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
Read on »Posts Tagged: social equality
When will Finland have a black or gay prime minister?
The hostility that Prime Minister Sanna Marin’s government has faced is a good example of the misogyny that still exists in Finland. While Finland has made important strides in gender equality, women still make, on average, 20% less than men. Even if women in Finland became the first to have the right to vote in
Read on »QUOTE OF THE DAY: Say it loud and clear if you have the opportunity
At a European Network Against Racism (ENAR) general assembly in Brussels in 2014, I met an activist from Austria who runs Radio and TV Afrika in Vienna. Alexis Neuberg said something at the meeting that I have always kept close to my heart: “If you have the opportunity to be near power don’t censor yourself. Use that opportunity
Read on »In Finland the enemy is within and in the structures, not outside threatening us
If I had to choose who discriminates and defends structural racism in Finland, I’d come to the following conclusion: Many of those who claim to be for social equality are the worst enemies of our culturally and ethnically diverse community. Their silence is one matter that exposes them but also their defensive stands whenever they feel threatened.
Read on »Exposing racism in Finland: Expectations versus reality of the practical nurse student
Migrant Tales recently published a story about how racism and discrimination occur at a large Helsinki company that hires practical nurses. One of the biggest challenges to tackle racism and discrimination is to acknowledge it. Denial of such social ills is the best cover that racism and discrimination have to maintain the toxic status quo.
Read on »President Niinstö and Prime Minister Juha Sipilä believe that dual nationals pose threat to Finland’s national security
The debate on dual citizenship in Finland became headline news again on Thursday when President Sauli Niinistö was quoted as saying on YLE News that dual nationals could pose a security threat to the country. On Friday, YLE published a poll where 66% of the respondents agreed that dual nationals shouldn’t be hired to work for the defense forces and foreign ministry.
Read on »Why migrants and minorities in Finland continue to suffer from discrimination and social inequality
Entitlement and denial are some of the reasons why respect for cultural diversity and treating Others in Finnish society as equals faulters. There is too much lip service like “we’re against racism” but few deeds to give such a powerful statement life and meaning.
Read on »Finland’s Foreign Minister Timo Soini considers new gender and social equality guidelines as “rampant humbug”
Finland is a great country when it comes to good laws that promote social equality. The latest non-discrimination act, which came into force in 2015, is a case in point. Such laws are important in the face of ever-growing social inequality and polarization of society.
Read on »Does the Trump phenomenon in Europe reflect that white Europe is being challenged?
If Donald Trump stands a good chance at being nominated as the Republican party’s presidential candidate this year, surely it says a lot about the moral state of USAmerica. Noam Chomsky, the renowned scholar, was quoted as saying in the Huffington Post that the Trump phenomenon revealed that white USAmerica is dying.
Read on »Racism Review: Debunking white supremacy
The United States has always been a white supremacy that masquerades as a democracy. For white racists those are fighting words. How dare anyone cast aspersions on the motives of America’s founding fathers? For shame.
Read on »Is Finland swapping Nordic values like social equality for social inequality?
Social Democratic Party (SDP) MEP Liisa Jaakonsaari gives a good interview to Helsingin Sanomat about the government’s 80-point plan to tighten immigration policy that not only targets asylum seekers but impacts negatively the whole migrant and minority community of Finland.
Read on »President Sauli Niinistö’s “ultimatum” to asylum seekers should apply to Finns as well
President Sauli Niinistö said Saturday during a YLE Radio 1 question-and-answer session that those asylum seekers that don’t abide by our core vales should leave Finland.
Read on »Healthy advice: Don’t flirt with racism, include don’t exclude, involve and we’ll learn to live together
One of the matters one learns after answering thousands of comments on Migrant Tales and posting near daily on this humble site is the language and arguments used by anti-immigration groups, which are openly against a Finland that is international, multicultural and open. By multicultural I mean treating everyone in this country, irrespective of their background, with
Read on »Finland’s future recipe for success is based on social equality, mutual acceptance, respect and equal opportunities
Why would any political party seriously care about immigrants and their children if these newcomers form part of a fragmented group that has little political and economic power? Should they be concerned about high unemployment and ever-growing social inequality among such groups in Finland? Our success story as a society was never based on social
Read on »"Real" Finns were, are and will be culturally diverse Finns
People who think that only white Finns are “real” Finns are, in my opinion, seriously mistaken. They represent a modern segregated view of society we saw in the United States before the 1960s and in worst cases in South Africa before 1994. The “Only Whites” sign isn’t posted on doors these days but shines constantly in their minds.
Read on »CEO Whalroos claims the social welfare system marginalizes Finns
Björn Wahlroos, chairman of the board of banks Sampo Group, Nordea and forest group UPM-Kymnmene, was quoted on Sunday’s Helsingin Sanomat as stating that the present social welfare state system is the main culprit for marginalizing Finns. He said that outgoing President Tarja Halonen had put a dent in the credibility of the executive branch by polarizing Finnish society.
Read on »Finns vote today for their next president
While the biggest victor of today’s presidential election in Finland is democracy, I cannot help but look way past the awaiting fanfare of Sunday evening , when we’ll be hearing the victory speech of either Pekka Haavisto of the Green Party or Kokoomus’ Sauli Niinistö.
Read on »The Migrant Tales Manifesto (for Finland and Europe)
Thanks to the growing number of supporters, Migrant Tales has become that “voice for those whose views and situation are understood poorly and heard faintly by the media, politicians and public.” During these past years we have read and debated many points of views and have complied them on a list below.
Read on »Uncovering the tree of hatred
If we could draw a tree that bares these fruits of hatred how would it look like? Would our surprise be to discover that it’s the same-looking tree that continues to cast its shadow on all of our societies for centuries? It still stands mighty and tall because we continue to feed and protect it.
Read on »Finland also locks up asylum seeker children
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- A child in the Joutseno Immigration Removal Center.
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