THIS POST WAS UPDATED Much of Finland’s history is whitewashed. One of its victims was Rosa Emilia Clay (1875-1959), Finland’s first African-born Finn who received Finnish citizenship in 1899. The naming of Rosa Emilia Clay square in Tampere is a watershed: Finland is slowly but surely awakening its rich cultural and ethnic background. Even if
Search Results for: Rosa Emilia Clay
Vieraskynä:* Rosa Emilia Clay vahvistaa, että Suomi on aina ollut ja tulee olemaan monikulttuurillinen
100-vuotian Suomen kunniaksi haluaisin kirjoittaa aiheesta, joka on todella tärkeä monikulttuuriselle Suomelle, jotta koko ajan vältellään yhteiskunnallisessa keskustelussa. Se aihe on Rosa Emilia Clayn historia ja siitä miten hän merkitsee meille suomalaisille.
¿Por qué no hay una calle en Finlandia que lleva el nombre Rosa Emilia Clay (1875-1959)?
Una pregunta fácil: ¿Por qué no hay una calle que se llame Rosa Emilia Clay en Finlandia? Clay era la primera africana que recibió la ciudadanía finlandesa en el año 1899. No existe una calle que lleva el nombre de Rosa Emilia Clay en Tampere, donde vivió un tiempo antes de emigrar a los Estados Unidos en 1904 ni tampoco en el pueblo de Mustinlahti, donde fue maestra de primaria en 1898.
Sooma haboono Rosa Emilia Clay ina la hello wado laku soo xasuusto (1875-1959). Maxaa diiday Finland ina lagu arko wado lagu so xasuusto Rosa Emilia Clay?
Waa ruuxi uku horeeye oo muwaadin Finlandes noqday 1899, oona ah qof madow asalkeeda. Rosa Emilia Clayna ina la hello wadoyin waawen ina magaceeda laku qoro si xasuusta laku daro.
Varför finns det inte någon gata i Finland Som har fått namnet efter Rosa Emilia Clay (1875-1959)?
Här är en enkel fråga : Varför finns det inte någon gata i Finland som fått namnet Rosa Emilia Clay, den första afrikanska naturaliserade finnen 1899? Det finns ingen gata i Tammerfors som fått namnet efter henne. Rosa Emilia Clay bosatte sig i Tammerfors en kort tid före hon immigrerade till Förenta staterna 1904, även på Mustinlahti där hon var en förskolelärare fanns ingen gata som har fått namnet efter henne.
Miksei Suomessa ole katua nimeltä Rosa Emilia Clayn (1875-1959) kunniaksi?
Tässä yksinkertainen kysymys: Miksei Suomessa ole yhtään katua nimeltä Rosa Emilia Clayn kunniaksi? Clay oli ensimmäinen afrikkalainen, joka sai suomen kansalaisuuden vuonna 1899. Rosa Emilia Clayn katu ei löydy Tampereelta, jossa hän oleskeli vähän aika ennen kun muutti pysyvästi vuonna 1904 Yhdysvaltoihin eikä Mustinlahdessa, jossa hän oli kansakoulunopettajana.
Why isn’t there any street in Finland named after Rosa Emilia Clay (1875-1959)?
Here’s a very simple question: Why isn’t there in Finland any street named after Rosa Emilia Clay, the first African naturalized Finn in 1899? There is no street in Tampere that carries her name, where she resided shortly after migrating to the United States, and in Mustinlahti, where she was an elementary school teacher.
Otavan Sanomat: Sankarini Rosa Emilia Clay
Somalialaisena, joka on asunut Suomessa neljä vuotta, minulle Rosa Emilia Clay on erittäin tärkeä esimerkki. Clay oli ensimmäinen afrikkalainen, joka Sai Suomen kansalaisuuden vuonna 1899.
Defining white Finnish privilege #16: Rosa Emilia Clay and my history versus yours
Ever wondered why all of Finland’s history is white? Ever wondered why you probably never heard of Rosa Emilia Clay (1875-1959), Finland’s first black citizen? According to Helsingin Sanomat, Finland’s oldest daily established in 1824, Åbo Underrättelser, ran a story of “a mulatto girl born in Africa and baptized there [in Amboland in northern Namibia].” Then thirteen-year-old
Exposing white Finnish privilege #91: The right to generalize and victimize minorities
THE STORY WAS UPDATED Those who are worried about the blow to the credibility of the security guards due to several scandals that even led to the death of a woman in Espoo are quick to point out one should not jump to conclusions and label all security guards and the sector. True, we should
Exposing white Finnish privilege #90: A crime by “people of foreign background” offers more political mileage than one committed by white Finns
We read about the tragic death of a woman at Espoo’s Iso Omena shopping center on Saturday. The woman died while being escorted by four Securitas security guards out of the shopping center. The altercation ended with the woman on the floor, handcuffed, and eventually lifeless. The police announced Sunday that the security guards in
Exposing white Finnish privilege #89: Those white saviors are the worst racists
White saviors come in many sizes and shapes. Whatever shape and size, they stunt equality for one simple reason: The white savior is on top handing out his harmful empathy to minorities. How can I claim that white saviors aren’t well-intentioned people? From personal experience. While racism and discrimination are constant variables that rob people
Exposing white Finnish privilege #88: A Facebook page that asks white people if they look like a Finn?
Thanks to a Facebook page and a story in Helsingin Sanomat, I became on Monday, a member of a group called “Do I look Finnish?” Nothing wrong with that, but if the page attempts to reinforce stereotypes about Finns, then something is rotten in Denmark. Understanding how far-right groups like the Perussuomalaiset (PS)*, Suomen Sisu,
Exposing white privilege in Finland #87: Social segregation is not white Finland’s fault
The recent article and editorial in Helsingin Sanomat about social segregation in Finland is a good example of how white privilege deals with growing social segregation. Finland’s largest daily, Helsingin Sanomat, published an editorial Thursday about how social segregation is growing in Finland. That follows a story about how some schools in Espoo have more
Exposing white privilege in Finland #86: Maryan Abdulkarim and Finland’s amnesia
I can’t remember. It’s not important anyway. Finland’s political amnesia shrowded in denial and hostility comes in the form of knee-jerk reactions. Those knee-jerk reactions may appear by acting dumb to difficult questions or by destroying your credibility in public. I met Maryan Abdulkarim many years ago and commended her bravery in the face of
Exposing white privilege in Finland #85: We need solutions, not racist provocations
The riots in Sweden sparked by the burning of the Koran by the Danish far-right Stram Kurs (Hard Line) party led by Rasmus Palaudan remind us how urgently we need solutions, not provocations, to heal the wounds gashed by racism and double standards. Provocations do nothing more than expose our hypocrisy and privilege. They never
Exposing white privilege in Finland #84: Suomineidot offers refuge to privilege, white power, whitewashing, the far right and racism
Comments about the Yle television series on far-right young women, Suomineidot (Finnish Maidens), went viral, and for a good reason. Apart from revealing how much in the dark Yle is about racism and the far right, it also exposes white privilege in Finland. In a nutshell, the series is about three young women: Meri Kartta
Exposing white Finnish privilege #83: War doesn’t give a hoot if you are white or black
The war in Ukraine is like a sinister brew boiling over death, destruction, tragedy, hatred, and xenophobia. Apart from the shock and horror, our double standards and jingoism stand out as a stark reminder that we have done little to challenge the very social ills that caused the deaths of tens of millions of people
Exposing white Finnish privilege #82: Good “refugees” are white and Christian, “bad” ones are Muslims
In light of the Russian invasion and bloodshed in Ukraine, Finland has expressed its readiness to take in “tens of thousands” of “refugees” from that country, according to Yle. Remember last year, when Poland closed its border with Belarus over mostly Iraqis seeking asylum in the EU? Remember the calls to keep out such asylum
Sanna Ukkola, if antiracism is the new racism, it shows that you are part of the racism problem
THE STORY WAS UPDATED Of all the newspapers that write about migrants and cultural diversity, tabloid Iltalehti published Sanna Ukkola’s column on how “antiracism is the new racism.” With a headline like that, we could also put together provocative headlines like how “feminism is modern misogyny,” “anti-fascism is the new fascism,” and “how promoting same-sex
Exposing white Finnish privilege #81: Racializing crime, perpetuating stereotypes and racism
Treat with tweezers whenever percentage figures are used to depict sexual assault cases by migrants. A government-commissioned study published Thursday concluded that migrants are over-represented in suspected sexual assault crimes, perpetuating a toxic narrative. Such generalizations give ammunition to Islamophobes like the Perussuomalaiset (PS)* party to maintain and reinforce racist stereotypes. To look at how the Finnish
Exposing white Finnish privilege #80: Violence against you counts but mine doesn’t
Radical-right Islamophobic Perussuomalaiset (PS)* party MP, Sebastian Tynkkynen, who has two ethnic agitation convictions and a third pending, is trying to get the most political mileage from an incident at an #elokapina demonstration. Some unknown persons at the demonstration allegedly attempted to attack Tynkkynen and shoved him. The police asked if the MP wanted to
Exposing white Finnish privilege #79: Spreading lies at our economic peril
What if most of the anti-immigration talking points spread by politicians like Jussi Halla-aho, Riikka Purra, and most of the Perussuomalaiset (PS)* party are just outright lies and urban legends? What if those false arguments put Finland in economic and social peril because they are untrue? An interesting paper titled, The 14 Most Common Arguments against
Exposing white Finnish privilege #78: the spread and acceptance of white nationalism
THE STORY WAS UPDATED Events after the storming of the Capitol building in Washington on January 6 exposed white nationalist terrorism as the biggest threat facing the United States. Since the events that took place at the Capitol did not happen spontaneously, are we going to see something similar in Finland’s ever-hostile far-right groups like
Exposing white Finnish privilege #77: The PS are Finnish white supremacists
TOPLINE One of the interesting facts about white nationalism is that it is copied from somewhere else. Thus, white supremacist conspiracy views in Finland are nothing more than copy-and-paste jobs from somewhere else. Some may play down the PS as a “light” version of white supremacy. We disagree. The PS under the leadership of Jussi
Exposing white Finnish privilege #76: Two news stories that expose entitlement
If the story about youth crime committed by so-called people of migrant backgrounds had been published in the United States, many would be considered misleading and racist. One in November about youth crime ended up labeling all youths of migrant origin as dangerous or potential criminals. The other one, published this month, was about the
Exposing white Finnish privilege #75: Obsession with race, ethnicity, and us versus them
THE STORY WAS UPDATED If we want to give a massive blow to racism in Finland and parties that promote this social ill, we need to change the language we use when speaking of all those that live here. One label that I have always disliked is “person with migrant or foreign background.” What does
Exposing white Finnish privilege #74: The anti-Semitic beast inside Jussi Halla-aho
THIS STORY WAS UPDATED In a recent debate with Center Party chairperson Annika Saariko, the Perussuomalaiset (PS)* party head, Jussi Halla-aho, was put on the hot seat after asked about his anti-Semitic blog writings. He denied being an anti-Semite and said that the claim was a popularity stunt by Lauri Nurmi, who recently published an
Exposing white Finnish privilege #73: Stoking and exploiting white suspicion
Few of us will forget the 2011 parliamentary election when an Islamophobic and no-holes-barred racist party saw the number of MPs rise to 39 from 5 in 2007. Even if the result was a wake-up call for Finland, the reaction to the rise of the Perussuomalaiset (PS) as a major political force. Some shrugged off
Exposing white Finnish privilege #72: False police reporting is an example of violence and open hostility
White Finnish privilege is powerful since you can use the police to project the need for defense and protection. In the United States, we saw two viral examples (see below) involving Amy Cooper and Lisa Alexander. For those who don’t remember, Cooper is the “Central Park Karen” for false reporting to the police. She falsely
#BlackLivesMatter and Finland’s air force issues with the swastika
I remember right after the demise of the Soviet Union in 1991, I spoke with a commander of the Finnish air force and asked him if there were plans to replace the white-blue-white roundel again with the swastika. Taken slightly aback by my question, he answered that there were no such plans. Even if swastikas
Exposing white Finnish privilege #71: Hate speech is an example of white supremacist privilege
THIS STORY WAS UPDATED As the troubled dust settles over Friday’s vote in parliament that kept Perussuomalaiset (PS)* Juha Mäenpää’s immunity from persecution, the arguments for or against have little or nothing to do with freedom of speech but expose white supremacist privilege. Even if the Finnish constitution and integration program speak of a two-way
Exposing white Finnish privilege #70: At the dentist’s and where are you from?
There have been a number of social media posts about how health-care workers assume what is your cultural and linguistic background. Not only do they make the assumption, but label you in such a way. While some of you may say that I am being hypersensative, what would a black USAmerican think if I asked
Taking down statues, raising new ones and systematic whitewashing in Finland
Slavery is the next thing to hell. Harriet Tubman 1822-1913 Statues are being toppled left and right, some with permission others without. TV shows and movies like “Gone with the wind” are taken down because of their racist content. All of this indicates that we have reached some sort of tipping point. Long live #BlackLivesMatters!
Exposing white Finnish privilege #69: Spreading racism and hatred the Iltalehti and PS way
Any sensible person, irrespective of his cultural and religious background, does not condone sexual harassment. Even so, the police and Iltalehti continue full steam ahead to blame Muslims for these types of crimes. The blame game is so potent that we forget that most of the sexual harassment cases are committed by Finns. It is
Exposing white Finnish privilege #68: The party that injects Finland’s Islamophobia with steroids and other hate-enhancing drugs
One matter is clear: Opinion polls, which place the Perussuomalaiset (PS)* as the most popular party, have not only encouraged the party’s far-right stance but given it the hubris to spread and implant with its hatred social ills like racism. Finland is, alas waking up to the threat of the PS. In his New Year’s
Exposing Finnish white privilege #67: Pirkka-Pekka Petelius’ apology exposes deep-rooted white Finnish supremacy
Helsingin Sanomat carried out a survey asking if Pirkka-Pekka Petelius did the right thing to apologize to the Saami for mocking them in a racist manner in the Hymyhuulet show (1987-88). The survey showed that 57% thought that Petelius was wrong to apologize, while only 29% said that he did the right thing; 14% had
QUOTE OF THE DAY: How to celebrate Finland’s Independence Day
The best present that we can receive on Finland’s Independence Day is an inclusive society that respects everyone irrespective of their background. Mutual respect is the bridge that unites this society. So set aside your medals, distinctions, and invitations to the President’s Independence Day ball because social equality and respect for diversity is the only
Exposing Finnish white privilege #66: Abdirahim Husu Hussein and dealing with racist passengers in a racist environment
THIS STORY WAS UPDATED Helsinki City Councilperson Abdirahim Husu Hussein has been in the eye of a storm over a passenger who harassed him in a racist manner and who he was planning to leave the car at a bus stop but took the person to his final destination. Hussein posted on Facebook on Sunday
Exposing Finnish white privilege #65: Racism exists because our society profits from it
What thoughts race in your head whenever a politician, public official, or white Finn rambles on about how social justice is a key value of our society and why racism and discrimination, which are illegal, have no place in Finland? While the latter is important for newcomers to know, the issue is how such topics
Exposing Finnish white privilege #64: The cancer of institutional racism in Finland
THIS STORY WAS UPDATED There are many types of social ills that are cancerous, but the one I want to speak now is about institutional racism in Finland. Institutional racism is a racket, a criminal conspiracy, to exclude people by ethnic, religious, and cultural backgrounds. Institutional racism is a racket that maintains a system that
Exposing white Finnish privilege #63: Silence and acting dumb are the swords of institutional racism
There is one matter that makes my blood boil when there is a clear case of racist behavior, but the person hearing it, who can be your boss, remains silent, hoping that the uncomfortable situation passes over and returns to “normal.” “Back to normal” in this case means that nothing has changed and challenged. Matters
Exposing white Finnish privilege #53: Why is our tolerance for racism at street level
When US President Donald Trump viciously attacked “The Squad” (Congresspersons Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rashida Tlaib, Ayanna Pressley, and Ilhan Omar), when he told them to leave the country (see tweet below), there was dismay and outrage from politicians and other sectors of society. In Finland, a politician like Maiju Tapiolinna can tell a Helsinki city Councilperson,
Exposing Finnish white privilege #62: On free speech and scared white men
It is amusing to hear how some people, usually white Finnish males, are so concerned about free speech. From rock bands like Eppu Normaali to politicians from the Perussuomalaiset (PS)* party and others, the message is clear: the state is undermining our free speech. Really? How can people who grow up with privilege and power
Exposing Finnish white privilege #61: #NoRacismInUniversity #WeAreNotSkinColour
The fact that a group of black researchers headed by Dr Faith Mkwesha are challenging institutional racism at Åbo Akademi reveals a lot about the nature of the beast and how too little is done today to tackle racism. Dr Mkwesha is a researcher at Helsinki University and Åbo Akademi.
Exposing Finnish white privilege #60: Oulu, OULU! Awaken and sniff the racist coffee.
Apart from the minors who were the victims of Oulu, other casualties are Finland’s migrant community and especially Muslim asylum seekers and refugees. Anti-Hate Crime Organisation Finland If the structure does not permit dialogue the structure must be changed. Paulo Freire THIS STORY HAS BEEN UPDATED The hysteria generated by the sexual assault cases of
Finnish white privilege #59: In this country, you are guilty until proven innocent
Interior Minister Kai Mykkänen and the government are using the same tactics as the Nazis in World War 2 but in a different context. The government is not rounding up people and killing them in cold blood but punishing them severely for the crimes others did. Imagine the migrant community of Finland, especially Muslims and
Finnish white privilege #58: How the police, media and politicians fuel Finland’s hostile environment against Muslims and migrants
As the sexual abuse cases in Oulu gather more steam and public outrage, one of the lessons we are overlooking is our reaction and racism. What role do the police, media and politicians play in fostering hostility towards migrants in general and Muslims in particular?
Finnish white privilege #57: Finland’s “hostile environment” against migrants
UK Prime Minister Theresa May’s policy nurtured a climate of suspicion called today the “hostile climate” in which people are deemed guilty unless they can prove themselves innocent. Does Finland have a hostile climate against migrants like in the UK? One could answer in the affirmative after listening to a long list of politicians who don’t have anything
White Finnish privilege #56: How Islamophobic is Finland?
Ever thought why political parties like the Perussuomalaiset,* Blue Reform and individual politicians from other parties, especially from the National Coalition Party, are so keen at pointing the finger at Muslims? Do they do so because they are racists? Opportunists? Political gold diggers?
White Finnish privilege #55: It is that time of the year – Christmas!
Far-right poliicians and Islamophobes of varying hues commonly blame Muslims for banning traditional Christmas parties at school. Nothing, however, could be further from the truth. Those wanting to remove Christmas parties are Finns who believe that religion should not play a role in our schools since we are officially a secular state. What happens when most
White Finnish privilege #54: Disguising your racism, bigotry, and prejudices effectively
In Finland, there are many ways how white people and their institutions discriminate against people of color, migrants and minorities in general. Since all forms of discrimination are highly adaptive, they can also effectively disguise their racism, bigotry, and prejudices.
White Finnish privilege #53: Plan Finland’s unplanned pregnancy campaign #ProtectBlackGirlsToo #Whatofme
Plan Finland’s failed campaign against unwanted pregnancies in Africa is an example of a broader, more serious problem: white exceptionalism. In looking at the campaign by Plan Finland, one can only wonder what these people thought when they launched it.
Exposing white Finnish privilege #52: Having no privilege is dangerous
A report commissioned by the Finnish ministry of the interior revealed that migrants are 2.5 times more likely than white Finns to be assaulted, reports YLE News. Another study published in 2014 by the National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), showed that first-generation immigrants at school are more likely to experience bullying, physical threats and sexual
Exposing white Finnish privilege #51: The police are the defenders of white power and privilege
Ask Finland’s Romany minority If you want to understand how the Finnish police service reinforces and defends white power and privilege. I did this recently, and the answers did not surprise me. According to a member of the Roma community, the Finnish police play down discrimination, especially if it involves a member of that minority
Exposing white Finnish privilege #50: Caving in to white narratives
February 10 was supposed to be the first anniversary of the #TheRightToLife movement that raised awareness and concern over Finland’s asylum policy. The date was supposed to kick off as well a lecture-performance at the Kiasma Finnish national gallery of Helsinki by Riikka Theresa Innanen called Touch and Revolution.
Exposing white Finnish privilege #49: When white privilege backfires
Prime Minister Juha Sipilä’s hardline asylum and immigration policy reminded me of the 1980s when former Aliens Office director Eila Kännö’s tough line turned against her. I see the same thing happening today with the government’s asylum and immigration policy.
Exposing white Finnish privilege #48: Allow me to smear your religion so mine can shine
What is surprising how Finnish white society has brought new topics in the discussion about the white Finnish narrative. A classic of this narrative is, with the help of denial, that we don’t have any issues with racism. If we deny racism we can smear other groups at will.
Exposing white Finnish privilege #47: President Sauli Niinistö’s “culture inside four walls”
THIS STORY HAS BEEN UPDATED Instead of showing leadership and giving a public face to our ever-growing culturally and ethnically diverse non-white society, President Sauli Niinistö does the opposite again. I have said it before and I wil say it again: President Niinistö is no friend of non-white Finland. In an interview on YLE, Niinistö gave
Exposing white Finnish privilege #46: Teuvo Hakkarainen = white racism and sexism
Disgraced Perussuomalaiset (PS)* MP Teuvo Hakkarainen, an Islamophobic politician convicted of ethnic agitation, got off with a light slap on the hand from the PS for forcing a fellow MP to kiss him. But that’s not all. We now know that Hakkarainen, after having one too many, grabbed another MP by the hair a year ago.
Exposing white Finnish privilege #45: Do blondes have more fun?
In the 1960s in the United States, there was a saying: Blondes have more fun.
Do they? Considering all the sexual harassment charges going on these days, being a blonde could be hell for a woman.
Exposing white Finnish privilege #44: Defending Nazis’ rights to march is ok as long we agree on the common enemy
Jan Vapaavuori is the mayor of Helsinki who wrote the following on his Facebook wall below about Nazis marching in Helsinki on Independence Day:
Exposing white Finnish privilege #43: White versus dark skin
Brown is beautiful just like black and white are beautiful, right? Add to the latter equation power and privilege and a more sinister picture emerges: white is beautiful but brown and black aren’t.
A call to inclusion but there is no room for such words today
Finland’s has a long and rich migrant history, and this should help guide us to build an inclusive and just country as our society becomes ever-culturally and ethnically diverse during this century.
Exposing white Finnish privilege #42: Labeling and shaming
Migrant Tales published in 2015 a Hall of Poor and Sloppy Journalism that aimed at highlighting the too frequent poor reporting by the national media of our ever-growing non-white community of Finland. A story published by Iltalehti on October 27 is not only an example of shoddy journalism but one that is racist as well.
Exposing white Finnish privilege #41: An Islamophobic politician and gender equality
A campaign for gender equality by Naisjäjestöt NJKL is an excellent example of white privilege and denial. In the tweet below, we know that Elisabeth Rehn and former Helsiniki Bishop Irja Askola have spoken out against racism and hate speech. However, on the top right hand of the picture we find Blue Reform* (New Perussuomalaiset) MP Maria Lohela, who made her political career by spreading Islamophobia and hatred towards migrants.
Exposing white Finnish privilege #40: To whitewash or to disenfranchise
If we wanted to give an extreme picture of how people are “integrated” into society, we could go back to the 1940s when Jews, the Roma and other undesirables of the Nazi regime were transported in boxcars to death camps. Just like those that were separated and sent to go the gas chamber or would
Exposing* white Finnish privilege #39: The Hollywood ending of racism that will never happen in Finland
There is one characteristic when watching for some years Finnish journalists, public officials, politicians and the public debate about racism: Everything will end like in a Hollywood movie, and we’ll live happily forever.
Defining white Finnish privilege #38: Cultural appropriation and racism are quaint discussion topics between white Finns
Sanna Ukkola is a YLE journalist who has stuck her foot in her mouth a number of times. Hosting Pressiklubi on Friday was a clear example when she put on an Amerindian feather hairpiece and showed a clip of Pekka and Pätkä black faces to the audience.
Defining white Finnish privilege #37: The master of near-everything
What do independent government agencies like the Non-Discrimination Ombudsman, Ombudsman for Equality, Occupational Safety and Health Administration and National Discrimination and Equality Tribunal have in common? All of them protect and defend the rights of women and minorities in Finland.
US President Donald Trump’s Finnish “tolkun” moment and his mixed response to far-right violence
Three people died in the wake of a demonstration by white supremacists, neo-Nazis and Ku Klux Klan members clashed Saturday with anti-racism activists when the white nationalists planned a rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. The demonstration saw a car being deliberately driven into a crowd of people who killed one person and left at least 19 others injured.
Defining white Finnish privilege #36: Hate speech and censorship
Let’s be honest and expose one of the biggest lies concerning hate speech and censorship that always pops up at interviews like the one Thursday MTV with (the old) Perussuomalaiset (PS)* party secretary Riikka Slunga-Poutsalo and the editor of the party’s magazine, Matias Turkkila.
Defining white Finnish privilege #35: Case Sampo Terho and the ministry of (dis)culture
Why are you so surprised that Perussuomalaiset (PS)* Sampo Terho will be Finland’s new minister of culture, sport and European issues? The Swedish-language HBL expresses dismay and there are many others among us who appear awestruck by the appointment.
Defining white Finnish privilege #34: Building a political career on privilege and nativist nationalism
Social Democrat MP Satu Taavitsainen found herself in a lot of hot water this week after she published a picture of herself in Instagram wearing a fake Sámi dress. While this is a no-no because minorities like the Sámi may see it as cultural appropriation, an MP like Taavitsainen should know better.
Defining white Finnish privilege #33: Appropriating our narrative to maintain the status quo, amass more power and privilege
One of the most important matters that one learns when reading about our ever-growing culturally diverse society in Finland is that there is fierce opposition from some circles against cultural and ethnic diversity. According to these groups, the only way that a multicultural Finn, migrant and minority can live in Finland is if they control the narrative.
Defining white Finnish privilege #32: The white Finnish police service and “them”
If there is an institution that is the epitome of white Finnish privilege that is doing everything possible to hinder cultural and ethnic diversity among its ranks, that institution is the Finnish police service.
Defining white Finnish privilege #31: The Solidiers of Odin and the Finnish media
The Soldiers of Odin are a vigilante group that hate asylum seekers and are white Finnish supremacists. One Facebook post on their page outlined the aim of the vigilante group: “We are a patriotic group struggling for a white Finland.”
White Finnish privilege #30: Whitewashing and racializing the news
On the fifth anniversary, when Anders Breivik went on the rampage in Oslo on 22/7 by killing 77 victims, we saw another gunman in Munich who followed the Norwegian killer’s example. We now know with pretty much certainty that there was a connection between what the shooter did in Munich and with the fifth anniversary.
Culturally diverse Finland has a history
Because migrants and minorities in Finland do not have power, we are taught to believe we are rootless and have no historicity. It is not true: migrant and anti-racism activism in Finland was already very alive in the 1980s.
White Finnish privilege #29: Your family is worth less than mine
There has been a lot of debate about the present government tightening further family reunification laws. It shouldn’t come to any surprise that such measures not only reveal hostility towards asylum seekers, migrants, and minorities but are an example of white Finnish privilege in its most extreme forms.
Defining white Finnish privilege #28: Are you an ethnic Finn? (Part 2)
In a recent Defining white Finnish privilege post we asked about how the term ethnic Finn, or kantasuomalainen, is used. While there’s nothing wrong with being an ethnic or white Finn it is a problem if such a term is used to reinforce the exclusive privileges of a group.
Defining white Finnish privilege #27: White versus Other media
On occasions Migrant Tales, the Other media, does investigative journalism. When we do such type of investigative reporting it’s because there is a big story that needs to be told. One of these big stories that we scooped was on Luona, a private company that treats asylum seekers badly and makes money off them.
Defining white Finnish privilege #26: Are you an ethnic Finn?
Have you ever thought why the term kantasuomalainen, or “ethnic Finn,” has become a common word among white Finns. Why is this term used today and why wasn’t it used before? What those the word “ethnic Finn” relay to those who are migrants and minorities? If the term “ethnic Finn” has become more common why
Defining white Finnish privilege #25: This land is my land, this land isn’t your land
It’s disturbing to watch in Finland journalists who maintain and promote urban tales and racism. One of these is Tuomas Enbuske who invited Lenita Aristo to his television talk show to speak about Muslims. When Aristo opens her mouth and gives her opinions about cultural diversity, it’s evident that she still lives is a provincial and stuffy time warp of pre-1990s Finland.
Defining white Finnish privilege #24: Becoming a heartless accomplice in wars and people’s suffering
During the so-called “war on terror” launched by former President George W. Bush and his cronies like Donald Rumsfeld, Dick Chaney, Paul Wolfowitz, Richard Pearle, Condoleezza Rice and many, many others, made up new terms to justify their wars in Iraq and the death of hundreds of thousand of people.
Defining white Finnish privilege #23: Greater police powers to monitor migrants and minorities
Finnish white privilege, like any majority culture’s privilege, not only permeates in our institutions but marks the pace of how those with no privilege will be treated in this society. Granting the police greater monitoring power to carry out arbitrary checks on migrants, and subsequently non-white Finns, is a case in point in white Finnish privilege.
Defining white Finnish privilege #22: From racist, fascist to politician without memory
We saw a lot of white Finnish privilege during the April parliamentary elections and government talks, which include the anti-immigration Perussuomalaiset (PS)* party. If lowly things like turncoat politics and chicanery, racism and white Finnish privilege would have a smell, that stench would knock you off your feet right now. The new speaker of parliament,
Defining white Finnish privilege #21: Who can be a Finn?
A Finn is anyone with Finnish citizenship, right? Citizenship can be obtained through birth (jus sanguinis) or naturalization. Even if this should be clear as day, certain public services like the police continue to group Finns according to their so-called “foreign” or “immigrant” backgrounds. I don’t have any problems with my foreign background even if
Defining white Finnish privilege #20: Labeling Others to strengthen “us” and “them”
There were two news stories where the term “person with foreign background” was used by the media this week. The first case was reported on Wednesday, when two people with ”foreign backgrounds” were attacked in Joensuu and the second one a day later, when a suspected Finnish man who tried drive over a fifteen-year-old ”with
Defining white Finnish privilege #19: My rape statistics about your group
Migrant Tales has followed migrant rape statistic stories for some time. You should always treat them with tweezers when two matters appear: The news story only cites percentages, not numbers The percentages are used to label all migrants, especially some groups. Most of the stories written about migrant rape cases in Finland fit these two characteristics
Defining white Finnish privilege #18: Labeling others according to your prejudices
White Finnish privilege gives the right to label others according to the group’s prejudices. The terrible gang rape on Monday and the reaction of the media and police, reveal that white Finnish privilege and labeling minorities to suit one’s prejudices are alive and kicking in this country. The police call those who aren’t white Finns “people
Defining white Finnish privilege #17: The Perussuomalaiset and our civil rights
The Perussuomalaiset (PS) is a xenophobic party that sticks out like a sore thumb and reminds us that our liberal Nordic welfare society and democracy may not be as open-minded as we thought. Their latest party program on immigration is further proof that the PS is a hostile to migrants, visible minorities and to our Nordic
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