Pia Kauma Archives - Migrant tales

Kokoomus and Perussuomalaiset: Two different views on labor immigration

Posted on February 7, 2023 by Migrant Tales

On Monday, we saw the stances of the radical-right Perussuomalaiset (PS)* and National Coalition Party’s (Kokoomus) views on the role of labor immigration outside the EU. On MTV, PS’ Sakari Puisto faced off with Pia Kauma of Kokoomus, while on A-studio, Leena Meri of the PS debated with Elina Valtonen.

It is depressing to watch the debate about Finland’s need to attract labor migrants from outside the EU. The adjectives used to describe them are insulting: social welfare migrants and low-income migrants who will accept low pay and any work offered.

It is a bad standing point: Why would I want to come to a country that wishes me so much harm and intends to relegate me to second-class and marginal status?

The most surreal debate between the two shows was on MTV.

While there was a difference of opinion on labor migrants between Puisto and Kauma, both favored limiting or excluding newcomers from getting social welfare.

The debate between PS MP Sakari Puisto and Pia Kauma was surreal. Puisto spoke against migrants from outside the EU, and Kauma who is in favor. Both were, however, of the same opinion about the social equality of such migrants. Both would take away their rights, so they can’t use social welfare. Would I move to a country that sees me as a second-class member of society? Source: *MTV*

When such a suggestion was made, the host didn’t even bother to ask if excluding non-citizens from getting social welfare was unconstitutional, which it is.

Kauma strongly criticized PS leader Riikka Purra’s statements against labor immigration outside the EU.

Center Party MP Juha Pylväs just pulled the oldest racist trick by politicians

Posted on August 26, 2021 by Migrant Tales

Center Party parliamentary group leader Juha Pylväs got his brief moment in the media by insulting migrants and minorities. Today, however, he showed us one of the oldest political tricks in the books: say something outrageous, usually racists, and then apologize.

He regretted calling some asylum seekers “welfare surfers” or shoppers. He said his statement was inappropriate because it undermined human dignity.

Such racist outbursts are harmful and only raise the level of hostility and suspicion of migrants and minorities.

Even if Pylväs spoke of “parasitic” asylum seekers who live off our social welfare, he meant our migrant and minority community. Asylum seekers don’t get social welfare but a small monthly allowance.

We’ve seen this same strategy many times. Remember Pia Kuma and her baby carriage claim? Another one that comes to mind is Perussuomalaiset MP Veikko Vallin, who took pictures secretly of children and employees of a Helsinki nursery.

Like Pylväs today, so did Kauma and Vallin apologize.

Let’s take our identity back from the likes of Kauma, Kokoomus and the Perussuomalaiset*

Posted on July 29, 2021 by Migrant Tales

It isn’t surprising that the National Coalition Party’s (Kokoomus) proposal to tighten social security guidelines between migrants and “white Finns” (kantasuomalaiset) has caused confusion. The answer is simple and hinges on the fact that ethnicity and race are social constructs.

The mix-up over the use of the term kantasuomalainen has not only caught Kokoomus by surprise, but it also reveals their ignorance and simplistic view on integration.

MP Pia Kauma, who made a questionable name for herself in 2014, when she wrongfully accused Somali mothers of getting social welfare to buy new baby carriages due to cultural reasons (sic!), is at it again. Before, it was baby carriages, now it’s taking away constitutional rights.

The development of Kokoomus MP Pia Kauma from baby carriages (left) to racializing (holding phrenology calipers to measure the size of the skull) migrants and punishing them because they don’t “integrate.” Why would I ever want to integrate into a country that Kauma envisages? **Sources: Migrant Tales and Facebook**

But let’s cut to the chase: Why are people like Kauma and Kokoomus defining who we are? We have a right to call ourselves whatever we wish and, to use one of the Perussuomalaiset catchphrases, we have the right “to take back” our identity from people who don’t mean well. We decide who and what we are.

Kokoomus gives nod to Perussuomalaiset’s plan to tighten immigration policy

Posted on July 24, 2021 by Migrant Tales

The National Coalition Party (Kokoomus) MP Pia Kauma wants to tighten immigration law. It is strange that when most Finns are on holiday in the middle of the summer, Kauma intends to propose such changes.

Her party’s proposal should be seen as a green light to the Perussuomalaiset’s plan to tighten immigration policy if they win the next parliamentary elections in 2023.

While there is still a lot of work to make Finland a more inclusive country and tackle discrimination and racism, there is one problem with Kokoomus’ proposal: credibility.

For one, MP Kauma has little credibility to speak in earnest about immigration policy and integration, especially of people of color and visible migrants.

In 2014, Kauma started to attack Somali mothers. She pointed the accusing finger without any proof that at migrant mothers claiming that they bought with social aid new baby carriages while Finnish mothers bought used ones.

Kauma never backed her statements but at the end her claims were proven false and based on hearsay. She apologized later for her racist statements.

A satirical view below of how Kauma sees a migrant mother’s pram.

But what could be behind this stunt by Kauma and Kokoomus to tighten immigration policy? Is the party giving the nod to the Islamophobic Perussuomalaiset (PS)* that they too would be ready to tighten immigration policy if in government?

The heir-apparent of the PS, Riikka Purra, said earlier this month that it would never form part of a government that won’t significantly tighten Finnish immigration policy.

Wednesday was a good day for racism in Finland: Pia Kauma and Gleb Simanov

Posted on August 3, 2017 by Migrant Tales

Wednesday was a good day for racism in Finland. National Coalition Party (NCP) substitute MP Pia Kauma, who accused migrant women three years ago of demanding social welfare to buy new baby carriages, took over as MP after Alexander Stubb started his tenure at the vice-president and member of the management committee of the European Investment Bank (EIB).

Kauma’s appointment was overshadowed two days earlier by Gleb Simanov, who videotaped and published on Facebook Somali minors for allegedly attempting to bum a ride on the bus. Simanov got fired as a result but was hired Monday by Onnibus.

While both persons come from different backgrounds, their racist actions are the same: Both targetted Somalis to show without proof how they abuse the system. Both are politicians and their actions and comments helped label and stigmatize migrants by reinforcing stereotypes.

Kauma, who based her claim on hearsay, and even if she apologized for what she said, is an example of how politicians use the racist card to get attention and votes. First, they make outrageous claims that are later disproven by journalists. By then it’s too late because the fake news is out there.

The scandal ignited by Kauma kicked off with the following statement in Länsiväylä: “Why must migrant families get social welfare to buy new baby carriages if [white] Finnish families recycle used baby carriages?”

When asked Wednesday by Helsingin Sanomat about what she said, Kauma claimed it helped her to understand why politicians are so careful about what they say. “There would be a better debate if we’d express our opinions openly,” she added, suggesting that she can use her power as an MP to label and stigmatize migrants even on the basis of fake news.

Migrant Tales considers Kauma’s statement and her apology in 2014 as disingenuous.

Kauma is all smiles for white Finns and all scorn for migrants and minorities. Continue reading “Wednesday was a good day for racism in Finland: Pia Kauma and Gleb Simanov”

An effective way of putting racism in context in Finland

Posted on October 26, 2014 by Migrant Tales

There are many ways to understand ethnic hatred and racism in Finland. One of these is by substituting the word ‘migrant’ for your ethnic group and/or ‘woman’ in a text that’s aimed at fueling ‘us’ and ‘them.’ Let’s take the recent claims of two politicians, MPs Tom Packalén and Pia Kauma, to see how passions are fueled or can be smothered.

Original claim by Perussuomalaiset (PS)* MP Packalén.

Before: Gangs made up only of young people with migrant backgrounds said their motives are racist because their aim is to hurt white Finns.

After: Gangs made up of only young white Finns said their motives are racist because their aim is to hurt migrants and minorities.

Before and after. Racism is like the fly agaric (Amanita muscaria) mushroom. It looks beautiful when it fruits and may invite some to eat its hallucinogenic poison. Time, like racism, reveals the true face of this mushroom when it ages and dies.

As we all know, Packalén pulled a fast one on the media and public. The problem with the PS MP’s claim is that it just isn’t true and an inflated exaggeration. Even so, his claims have spread fear and labelled non-white Finns, encouraging even neo-Nazi groups like the Kansallinen Vastarinta and members of the PS to patrol the streets of Helsinki.

Here’s National Coalition Party MP Kauma’s claim.

Before: Migrant mothers buy new baby carriages with social aid.

After: White Finnish mothers buy new baby carriages with social aid.

Like with Packalén, Kauma’s claim is stuffed as well with lots of baloney.

Even if these two MPs made up these stories in light of the April parliamentary elections, is one point. But the other very important one is that they succeeded at getting a lot of media coverage, which was their original aim.

Check out the two postings below on how by just changing a few key words in a vengeful and racist text reveals the underhanded motives of the writer and brings the topic closer to home:

If you still are trying to grasp these two disgraceful examples, why not replace migrant or ethnic group with ‘woman.’

Remember how urban tales about women were and still may be rampant in Finland? Women can’t drive, they’re poor in math, all they know what to do is have babies and cook…This is the exact anatomy of racist discourse in Finland today. Migrants live off welfare, they’re lazy, sly and shouldn’t be trusted…

How many generations did such outright lies about women still continue to oppress them?

Ever figure out how it feels to be in a university math class and be the only women? Think about how much pressure there is on that woman and how much energy she must expend to prove that she’s just as good as her male classmates.

This exact feeling is what many migrants feel in society. They’re constantly trying to prove that they are just as good and worthy of being treated as equal members of society.

Thus there is nothing harmless when politicians reinforce prejudices about migrants. On the contrary – it is a violent act that aims through power to dominate others.

Add to the latter the near-silence of society and a bigger picture of the social ill emerges.

Racism is not only costly to society but especially to the victim.

* 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.

Missä luuraavat kansanedustajat Kauma ja Packalén?

Posted on October 16, 2014 by Migrant Tales

Olen kärsivällisesti odottanut kaksi vahvistusta: kansanedustajan Pia Kauman väite, että maahanmuuttaja naiset ostavat uusia lastenvaunuja sossun rahoilla ja kansanedustaja Tom Packalénin väite, että vain maahanmuuttaja jengit hyökkäävät kantasuomalaisia vastaan ja heidän motiivi on rasistinen, koska he haluavat vahingoittaa valkoisia suomalaisia.

Missä luraa vastaukset? Lahde: www.apu.fi

Molempien väite yhdistä vahvasti ”me” vastaan ”he”.

Miksi Kauma on niin hiljaa?

Miksi Packalén vaikene lähteistä?

Vastaus on selvää: molemmat ovat keksineet väitteet ja ”ongelmat?”

Miten tämä on mahdollista?

Poliitikot osaavat ratsastaa omien ja ihmisten ennakkoluulijalla ja rasismilla.

Näin on elämää ollut Suomessa valitettavasti pitkään.

Finnish anti-immigration politicians and parties spread on purpose lies to hide the truth and their culpability

Posted on September 14, 2014 by Migrant Tales

Ever wonder why the Finnish media and politicians continue to spread lies about migrants and minorities like we’re lazy, stupid, criminals, rapists and a burden on society? OK, not all of them lie on purpose but too many remain silent and allow these types of urban tales to slip past them in silent approval.

Say for example a recent urban tale by a MP from Espoo that I don’t want to mention who claims that migrants get preferential treatment from social-service officials.

Poverty and social exclusion are realities that the migrant and minority community face in Finland.

What about a party* that I don’t want to mention because they base their popularity on anti-immigration rhetoric? Members of this party have gone as far as to claim that certain national groups have it in their genes to live off welfare, rob and rape.

Why do many, like the media, politicians and some of the public believe these fairy tales about migrants and minorities?

What would happen if the following was the truth:

The majority of migrants (about 60%) live in poverty;
Unemployment among migrants is on average two to three times higher than the national average;
Migrant youths have a greater chance of being marginalized than white Finns;
Migrants make 25% less money than Finns on average;
Migrants get less social welfare than Finns because they are usually employed in low-skilled and low-paying jobs.

The above facts are a ticking time bomb thanks to our indifference and because some politicians and political parties would care less about migrants and minorities in this country.

Instead of addressing and challenging poverty and social exclusion, it’s clear why some don’t want you to admit the truth.

* 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.

Finland’s parliamentary elections of April 2015 have begun

Posted on September 10, 2014 by Migrant Tales

Even if parliamentary elections will take place on April 19, 2015, it’s clear that they’ve begun. Rumbles can be already heard from political parties such as the Perussuomalaiset (PS)*, Muutos 2011 and the National Coalition Party, which are vying for media attention and voters. Who are they targeting? Who else but migrants and minorities.

National Coalition Party MP Pia Kauma is the one that claimed on Friday that migrant women were buying new baby carriages with social aid and that migrants were getting more welfare than Finns.

Kauma’s claims, which were based on hearsay, were disproven. Even so, the conservative MP continues to be in the media spotlight.

Any serious student of racism would ask the following question: Why does MP Kauma, who bases her claim on gossip and openly victimizes migrants, controls the narrative on migrants? Why doesn’t Pekka Myrskylä’s blog, which showed that the majority of migrants live in poverty in Finland, wasn’t even mentioned by the Finnish media?

Why in the last parliamentary elections did the media believe the narrative of the PS and politicians like Jussi Halla-aho and others even if it’s clear today that they were spreading lies about migrants?

The answer is in my opinion clear: The Finnish media isn’t only white but too many reporters have a challenging time thinking outside their ethnic box.

Migrants and minorities in this country have memory and we won’t forget. In the meantime as new lies are stacked over old ones by opportunistic politicians, the credibility of our institutions will be undermined. Who would believe in the police if the police are suspicious of you?

What is surprising in the Kauma affair is that not one migrant – except for mothers with baby carriages – were asked what they thought about the MP’s false claims.

On Monday’s A-Studio, a YLE host asked Kauma if she’d apologize for what she said. Social Democrat chairman Antti Rinne had said over the weekend that it’s clear that migrants don’t get more social aid than Finns and therefore talk about baby carriages should end and Kauma should apologize.

The MP said she wouldn’t apologize for bringing up a topic that had gotten the attention of white Finns.

Kauma did, however, apologize to those migrant mothers with baby carriages who have been harassed by Finns because of what she said.

Please read the last sentence again and ask:

Why did she make such claims in the first place if they aren’t true?

Politicians like Kauma and Timo Soini will find themselves in good company with MP James Hirvisaari of Muutos 2011, a xenophobic far-right party that believes racist sound bites to the media will help them get voters.

They are right but in the wrong party because there’s little media interest in Muutos 2011.

Hirvisaari, who got the boot from the PS after he posted a picture on social media of a friend making a Nazi salute in parliament, is a PS creation. Without the PS, Hirvisaari would have never got elected.

Here MP James Hirvisaari shows his Finnish machoism and narcism with his anti-immigration rhetoric, where he promises to get immigration under control. Social media has created many Frankensteins like Hirvisaari.

It’s highly likely that Hirvisaari will lose his seat in April.

We at Migrant Tales hope that he gets voted out of parliament.

* 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 privilege #10: I can victimize and make up any story I like about migrants because I’m white

Posted on September 7, 2014 by Migrant Tales

National Coalition Party MP Pia Kauma has made headlines recently by exploiting people’s suspicion of migrants in general and migrant women in particular for buying new baby carriages with welfare money. Even if her claim is based on hearsay, the MP continues to make headlines.

She doesn’t get noticed for victimizing migrants and basing her claim on gossip, but because what she says appeals to a lot of people in this country. It ironically appeals to those Finns who want to continue seeing see migrants asking for welfare handouts instead of being treated as equal members of society.

Kauma goes further by not only reinforcing urban tales but creating new ones along the way. One of these is that some migrant groups have to buy new baby carriages because a girl cannot use one that was used by a boy.

Total baloney.

MP Pia Kauma gave a boost to her prospects of being re-elected in April by attacking migrant women.

When asked what is the source of her claim about migrants purchasing new baby carriages, Kauma responded on YLE’s A-Studio with a poker face:

”Of course it’s very difficult to get factual information, but I have been in politics for ten years and traveled throughout Finland from time to time and have and got similar comments from many different people. I was contacted about this matter recently.”

Right, Kauma. You base your claim on gossip and were too lazy to get the facts because it would have foiled your plan to get media attention as next year’s parliamentary elections near in April.

___________

Definition #10

The only explanation why Kauma’s victimization of migrant women has received so much attention in Finland is because she’s white and because what she says appeals to many Finns even if it isn’t true.

Kauma’s plan to be in the spotlight has worked magnificently. An urban tales (migrants get more welfare than Finns)* has been reinforced even if it took a few days to disprove it.

The media has played an important role by giving racists inflated importance and respectability.

Disagree?

What would happen if a black Finn would make similar claims as Kauma?

In the first place, such a claim would never see the light of day. If it did it would be ignored or used to attack the person and all migrants in this country with an hostile, “How dare you say that – you aren’t white!”

See also:

*See Pekka Myrskylä’s posting that proves why white Finns get more social welfare than migrants.