By Enrique Tessieri
Even if some anti-immigration groups try to make their message more digestible to voters, it should be clear after the tragic events in Norway that hate speech affects everyone. Selective hatred is a myth. If you loathe one group that poison spills over on other ones and eventually to all of society.
Hate speech and racism are extremely dangerous for any society because their aim is to undermine and destroy our Western democratic liberal way of life and values.
It is sad, even unfortunate, that Finland has only awoken now to the menace of the Perussuomalaiset (PS) party’s artillery of populism, ignorance, anti-EU and anti-immigration rhetoric.
PS head Timo Soini resembles the “good cop” and others like MP Jussi Halla-aho and his band of Suomen Sisu followers the “bad cops.” Whether there is a good and bad cop in the PS is not the point. The safe haven that these bad cops have found under Soini stick out like an ever-growing sore thumb. The good and bad cops of the PS resemble a police force that is more interested in defending its shoddy record than correcting it.
As far as for the hundreds of thousands of immigrants, Multicultural Finns and minorities living in Finland are concerned,the PS is a visible threat to them.
While the PS may be an expression of social discontent in this country, its racism and xenophobia of too many of its MPs place a big question mark over the party’s credibility.
How can a party that places so much political capital on demonizing other groups ever aspire to lead Finland?
And still you continue your hate speech. My friend was assaulted yesterday because of his bald head by richer immigrants who chanted racism, he is in army and hair like that is mandatory.
Are you taking responsibility now?
@Hannu Please STFU with your bullcrap calling what Enrique writes as “hate speech”! Do you even know what “hate speech” is???
Last time I checked, our country’s army is made up of people of several races, ethnic and religious backgrounds. We had Muslims and Jews fighting on our side in WWII FFS!!! If we go to war tomorrow Finns of all colours will fight to defend this country. Have some army boys:
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Enrique, should you know too there is no selective hatred? Your hate against PS is quite obvious. Are you not concerned your hate might spill over? Your are very much like the people you hate actually:
“their aim is to undermine and destroy our Western democratic liberal way of life and values.”
check, both of you claim to be the defender of our way of life and values
“It is sad, even unfortunate, that Finland has only awoken now to the menace of the Perussuomalaiset (PS) party’s artillery of populism, ignorance, anti-EU and anti-immigration rhetoric.”
check, both groups believe everyone needs to “awoke” to the “problem”
“the PS is a visible threat to them”
check, both of you think the other group is a threat to them
“While the PS may be an expression of social discontent in this country, its racism and xenophobia of too many of its MPs place a big question mark over the party’s credibility.”
check, you simplify reasons for PS support to be racism and xenophobia, yet you blame PS to be simplifying complex matters.
“How can a party that places so much political capital on demonizing other groups ever aspire to lead Finland?”
Yet you dont see yourself doing the very same thing.
Hi Yossie, how can any person who does not fit in the PS’ world not be worried? In its present form (anti-Islam, xenophobia and far-right nationalism) the PS is a threat to our democracy. It is a Finnish manifestation of a wider European problem. A recent issue of Time put it very well: “The European Union and the euro zone were supposed to bring about economic stability and remove traditional barriers of growth, such as tariffs and regulations. Instead, it’s become a selfish union in which flailing economies feed rising nationalism, angst over immigration and simmering distrust between rich and less affluent countries.”
Your hate against PS is quite obvious.
I don’t “hate” anyone, Yossie. I might have strong opinions over certain issues but they never fall into the realm of hate.
Ah, so symptom of a problem? Then why dont you go solving the problem instead of your Ps bashing and focusing on symptoms?
As you pointed, problems seems to be in EU politics, so why arent we exactly allowed to be EU sceptical?
So you only have opinions but PS only has hate?
“the PS is a threat to our democracy” This is an opinion?
“the islam is a threat to our culture” This is hate speech?
Yossie, it’s odd that when we speak of white Europeans it is always a nut case (eg Breivik) but when a non-European is involved its the whole group.
If you “claim that Islam is a threat to our culture” it isn’t hate speech per say but it is incredibly ignorant. When a person claims that Islam will takeover white Europe that is sort of setting the groundwork for hatred and suspcion of a group. Before a person makes such a dumb claim, that “Islam is a threat,” he or she should go and meet some real people from this group. Reading right-wing blogs won’t do the job.
If a group like the PS wants to take away my history and lower my status in society because it is multiculturally (ethnic diversity) challenged, it is a threat to society and our values. Tolerance, acceptance, respect, equal opportunities are all important golden values in our society. If I am mistaken, tell me how a person like Halla-aho and his cronies uphold these values consdering that there are all types of Finns living in this country?
You yourself are doing quite well building a groundwork for hatered against PS with your continous bashing of PS with “nazi spirited” “threat” and so on.
And no.. PS is not taking away your history or lowering your status. We just want to retain our own without having people, who have came here, telling us to adapt into his views!
Why do you think muslims are always the problem? Why isnt it other groups? Is it not because they are the ones asking us to give them special priviledges be it, private pool hours or something else?
Immigrants can get acceptance and respect, but that is not gained by blaming us to be racist and telling us to adapt to your ways.
Yossie, honestly, where have you been living? On Mars? Finland was, is and will be culturally diverse. You should also read our laws and understand what they say. If you think this is too much, maybe North Korea would be the next stop.
–You yourself are doing quite well building a groundwork for hatered against PS with your continous bashing of PS with “nazi spirited” “threat” and so on.
I am not saying that but many others. But these ideas may not be racist to you because they don’t touch you.
Let me ask you what right do you or anyone in this society have to come and tell me how I should lead my life? I live in a democracy not in a dictatorship. Stop with the double standards and learn to accept that there is room for everyone here.
“Let me ask you what right do you or anyone in this society have to come and tell me how I should lead my life?”
And still you are coming and telling how to live. And then whine about double standards while wanting double standards….
Did you hurt yout head?
“Tolerance, acceptance, respect, equal opportunities are all important golden values in our society. ”
And you cant follow those. You show very little understanding and in end youre bigoted.
Your equal oppoturnities… mind to change it to “equal outcome” and stop lying.
Your tolerance, you dont tolerate so stop lying.
Your acceptance, you dont accept so…
Your respect….