gain from their extremist statements? More votes? Maybe. Media attention? Maybe. Keep Finland Christian and white? Absolutely.

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Read full story here.

 

What can you say about a politician and a party whose aim is to socially exclude whole groups of people with the help of those high walls of racism?

Probably one matter that we can conclude is that Finland is still in deep denial. It hasn’t yet awoken to the perils of intolerance and doesn’t have a clue why spreading such hatred is hazardous to our society.

Since too many in this country don’t see intolerance as a serious enough social ill, it requires a lot more leadership from Finns and migrants of all backgrounds. It would be naive to believe that the ugly face of racism will leave quietly and peacefully.

Time has the ability to expose our stupidity and ignorance. How do you think future scholars and common people of our culturally diverse society will interpret the statements of politicians that aim to keep Finland white at all cost? Will the faces of their grandchildren and great grandchildren turn red with shame?

This is exactly what happened to the worst racists in the US Civil Rights Movement (1955-68).

Most USAmericans want to forget what was done and said during slavery and the Jim Crow era.

The same fate awaits these politicians.

 

* The Finnish name for the Finns Party is the Perussuomalaiset (PS). The names adopted by the PS, like True Finns or Finns Party, promote in our opinion nativist nationalism and xenophobia. We therefore prefer to use the Finnish name of the party on our postings. 

PS youth league’s anti-Islam cartoon contest is all about Islamophobia in Finland

Posted on by Migrant Tales

The Youth League of the Perussuomalaiset (PS)* launched a competition to defend free speech in light of last week’s Charlie Hebdo attack, according to YLE in English. It is surprising that an anti-immigrant and especially anti-Islam party like the PS are the only ones who are organizing such a contest and so eager to defend one of our most important civil rights. 

The contest is being organized by the youth wing’s Rahvas magazine.

Writes PS youth league leader and Rahvas editor Sebastian Tynkkynen: “We are worried about the state of freedom of speech in Finland and Europe. The Islamist attacks against a magazine over caricatures have put many other publications on their toes. It is outrageous to limit press freedom and freedom of speech with threats of violence.”

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Read full story here.

One valid question that we should ask in light of the attacks in Paris is if what happened had anything to do with press freedom and if the attackers represented all Muslims.

According the Tynkkynen, the answer is in the affirmative. He stated outright that Charlie Hebdo was an “Islamist attack” even if it was widely condemned by Muslims.

Moreover, why is insulting some group testing the limits of free speech? Why would you want to insult somebody in the first place? Would we further the cause of free speech if we chose to insult conservative Christians by publishing an explicit pornographic cartoon and splashing it on the first page?

A Muslim called Jerry Reddick in Canada tested the limits of free speech after the Charlie Hebdo attack by spreading jokes on Twitter about 9/11 and the Holocaust. He is now under police investigation.

“I know you didn’t think freedom to insult worked both ways,” Reddick is quoted as saying on infowars.com. “My point about free speech being limited was made loud and clear!”

While Reddick’s tweets are tasteless and insensitive to horrendous human suffering, it shows why insulting an provoking groups is a tasteless idea. 

One matter that the PS youth league’s contest reveals is a smelly red herring. Sorry, folks. The PS youth league would care less for free speech because their real aim and interest lies in feeding their Islamophobia and prejudices.

It’s clear that Finnish politicians like their European counterparts are aiming to opportunistically exploit the Charlie Hebdo attack.

* The Finnish name for the Finns Party is the Perussuomalaiset (PS). The English names of the party adopted by the PS, like True Finns or Finns Party, promote in our opinion nativist nationalism and xenophobia. We therefore prefer to use the Finnish name of the party on our postings.

PS MP Packalén is still in the dark about integration and cultural identity

Posted on by Migrant Tales

The media is part of the problem when it comes to racism in Finland because it gives such people and politicians inflated respectability and importance. A good example of the problem is a story on MTV3 where Perussuomalaiset (PS)* MP Tom Packalén asks Social Democrat MP Maria Guzenina if she would root in a football match for the Russian or the Finnish team.

Guzenina’s mother is Russian.

Näyttökuva 2015-1-14 kello 10.28.29

 

Read full story (in Finnish) here.

 

Packalén states that Finland should strive towards “real” integration. What the PS MP means by “real” integration is a mystery. Does Packlén mean one-way adaption or assimilation? Don’t our laws and Constitution speak of two-way adaption or integration?

The PS MP’s idea of how immigrants should adapt in Finland is no different to what Sweden Democrat party secretary Björn Söder said in December about the Saami, Jews and Kurds. He said that even if these groups have a Swedish passport they must give up their identity in order to be considered “real” Swedes.

Making comments that put into question a person’s loyalty or demote his or her status and right to be treated equally in Finland should never be tolerated by the media. This is why MTV3 was chosen as the latest addition to Migrant Tales‘ Hall of Fame of poor journalism.

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Read original posting here.

As the April parliamentary elections near, be ready to read a lot of xenophobic and racist comments by politicians like Packalén.

* The Finnish name for the Finns Party is the Perussuomalaiset (PS). The English names of the party adopted by the PS, like True Finns or Finns Party, promote in our opinion nativist nationalism and xenophobia. We therefore prefer to use the Finnish name of the party on our postings.

Defining white Finnish privilege #15: Case Halla-aho and the PS

Posted on by Migrant Tales

It’s clear that the Perussuomalaiset (PS)* are trying to regain their balance as their popularity in the polls continues to plummet. This week MEP Jussi Halla-aho, who was sentenced for ethnic agitation, tells his party that a tougher stand on immigration is needed to regain voter confidence. 

“It would be good that the party leadership understands that one of the central pillars of our support hinges on our critical view of immigration,” he was quoted as saying on Kaleva. “This is not a marginal issue for voters.”

A marginal issue?! Would it be ok for me to be sexist and paint all women with a single brush because some voters agree with my prejudices?

That is Halla-aho’s reasoning for his xenophobic attacks on migrants and minorities in this country. He doesn’t care if what he thinks is true or an exaggeration as long as it attracts votes.

 

Näyttökuva 2015-1-6 kello 12.06.42

Read full story (in Finnish) here.

 

Thanks to Finnish white privilege, Halla-aho and the PS can declare war on migrants in Finland. If a Muslim or a migrant made a similar statement about white Finns, he’d be lynched on social media chat sites and platforms.

Migrants and their families who live in this country have every right to respect, equality before the law and security. Halla-aho and the national media erode and make Finland a hostile place for migrants and minorities.

In which way do Halla-aho’s statements and the media, which regurgitate them, foster respect for those who live in Finland and aren’t white Finns? Hostility breeds hostility.

Definition #15

When you have white Finnish privilege, you are permitted to declare war on groups like migrants and minorities. They are only foreigners and therefore it’s perfectly acceptable.

Moreover, the media continues to classify hostile statements by politicians like Halla-aho as someone who is only “critical” of immigration. In our book, this type of language should be labelled as xenophobic and outright racist.

A get-tough stance by Finland’s third-largest party in parliament should not only be seen as a declaration of war against migrants and minorities but against everything that our Nordic welfare state should stand for.

See also:

* The Finnish name for the Finns Party is the Perussuomalaiset (PS). The English names of the party adopted by the PS, like True Finns or Finns Party, promote in our opinion nativist nationalism and xenophobia. We therefore prefer to use the Finnish name of the party on our postings.

Migrant Tales (September 14, 2013): The Finnish and European media still have a lot to learn about racism and intolerance

Posted on by Migrant Tales

One matter that is interesting to note when looking at the media before the historic victory of the Perussuomalaiset (PS) party in April 2011, is the present controversy surrounding the Youth League of the National Coalition Party’s program. Is the media giving racists, radical anti-immigration groups and voices inflated respectability and importance?

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The whole Susanna Koski affair is a case and point. Like poking an angry beehive, there is initial shock that soon subsides after the stings don’t hurt because we’re wearing protective clothing. Our protective clothing to the far right and anti-immigration message of the National Coalition Party’s youth wing program appeared like a knee-jerk reaction, which subsided thanks in part to our prejudice.

In other words, the program of the National Coalition Party’s youth league started to sink in.

Why is the Finnish media swept off its feet and dazzled so often by intolerance, racism and nationalism? Our media has been so generous in the past to these social ills that it was in part responsible for the rise of the PS and the election of a number of far right MPs like Jussi Halla-aho and James Hirvisaari, both sentenced for ethnic agitation.

Migrant Tales published recently a story where it looked at how the Finnish media gave inflated respectability and importance to racists in this country. This is nothing new in Europe. It happened in Britain about thirty years ago and is happening here in Finland right now before our eyes.

Below are some of  obvious symptoms when the media writes about cultural diversity:

  • White sources are always used as authorities when immigrants and minorities are concerned
  • Editors of Finland’s main dailies are white
  • Immigrant and visible minority voices are rarely if ever permitted to make their case
  • Rarely if ever do editors ask if whites are the source of the”immigrant problem”
  • We give inflated respectability and importance to racists because they mirror our attitudes
  • In Finland, the stronger racism became, the more airtime it gets
  • The rise of racism in our society and our coverage of it reveals how unbalanced and uncritical our media is
  • When it comes to fighting racism, the media are part of the problem

Another important point I would like to add to the list above is conflict of interest. People who are card-carrying members of a political party write and promote their views in the national media.

A good example is columnist Tuomas Enbuske, who is a Helsingin Sanomat columnist and hosts a popular television talk show. He interviewed this week Koski, and gave the youth leader of the National Coalition Party a platform to spread her neoliberal and racist points of view.

Embuske had advertised on Uusi Suomi that he is a member of the National Coalition Party.

No, the show hosted by Enbuske was not outraged by what Koski suggested, that the Ombudsman for Minorities office and laws that govern ethnic agitation should be scrapped.  Why? Because all of them are white.

In my opinion, the Youth League of the National Coalition Party’s program to scrap ethnic agitation laws have the potential to unleash the same hate as the Nuremberg Laws did in 1935 against the Jews.

If the Finnish media wants to bolster its credibility, it should look at dailies like The Guardian. Possibly then our embattled media, which is the victim of Finland’s growing nationalism and intolerance, can start to gain more credibility in the eyes of the public.

It’s odd but those that want to change radically our country, like the Youth League of the National Coalition Party and others, believe that we can “debate” matters like more intolerance. To put it in a white Finnish perspective, can we “debate” watering down women’s rights, lower pay and further sexism?

Can we “debate” greater approval of human rights violations?

I doubt it.

Our Nordic social welfare state has made remarkable gains in the areas of social equality. We should defend these rights instead of “debate” how to further and make social inequality more acceptable.

A media that is critical and independent has a very important role to play in Finland and the rest of Europe today as far right and ultra nationalistic voices gain momentum.

Those voices of intolerance, which never give you any effective solutions except for scapegoating, are the real threat to Europe together with rising social inequality and poverty.

The media plays a crucial role in being the critical watchdog of our democratic system.

Without it we’re doomed.

MEP Halla-aho wants a tougher PS stance on immigration

Posted on by Migrant Tales

The popularity of the anti-immigration Perussuomalaiset (PS)* plummeted to a record low of 13.3% in December and this has caused visible cracks in the party’s leadership. MEP Jussi Halla-aho, who was sentenced for ethnic agitation, blames PS chairman Timo Soini’s too soft stand on immigration for the drop in popularity, according to Oulu-based daily Kaleva. 

“It would be good that the party leadership understands that one of the central pillars of our support hinges on our critical view of immigration,” he was quoted as saying on Kaleva. “This is not a marginal issue for voters.”

 

Näyttökuva 2015-1-4 kello 12.13.14

 Read full story (in Finnish) here.

 

In order to understand Halla-aho’s real message, all you have to do is go back to 2008-11 when politicians like him were openly labeling and victimizing migrants and minorities as rapists and criminals with the help of a near-toothless media.

Halla-aho’s attack of Soini for being too soft on immigration is a typical Frankenstein movie plot. The mad scientist, in this case Soini, creates a social Frankenstein called Halla-aho, who turns against and kills his master.

Another matter that helps uncover Halla-aho’s opportunistic motives is his constant whining about migrants and minorities. Like the legendary Spanish antihero Don Quixote who attacked windmills with Sancho Panza, Halla-aho’s windmills are migrants and cultural diversity.

PicassoDonQuixoteSancho

Is Don Quixote Halla-aho and Sancho Panza Soini?

 

Why are they windmills? Because Finland is already culturally and ethnically diverse. The only way you are going to turn Finland into an imaginary white Finnish country is by placing all those who aren’t ethnic Finns into box cars.

Halla-aho divides Finland into two groups: the so-called ethnic Finns (the good people) and migrants (those that are ruining Finland).

In the ongoing debate about immigration, there is one group that is always forgotten. This group, which is made up of tens of thousands of people, are Finns with multicultural backgrounds.

One of the reasons why this large group of people is largely ignored is because it would force some to see and accept Finland as a culturally and ethnically diverse country. For far right politicians like Halla-aho, it means giving up the fight to keep Finland white.

In Halla-aho’s world, a white Finn is any person who is ethnically white and speaks the Finnish language as white Finn. Swedish speakers aren’t included never mind groups like Estonians and Russians.

It’s highly doubtful that one person can change the misfortunes of a party like the PS. The party’s track record speaks volumes. Even so, it reveals that a more radical anti-immigration party like the Sweden Democrats and Danish People’s Party may be lurking in the PS background.

This party – if created – will be many times scarier than the PS.

* The Finnish name of the Finns Party is the Perussuomalaiset (PS). The names adopted by the PS, like True Finns or Finns Party, promote in our opinion nativist nationalism and xenophobia. We therefore prefer to use the Finnish name of the party on our posting

Finland’s PS see its support plummet to all-time low since 2011

Posted on by Migrant Tales

A latest poll commissioned by YLE showed that if elections were held today, the Perussuomalaiset (PS)* would receive only 13.3% of the votes, which is the lowest drop ever after it won the 2011 elections with 19.1% of the vote, writes Yle in English. The PS  saw its support slip by 1% from the previous month.

Writes YLE in English:

Since autumn the party’s fortunes in the polls have been trending downwards and it has lost roughly one percentage point in support every month since it scored an approval rating of 17.1 percent back in August.

As in past polls, the Center Party retained its status as the most popular party with 26.8% followed by the National Coalition Party (17.1%) and Social Democrats (15.3%).

Näyttökuva 2015-12-30 kello 18.58.12

 

See full story here.

 

One of the explanations for the sharp drop in PS support is that the nationalist party has failed to attract women supporters with an ever-growing number of males leaving the party.

* The Finnish name of the Finns Party is the Perussuomalaiset (PS). The names adopted by the PS, like True Finns or Finns Party, promote in our opinion nativist nationalism and xenophobia. We therefore prefer to use the Finnish name of the party on our postings.

PS MP Vesa-Matti Saarakkala’s anti-immigration message + shoddy journalism = piling hatred high and deep

Posted on by Migrant Tales

Populism is an ugly political force because it’s based on hearsay and on the victimization of migrants and minorities. Perussuomalaiset (PS)* MP Vesa-Matti Saarakkala claimed Friday on Ilkka that schools are censoring traditional Christian festivities to appease migrants and atheists. Saarakkala felt so strongly about the matter that he sent a written question to the government. 

This story published by the Seinjäjoki-based daily is a good example of sloppy journalism and how the media becomes the mouthpiece of groups that spread intolerance and racism in this country.

We’ve seen this type of careless journalism in Finland too many times. Why do we continue to see it? Because the national media, which wields power, is owned and run by white Finns.

Migrant Tales got in touch with Ilkka and they agreed that the journalist who wrote the story should have asked the critical question.

By forgetting to ask the crucial question, the journalist became – as we’ve seen so many times before – the mouthpiece of the anti-immigration politician.

One matter reveals itself after being a journalist for about 25 years and reading stories on the national media for years about the anti-immigration message: It’s mostly conjured and grossly exaggerated.

Näyttökuva 2014-12-23 kello 9.19.42
This email was sent to PS MP Vesa-Matti Saarakkala on December 21. It reads: You were interviewed by Ilkka where you claimed that “schools have censored their festivals during Christmas and spring mainly to please migrants and atheists.” Could you elaborate how many schools and day care centers [in Finland] are doing what you claim. Thank you for your response.

 

Migrant Tales asked the PS MP the question that the Ilkka journalist should have asked in the first place. We have yet to get a response from MP Saarakkala.

In this case a no response is as good of a response as any.

* The Finnish name of the Finns Party is the Perussuomalaiset (PS). The names adopted by the PS, like True Finns or Finns Party, promote in our opinion nativist nationalism and xenophobia. We therefore prefer to use the Finnish name of the party on our postings.

You can live in Finland as long as you are culturally invisible (and conform to our stereotypes)

Posted on by Migrant Tales

Perussuomalaiset (PS)* MP Vesa-Matti Saarakkala’s statement on Seinjäjoki-based daily Ilkka is another clear example of how some politicians, and even the National Board of Education, continue to deny our ever-growing cultural diversity. There is a lot of talk about “multiculturalism” and little action. This leaves us with a hostile message lingering above us: We, white Finns, will decide what cultural traditions will be kept in our schools. We call the cultural shots in this country and don’t ever forget it. 

In theory at least, Finland is a secular country. In practice it’s far from it.

The debate that took place this spring concerning the suvivirsi, or Summer Hymn, is a case in point. In a show of power and a clear message that Finland isn’t ready yet to talk about the role of cultural diversity too seriously, the National Board of Education didn’t consider the suvivirsi compromised its guidelines for religious freedom, equality and neutrality.

Some would strongly agree with the conclusions of the National Board of Education.

How could a near all-white National Board of Education have decided differently?

Näyttökuva 2014-12-21 kello 10.47.19

 

Read full story (in Finnish) here.

 

The actions and opinions of PS MP Saarakkala, among many others in the populist anti-immigration party, couldn’t be further from the truth about schools are not performing traditional Christian events like Christmas because of migrants.

The attempt by Saarakkala to shift attention on the real issue, which is how secular should our schools be, and pinning the issue on migrants and atheists is nothing more than another cheap shot by the PS.

Saarakkala belongs to that group of Finns who see cultural diversity as a threat and illness spreading in Finland. In his world, migrants would never become equal citizens but be relegated to second- and third-class members of society as the eternal hapless mamu or “person with migrant background.”

It’s clear that the prejudices of politicians like Saarakkala, and policy statements of the National Board of Education to rule in favor of one religion over others, have their days counted. Why? Because they are untenable.

The question is a simple one:

Is our educational system secular? If not, how much space should be given to different religions?

Is our society open and tolerant of cultural and ethnic diversity? If not, which groups will be excluded with our traditions?

* The Finnish name of the Finns Party is the Perussuomalaiset (PS). The names adopted by the PS, like True Finns or Finns Party, promote in our opinion nativist nationalism and xenophobia. We therefore prefer to use the Finnish name of the party on our postings. 

 

 

Populist parties of Finland are a direct threat to our prosperity

Posted on by Migrant Tales

A recent poll commissioned by Helsingin Sanomat reveals an important trend: How the National Coalition Party and the Perussuomalaiset (PS)* are in a semi-tailspin mode. The Center Party continues to strengthen its position as the most popular party among voters with the Social Democrats slowly but surely overpassing the National Coalition Party. 

Certainly this is an opinion poll but what does it say about the April 2015 parliamentary elections?

For one it predicts a disastrous election for the PS and a clear disappointment for the National Coalition Party.

As Migrant Tales has stated earlier, the PS is in a totally different ball park than before the 2011 elections, when it scored its historic election victory. Back then they were the only anti-EU and openly hostile option to immigration.

This is why some PS members like MEP Jussi Halla-aho, who was sentenced for ethnic agitation, and Simon Elo are for stepping up more anti-immigration rhetoric to attract voters.

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The Center Party (Kesk) is clearly in the lead with the National Coalition Party (Kok), Social Democrats (SDP) and PS trailing.

 

What can you say about a populist party like the PS that bases its popularity on spreading hatred and feeding the suspicion of likeminded voters? What does the PS reveal about Finland and intolerance? It shows a country that has lost its way and which still doesn’t grasp that intolerance and racism are toxic social ills what will end up impoverishing this country.

Skilled workers and foreign investment will be discouraged from coming to Finland at a time when we need these two matters the most today.

The PS experiment will not only rob Finland time but be exceptionally expensive costing billions of euros in losses in the way of new jobs, innovation and entrepreneurship.

Populist nativist nationalism is Finland’s greatest threat.

 

* The Finnish name for the Finns Party is the Perussuomalaiset (PS). The names adopted by the PS, like True Finns or Finns Party, promote in our opinion nativist nationalism and xenophobia. We therefore prefer to use the Finnish name of the party on our postings.