Tag: Uncle Tom

The real victims of Glev Simanov’s videotapes are the minors he filmed and published without permission on social media

Posted on by Migrant Tales

Remember the bus driver that videotaped only Somalis and accused them without any proof of bumming a ride? Remember when he published without permission his racist treatment of them on social media? Gleb Simanov got fired the same week but in August Onnibus, a bus company, hired him.  

The whole incident got a lot of interest on social media. Even so, nothing was written about the pain and suffering of the victims. Two of them are cousins aged 13 and 15.

A woman, who spoke on condition of anonymity and who helped the teenagers “because their parents don’t speak Finnish well enough,” said that the two girls were deeply disturbed when they found out that a video of them was in MV-lehti, an online racist publication.

“They were anxious about what would happen to them at school and if they’d be [labeled and] bullied [by their classmates],” she said. “They couldn’t sleep and still have not recovered fully from what happened.”

The woman said that she got in touch with the bus company where Simanov used to work, and they apologized for what happened.

 

Gleb Simanonv got sacked by Nobina for videotaping and insulting minors. The videotapes appeared on social media and trash publications like MV-lehti.

“A week later we went to the police to press charges for publishing without permission a video of a minor,” she said. “The police treated us very well.”

Simanov blocked the woman from his Facebook page after she asked him why he had published the videos of the two teenagers.

“The girls have learned not to trust some adults,” she concluded. “They got to see what racism is like in Finland.”

 

Finland’s culturally diverse community must point out and scorn our Uncle Toms

Posted on by Migrant Tales

What does it say about our society when second-generation children of migrants join far-right groups that spew racism? We have a few of them in Finland like Gleb Simanov and the even more notorious types like Junes Lokka, Marco de Wit, and Miki Sileoni. 

Of the above four names, Sileoni is the least known. He’s an active far-right Suomi ensi member and was a candidate in the municipal elections of April.

I know Sileoni’s Argentinean father and was quite surprised that his son is so spiteful of cultural diversity. His Argentinean grandparents or great grandparents were migrants that came from Europe to Argentina.

Simanov didn’t turn to his boss to address the problem of people not paying their bus fares but turned to the most extremist and racist publications in Finland. Here he’s interviewed by Junes Lokka, a Moroccan-born Finn who hates Muslims, and his girlfriend.

In the United States, minorities such as blacks protect themselves from people like Lokka, de Wit, Simanov, Sileoni and others by labeling them, Uncle Toms.

Continue reading “Finland’s culturally diverse community must point out and scorn our Uncle Toms”

Susheela Daniel: On being a multicultural Finn

Posted on by Migrant Tales

I got to know Susheela Daniel through many of her insightful Facebook postings. She was one of the brave women who protested in front of parliament against the election of Perussuomalaiset (PS)* party MP Maria Lohela as speaker of parliament. One of her latest Facebook posts was on “integrated migrants” raised some good questions about Uncle Toms in the migrant and minority community.

An Uncle Tom, or Tuomo-setä or setä Tuomo in Finnish, is a term used in the United States for people who betray their race in order to get privileges. Urban Dictionary defines it in the following way: “A black man who will do anything to stay in good standing with ‘the white man’ including betray his own people.”

Susheela2

Susheela Daniel. Photo by Fateme Azizi.

In a multiethnic country like the United States, the Uncle Tom label plays an important role. One of the roles it plays is a bit similar to a deserter in times of war.

Taking a look at the violence and hostility that some minorities are facing in the United States, it’s clear that the Uncle Tom label aims to protect a community that is already embattled by racism, social exclusion and scarce opportunities.

How would one define an Uncle Tom in Finland?

Daniel admits that she’s never heard of the term Tuomo-setä in Finnish never mind in English but agrees that the phenomenon exists in Finland.

Continue reading “Susheela Daniel: On being a multicultural Finn”

Migrant Tales (July 8, 2012): The absurdity of the reverse-racism argument in Finland

Posted on by Migrant Tales

Every now and then you’ll hear a visitor on Migrant Tales claim: What about [reverse] racism against [white] Finns!? Racism is a complex problem but one matter singles it out: It is an effective tool to socially exclude, control and exploit other groups in society from vital resources such as jobs and economic wealth. 

The fact that white Finns are the standard of everything in Finland is enough proof that they wield real power. White Finns don’t have to understand racism because they simply don’t have to. It’s not an issue because they are the standard of this society, the norm. Everyone else has a prefix attached to them like immigrant, immigrant descendant, black, Roma etc.

Valkoinen valta-4
This graffiti that reads “White Power” in Finnish was on a special elementary school’s wall in Mikkeli, Finland, for months before it was removed.

In May 2011, the anti-immigration Perussuomalaiset (PS)* party renounced all forms of racism, even positive discrimination, or affirmative action.

It is surprising that when the PS made their preposterous statement, few if any media in this country understood how racist and grotesque it was and how it revealed a serious case of  colorblind racism(let’s pretend we’re equal because ethnic background does not matter, when in fact it does).

Colorblind racism works in Finland in an implicit and explicit manner. Its aim is the same:  ethnic background is not the issue. If it is an issue, it’s your  ethnic background.

  • ·         We have such a wonderful society that we are way past racism so get over it (explicit colorblind racism);
  • ·         It’s your culture, your parents or you that is hindering adaption to our society. In this case I recognize your ethnic background but only to shift blame and wash my hands of the problem (implicit colorblind racism).

Accusing a visible minority, or immigrant of being racist against white Finns, is a good example of implicit colorblind racism.  Since racism isn’t a problem in our society, it can’t be my problem. It’s your problem.

Continue reading “Migrant Tales (July 8, 2012): The absurdity of the reverse-racism argument in Finland”

When will Finland change its suspicious views of migrants and cultural diversity?

Posted on by Migrant Tales

Christian Thibault, chairman of Rasmus, told Migrant Tales a while back something significant about how matters change in Finland concerning migrants in this country. He said that the Finnish Football Federation wasn’t very active in providing referee courses in different languages. When they noticed that ere was a chronic shortage of referees, matters changed. 

In the same way the the Finnish Football Federation understood that it must serve people that speak different languages in this country, it is pretty much what is going on in Finland concerning our ever-growing cultural diversity. We speak a lot about integration, two-way adaption, but what happens at the end of the day is assimilation, one-way adaption.

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Assimilation, or one-way adaption, is an expectation that society won’t change no matter how many people from different cultures and religions move to your country. The process is a bit like sitting on a sofa and telling newcomers that they must adapt to me. There are many types of sofas like in the above picture that could represent regions or countries. All have the sofas, however, have the same expectation in assimilation: I have privileges, you don’t. I therefore call the shots in this country.  Source: Sairafurniture.

 

So the first step, when Finland starts to notice that it needs migrants to do those jobs that they don’t want to and when they notice that migrants work for less and twice as much as any white Finns, only then will matters begin to change. 

The latter attitude change is only the first step. We’re still light years away from other subsequent steps where migrants and non-white Finns will be treated equally by this society.

That last stage, which is the core of our struggle in this country, will take generations. We can always speed up the process by forming a social movement like the Civil Rights Movement in the United States (1955-68).

White Finns don’t have to worry about migrants rising up and demanding equal rights because too many of us are more conservative and anti-immigration than some white Finns.

Some may choose to be Finnish Uncle Toms, or Teemu-setäs, or mamus as a means to gain greater acceptance.

 

Uncle Toms, or mamus, are used to control minority groups

Posted on by Migrant Tales

It’s interesting to read how some white Finns get all jumpy when you speak about Uncle Toms, or mamus, in Finland. One such blogger, Veli-Pekka Leivo, claimed that labeling someone a traitor to his ethnic group fuels and supports victimization. 

Victimization? How much harm does an Uncle Tom do to members of his community by ensuring that a certain migrant or minority group becomes passive?

As our society in Finland become more culturally diverse and social ills like racism are exposed, the more vigilant we have to be against mamus. They, if anyone, are the ones holding their people back because their job is to keep their group passive and accept the status quo.

Malcolm X said in the 1960s that the same old slave master today has Negroes who are modern Uncle Toms, or 20th century Uncle Toms. “…to keep you and me in check, keep us under control, keep up passive and peaceful and non-violent. That’s Tom making you non-violent…”

As migrants and minorities struggle for greater rights in Finland, it is important that we have a term that can be used against those who betray the cause and their people.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDWZWSPUX1k

Should Finland’s Uncle Toms be called mamus?

Posted on by Migrant Tales

Alarm bells go off inside of me whenever I hear migrants, who should know better, claim that racism isn’t a major issue in our society many times standing next to or speaking to white Finns. There are many reasons why a migrant may play down such a social ill. These may include ignorance, prejudice, lack of courage and outright opportunism. 

Whatever the reasons may be, one matter is needed in Finland’s migrant terminology: A Finnish equivalent of Uncle Tom.

For those who are unfamiliar with the term, Uncle Tom’ Cabin debut in 1852 as a play that aimed to raise awareness against slavery in the United States.

Despite its noble beginnings, the meaning of Uncle Tom has changed to mean today a black man who will do anything to appease his white oppressors, even betray his race or ethnic group, according to Urban Dictionary.

Migrant Tales had a lively debate in 2011 about what Uncle Tom is and what it would be in Finnish. @HelsinkiObs was kind enough to offer us the following older and new versions of the term: Setä Tuomas and Tuomo Setä, respectively.

While the latter two are good terms that have been directly translated from English, Finland should have its own Setä or Täti Tuomas term. One candidate that would, in my opinion, be a perfect translation is mamu, the shortened word for maahanmuuttaja, or migrant.

Since such a label is shameful, mamu should be spelled in lower case.

The purpose of this column is not to release a social media lynch mob on anyone but to raise awareness of a serious problem that the migrant and visible minority community faces. Betraying a group for personal gain and opportunism is just as bad when a person sells secrets to a foreign country.

How do you spot a mamu?

  • Excessive subservience to white Finns
  • Some mamus claim to be migrants but in fact are Finns since they have lived most of their lives here
  • He or she is a mouthpiece of the arguments used by white Finns to maintain migrants and visible minorities as second- and third-class citizens
  • Plays down and denies, like some white Finns, racism
  • Underestimates the destructive power of racism
  • Never speaks of systemic racism
  • Claims to be against racism but has the same opinions as the worst racists in Finland about minorities in his or her own country
  • Believes that a social ill like racism can be beaten with kindness and understanding

While there are many mamus, one that readily comes to mind is Fija Saarni, MP James Hirvisaari’s aide. Nasima Razmyar’s rebuttal to Perussuomalaiset MP Teuvo Hakkarainen is a good example of mamu-spirited writing.

Razmyar wanted to have an honest discussion over coffee with Hakkarainen after he claimed that Muslims were taking over Finland and Europe.

Moroccan-born Junes Lokka, who’s lived most of his life in Finland, is another sad example of how some with migrant backgrounds become white and spread racism. He’s a member of the Muutos 2011 party with MP James Hirvisaari, one of Finland’s most notorious racists.

Glenn Robinson is editor of Community Village whom I have great respect because his postings shed strong light on how intolerance operates in our society.

A recent posting by him, Moving the Race Conversation Forward, offers us – and especially mamus – valuable food for thought about the weapons used to maintain racism in our society.

According to Moving the Race Conversation Forward, there are four levels of racism that we should keep in mind. While internalized and interpersonal racism are individual forms of racism, the one that the media, politicians and the public forgets is systemic racism.

Says Jay Smooth of Race Forward (see video clip here): “Once you get past those individual levels, first of all you have to deal with institutional racism: The racist policies and discriminatory practices in schools and world places and government agencies that routinely produce unjust outcomes for people of color. And when you step beyond that level you have structural racism: The unjust racist patterns and practices that play out across the institutions that make up our society.”

How does systemic racism work in Finland? Ask yourself how many black professors do we have at our universities. What about policemen who are visible minorities? Look at the television ads that bombard us daily and ask how many minorities are in them.

Why is it that when white Finns speak of migrants in the employment market, they usually speak of low-paying like cleaning?

Why are unemployment levels among migrants 2-3 times higher than the national average in Finland?

Why isn’t there any debate in our society about systemic racism in Finland?

Kuvankaappaus 2014-1-31 kello 21.16.11

Migrant Tales (November 28, 2011): Who is Finland’s Uncle Tom?

Posted on by Migrant Tales

Comment: This blog entry was first published on November 28, 2011. For some reason, it’s impossible to access this posting from the old Migrant Tales site.  I have reposted it on www.migranttales.net.

_____________________

Is there such a concept as Uncle Tom in Finland? @HelsinkiObs helped me out with this question: “It’s Setä Tuomo (older style) or Tuomo-setä if you mean this context.” 

A New York Times opinion-piece gives the meaning of Uncle Tom: “Today, of course, the book has a decidedly different reputation, thanks to the popular image of its titular character, Uncle Tom — whose name has become a byword for a spineless sellout, a black man who betrays his race.”

In Finland the definition would be the same as in the United States. A Tuomo-setä could be any immigrant who betrays other people like him by becoming and adopting the same values that fuel racism.

The Finnish Uncle Tom is a pretty opportunistic person. He or she believes that the only way to escape discrimination is by becoming the culprit.

There are a lot of Tuomo-setäs out there who are more racist than some Finns.

What do you think would be a good name for an Uncle Tom that lives in Finland?

Mamu-setä, maybe?

Migrant Tales (July 8, 2012): The absurdity of the reverse-racism argument in Finland

Posted on by Migrant Tales

Every now and then you’ll hear a visitor on Migrant Tales claim: What about [reverse] racism against [white] Finns!? Racism is a complex problem but one matter singles it out: It is an effective tool to socially exclude, control and exploit other groups in society from vital resources such as jobs and economic wealth. 

The fact that white Finns are the standard of everything in Finland is enough proof that they wield real power. White Finns don’t have to understand racism because they simply don’t have to. It’s not an issue because they are the standard of this society, the norm. Everyone else has a prefix attached to them like immigrant, immigrant descendant, black, Roma etc.

Valkoinen valta-4
This graffiti that reads “White Power” in Finnish was on a special elementary school’s wall in Mikkeli, Finland, for months before it was removed.

In May 2011, the anti-immigration Perussuomalaiset (PS) party renounced all forms of racism, even positive discrimination, or affirmative action.

It is surprising that when the PS made their preposterous statement, few if any media in this country understood how racist and grotesque it was and how it revealed a serious case of  colorblind racism (let’s pretend we’re equal because ethnic background does not matter, when in fact it does).

Colorblind racism works in Finland in an implicit and explicit manner. Its aim is the same:  ethnic background is not the issue. If it is an issue, it’s your  ethnic background.

  • ·         We have such a wonderful society that we are way past racism so get over it (explicit colorblind racism);
  • ·         It’s your culture, your parents or you that is hindering adaption to our society. In this case I recognize your ethnic background but only to shift blame and wash my hands of the problem (implicit colorblind racism).

 Accusing a visible minority, or immigrant of being racist against white Finns, is a good example of implicit colorblind racism.  Since racism isn’t a problem in our society, it can’t be my problem. It’s your problem.

Some successful immigrants or visible minorities who have succeeded in Finland may reinforce the same colorblind racist argument as white Finns. They may claim:  ”I’m not white but I adapted to the white Finns’ world. That is why I am successful. You too can be.”

Those immigrants who have racism issues usually come from countries where such a social ill is the standard. It’s easy for them to accept the white Finn as a standard because they too were the norm in their former home country.  As a result, some embrace the idea of becoming a Tuomo-setä, or Uncle Tom, because they are encouraged to and rewarded by white Finnish society for such behavior.

If you are ever confronted by a person who uses the reverse-racism argument, ask him or her how is the prejudice of a minority as devastating as that of the majority?

White Finns should stop whining about reverse racism because it isn’t an issue. It’s only one of many loaded arguments used by them to justify their racism.

This post was originally published on Migrant Tales on July 8, 2012.

* 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 (July 8, 2012): The absurdity of the reverse-racism argument in Finland

Posted on by Migrant Tales

Every now and then you’ll hear a visitor on Migrant Tales claim: What about [reverse] racism against [white] Finns!? Racism is a complex problem but one matter singles it out: It is an effective tool to socially exclude, control and exploit other groups in society from vital resources such as jobs and economic wealth. 

The fact that white Finns are the standard of everything in Finland is enough proof that they wield real power. White Finns don’t have to understand racism because they simply don’t have to. It’s not an issue because they are the standard of this society, the norm. Everyone else has a prefix attached to them like immigrant, immigrant descendant, black, Roma etc.

In May 2011, the anti-immigration Perussuomalaiset (PS) party renounced all forms of racism, even positive discrimination, or affirmative action.

It is surprising that when the PS made their preposterous statement, few if any media in this country understood how racist and grotesque it was and how it revealed a serious case of  colorblind racism (let’s pretend we’re equal because ethnic background does not matter, when in fact it does).

Colorblind racism works in Finland in an implicit and explicit manner. Its aim is the same:  ethnic background is not the issue. If it is an issue, it’s your  ethnic background.

  • ·         We have such a wonderful society that we are way past racism so get over it (explicit colorblind racism);
  • ·         It’s your culture, your parents or you that is hindering adaption to our society. In this case I recognize your ethnic background but only to shift blame and wash my hands of the problem (implicit colorblind racism).

Valkoinen valta-2_edited-1

 This graffiti that reads “White Power” in Finnish was on a special elementary school’s wall in Mikkeli, Finland, for months before it was removed. 

Accusing a visible minority, or immigrant of being racist against white Finns, is a good example of implicit colorblind racism.  Since racism isn’t a problem in our society, it can’t be my problem. It’s your problem.

Some successful immigrants or visible minorities who have succeeded in Finland may reinforce the same colorblind racist argument as white Finns. They may claim:  ”I’m not white but I adapted to the white Finns’ world. That is why I am successful. You too can be.”

Those immigrants who have racism issues usually come from countries where such a social ill is the standard. It’s easy for them to accept the white Finn as a standard because they too were the norm in their former home country.  As a result, some embrace the idea of becoming a Tuomo-setä, or Uncle Tom, because they are encouraged to and rewarded by white Finnish society for such behavior.

If you are ever confronted by a person who uses the reverse-racism argument, ask him or her how is the prejudice of a minority as devastating as that of the majority?

White Finns should stop whining about reverse racism because it isn’t an issue. It’s only one of many loaded arguments used by them to justify their racism.