Ask Svensken

[Tabula Rasa]

Vi har circus arkadia också. Så samma är här.

På vilket vis har ni det circus i Finland också?

Well, we got near 200 clown in our circus and they do stupider and stupider tricks for pension or just for better eu-jobs.

But how many immigrants do you have in %?
Can you beat our abut 20%?

I think little less than 5%, but them try really hard.

This is good if you want find quite correct information about Finland: http://stat.fi/index_sv.html

[Nuivettunut Han-nenetsi]

För mig det är så att jag läser väl och förstår lite om pratat rikssvenska, någon ordbok användar jag inte. Att tala svenska är inte så lätt för mig. Välkommen hit, Sveriges sak är vår! 

Jo, men jag har hört att svenskan är lite laddad i Finland och därför skriver jag gärna på engelska för att visa er den respekt som ni så väl förtjänar.

You just saved my Christmas!

Perrrkele! Talvisota!  (No, I'm not drunk, just getting a little emotional here  )

[Lemmy]

Lemmy:Jo, stora delar av Europa gör samma sak, men inte ni i Finland

Nope, the Greens and the left have been promoting immigrant candidates, but a bit like window dressing, they can't have anyone with their own brain rising up.

Varför flyttade du till England?

I am working on my CV and career. In my profession its easier to get a "money job" here than trying to work up the ladder while paying taxes in Nordic paradise.

Jag var där i arbetet ganska så nyligen och såg London, FY FAN vilket ställe!

I'm not in London, in a small town and slowly getting cabin fever, London, sure if they pay enough... my eyes are on Dublin, its still the IT mecca. There are the good points, here they call it "winter" and I need to wrap in a down-filled duvet when the neighbors palm tree gets a frosting. And I like the GBP too - which is the down factor to Dublin.  Its just the thing - to live in Finland you need to win in the lottery two times, once to be born and a second time to afford to live there.

[Svensken]

Vi har circus arkadia också. Så samma är här.

På vilket vis har ni det circus i Finland också?

Well, we got near 200 clown in our circus and they do stupider and stupider tricks for pension or just for better eu-jobs.

But how many immigrants do you have in %?
Can you beat our abut 20%?

I think little less than 5%, but them try really hard.

This is good if you want find quite correct information about Finland: http://stat.fi/index_sv.html

5%
Next year, or the year after, we will probably have 25%.

You have still a chance to save your home country!
Sweden is only a sinking ship.

[Svensken]

För mig det är så att jag läser väl och förstår lite om pratat rikssvenska, någon ordbok användar jag inte. Att tala svenska är inte så lätt för mig. Välkommen hit, Sveriges sak är vår! 

Jo, men jag har hört att svenskan är lite laddad i Finland och därför skriver jag gärna på engelska för att visa er den respekt som ni så väl förtjänar.

You just saved my Christmas!

Perrrkele! Talvisota!  (No, I'm not drunk, just getting a little emotional here  )

I am so happy I could make you happy

[Goman]

Tycker du at Finland bör stanna och betala till EU-projektet?

If I feel the sentiment right, most of the finns want to stay in the EU and in the Euro-money (other writers may disagree), but they don't want to pay other countries depts. As a matter of fact, EU agreement  specifically prohibits any country to pay an other countrys depts!. But EU-rules, who cares...
Finnish politicians made a huge mistake when they couple of years ago promised to take part of rescueing Greece from bankruptcy. After that everything has gone worse. And there is no light at the tunnel. More and more people are turning against euro because it will cause us too much losses.

Finnish parliament is located on the Arcadia-hill, that's why "Circus Arcadia".

[Itä ei nuku]

Can you name Swedish politicians outside Sverigedemokrater who are orientated against immigration or have at least given critical statements on current immigration policies?

Although Sannfinländarna is the only consistently immigration critical party with parliament representation, the situation isn't black and white in Finland. There are politicians critical of immigration in almost every party, more numerous in the political right and regrettably rare in red-green circles. It's just a shame that they don't have a say when it comes to writing the official party policies.

In the last few elections it has seemed to be the case that the established parties choose candidates with critical attitudes on their lists so that they would appeal to certain voters. This is a double-faced game, because after the elections the parties require their representants to stick in line with official policies (known in Finnish as "ryhmäkuri", i.e. "group discipline"). A well-known example of this phenomenon was Kai Pöntinen, a National Coalition Party candidate in European Elections 2009. Pöntinen stirred the public debate by urging on the cover of Helsingin Sanomat to "Stop Social Immigration" at once. Although Pöntinen wasn't elected, he received 5 735 votes which NCP most probably wouldn't have gained had he not campaigned. Another NCP politician Ben Zyskowicz is a long-time member of parliament and has pronounced very critical stances on criminal foreign nationals, but casts his votes in accordance with official NCP policies. The Social Democratic former Minister of Interior Kari Rajamäki promoted strict asylum policies, although some writers on this forum might disagree with this in some respect.

[nurkkakuntalainen]

^ The "National" in the party's name is just a joke these days.

[Svensken]

Can you name Swedish politicians outside Sverigedemokrater who are orientated against immigration or have at least given critical statements on current immigration policies?

Although Sannfinländarna is the only consistently immigration critical party with parliament representation, the situation isn't black and white in Finland. There are politicians critical of immigration in almost every party, more numerous in the political right and regrettably rare in red-green circles. It's just a shame that they don't have a say when it comes to writing the official party policies.

In the last few elections it has seemed to be the case that the established parties choose candidates with critical attitudes on their lists so that they would appeal to certain voters. This is a double-faced game, because after the elections the parties require their representants to stick in line with official policies (known in Finnish as "ryhmäkuri", i.e. "group discipline"). A well-known example of this phenomenon was Kai Pöntinen, a National Coalition Party candidate in European Elections 2009. Pöntinen stirred the public debate by urging on the cover of Helsingin Sanomat to "Stop Social Immigration" at once. Although Pöntinen wasn't elected, he received 5 735 votes which NCP most probably wouldn't have gained had he not campaigned. Another NCP politician Ben Zyskowicz is a long-time member of parliament and has pronounced very critical stances on criminal foreign nationals, but casts his votes in accordance with official NCP policies. The Social Democratic former Minister of Interior Kari Rajamäki promoted strict asylum policies, although some writers on this forum might disagree with this in some respect.

Two Social Democrates Ilsma Repalu (chief in Malmö) and Göran Johansson (Former chief in Göteborg). They both said publicly to halt immigration at least partly and to have stronger border controls. But their statements were not approved by higher people and they both made the very common apology: "I did not mean what I said." Some days ago a known blogger said that he "backed 100%" from a post about how silly sweds are who never stands for their views and that we have a to big immigration. Mention this last thing about the blogger to give a picture of how sick the debate-climate is in the country. 

It's really interesting to get a picture of politics in Finland.

[Malla]

Two Social Democrates Ilsma Repalu (chief in Malmö)...

An inside joke? Ilmar Reepalu?

[Svensken]

Two Social Democrates Ilsma Repalu (chief in Malmö)...

An inside joke? Ilmar Reepalu?

Sorry, I misspelled yes, Ilmar Reepalu does he's name mean something or wh did you think it was a joke?

[Malla]

Two Social Democrates Ilsma Repalu (chief in Malmö)...

An inside joke? Ilmar Reepalu?

Sorry, I misspelled yes, Ilmar Reepalu does he's name mean something or wh did you think it was a joke?

Not really but ilsma -> islam

[nurkkakuntalainen]

Mention this last thing about the blogger to give a picture of how sick the debate-climate is in the country. 

It's really interesting to get a picture of politics in Finland.

Well, we Finns have a bit sick political climate, too. Some immigration criticists, such as Jussi Halla-aho have been sentenced of blasphemy against Moslems or incitement to hatred.

But at least I think, that maybe Finland is to Sweden a little bit like Estonia is to Finland. Sorry for a bit off-topic, but I think our southern neighbor tolerates anti-immigration and nationalism much better than the Finnish establishment does.

[chacha2]

På finlandssvenska heter det "mottagnings- och brukspenning". Det kanske är något snarlikt på rikssvenska.
Allt heter så roligt på finlandssvenska, många gånger inte bara roligt utan främst väldigt vackert och högtidligt. Jag gillar verkligen finlandssvenskan, i brist på att förstå mig på finskan.

Vet du hur ser finlandssvenskarna på det som sker i Sverige?

Jag är inte själv finlandssvensk, så jag kan inte svara på din fråga. Den frågan får du nog bäst svar på i Huvudstadsbladets kommentarsfält.

Jag är finlandssvensk (boende utomlands) men hemma i Finland nu över julen.
Jag har redan hunnit diskutera Sveriges situation med många av mina släktingar. De ser på svensk TV varje dag och är nog bekymrade över utvecklingen, främst då i Rinkeby och Rosengård. De vet att polis och brandmän inte är välkomna där och de
tycker att vattenkanoner med fördel kunde användas mot dylika typer (dvs de som kastar sten mot polis, brandmän etc)..
Jag har upplyst dem om att problemen är mycket mera omfattande än så. Läser själv Avpixlat och följer speciellt med skolans utveckling (snarare avveckling) i Sverige...
Fri invandring a la Centern menar de är totalt världsfrånvänt. Alla jag pratat med tror Centern kommer falla ur riksdagen pga detta förslag.

Most of my friends are trusting  the Finnish system, that the laws are good, also the immigration ones. When we start discussing they are surprised by some of the facts I bring up. But since  they mostly watch the Swedish news, read Huvudstadsbladet and other  newspapers written in Swedish, they don't notice  a lot of the negative aspects of the current immigration policies. The media in Finland too is very 'multicultti' friendly.

As I have lived abroad for many years, married to a foreigner and have only one child , for me personally it is much more important that Finland also in the future is a safe place with good schools for all children, no matter where you live in Finland.
So, I often use Sweden as an example of what NOT to do. And I write here. In Finnish mostly.

[foobar]

Mention this last thing about the blogger to give a picture of how sick the debate-climate is in the country. 

It's really interesting to get a picture of politics in Finland.

Well, we Finns have a bit sick political climate, too. Some immigration criticists, such as Jussi Halla-aho have been sentenced of blasphemy against Moslems or incitement to hatred.

But at least I think, that maybe Finland is to Sweden a little bit like Estonia is to Finland. Sorry for a bit off-topic, but I think our southern neighbor tolerates anti-immigration and nationalism much better than the Finnish establishment does.

Southern neighbours tolerate differing opinions in politics in general because they have experienced what it is to live so completely without diversity of political opinion. History might also explain why they are not so tolerant towards giving one political group a monopoly on "public facts" - at least if those facts are outlandishly divergent from existing reality.

Finland has never really de-Finlandized its' politics, as that would demand a major internal shift. Then again, it has no en-Swedenized itself, even if moderate Social Democrats have continuously praised Sweden. When Soviet Union fell, greens and communists were for a second a bit lost, but then joined the crowd...

[AstaTTT]

You asked earlier about this party that was established here, in Homma. The party is Change 2011 and we are small but energetic. 

We are openly critical towards the present immigration scheme that has almost nothing to do with the real asylum seekers, but rather welcomes people with no intention of becoming valued citizens - rather the opposite: the society deteriorates because of them and CEAS is promising us even more of this good.

I wish more Swedes were like you, but, all in good time. Also a warm welcome from my part. 

[Svensken]

Mention this last thing about the blogger to give a picture of how sick the debate-climate is in the country. 

It's really interesting to get a picture of politics in Finland.

Well, we Finns have a bit sick political climate, too. Some immigration criticists, such as Jussi Halla-aho have been sentenced of blasphemy against Moslems or incitement to hatred.

But at least I think, that maybe Finland is to Sweden a little bit like Estonia is to Finland. Sorry for a bit off-topic, but I think our southern neighbor tolerates anti-immigration and nationalism much better than the Finnish establishment does.

Why was he comvicted?
Islam is a paedophilia religion because of the fact that Muhammed was a paedophile and he is the best example of how to live for all muslims. It's like 1+1=2.

[Svensken]

På finlandssvenska heter det "mottagnings- och brukspenning". Det kanske är något snarlikt på rikssvenska.
Allt heter så roligt på finlandssvenska, många gånger inte bara roligt utan främst väldigt vackert och högtidligt. Jag gillar verkligen finlandssvenskan, i brist på att förstå mig på finskan.

Vet du hur ser finlandssvenskarna på det som sker i Sverige?

Jag är inte själv finlandssvensk, så jag kan inte svara på din fråga. Den frågan får du nog bäst svar på i Huvudstadsbladets kommentarsfält.

Jag är finlandssvensk (boende utomlands) men hemma i Finland nu över julen.
Jag har redan hunnit diskutera Sveriges situation med många av mina släktingar. De ser på svensk TV varje dag och är nog bekymrade över utvecklingen, främst då i Rinkeby och Rosengård. De vet att polis och brandmän inte är välkomna där och de
tycker att vattenkanoner med fördel kunde användas mot dylika typer (dvs de som kastar sten mot polis, brandmän etc)..
Jag har upplyst dem om att problemen är mycket mera omfattande än så. Läser själv Avpixlat och följer speciellt med skolans utveckling (snarare avveckling) i Sverige...
Fri invandring a la Centern menar de är totalt världsfrånvänt. Alla jag pratat med tror Centern kommer falla ur riksdagen pga detta förslag.

Most of my friends are trusting  the Finnish system, that the laws are good, also the immigration ones. When we start discussing they are surprised by some of the facts I bring up. But since  they mostly watch the Swedish news, read Huvudstadsbladet and other  newspapers written in Swedish, they don't notice  a lot of the negative aspects of the current immigration policies. The media in Finland too is very 'multicultti' friendly.

As I have lived abroad for many years, married to a foreigner and have only one child , for me personally it is much more important that Finland also in the future is a safe place with good schools for all children, no matter where you live in Finland.
So, I often use Sweden as an example of what NOT to do. And I write here. In Finnish mostly.

Where in Finland does your relatives live?
Why is Swedish peoples party so pro mass immigration?

[Svensken]

You asked earlier about this party that was established here, in Homma. The party is Change 2011 and we are small but energetic. 

We are openly critical towards the present immigration scheme that has almost nothing to do with the real asylum seekers, but rather welcomes people with no intention of becoming valued citizens - rather the opposite: the society deteriorates because of them and CEAS is promising us even more of this good.

I wish more Swedes were like you, but, all in good time. Also a warm welcome from my part. 

Why did you not join PS, what is the difference between your party and them?

Thanks for all your nice words. I wish the sweds were more like you guys

[AstaTTT]

Why is Swedish peoples party so pro mass immigration?

My five pennies worth: because they have privileges, they want certain (arrogant) immigrants here demanding their privileges so that the Fenno-Swedes can keep theirs.

I just looove the chaos theory. 
---

Oh, you posted a message before I sent mine, so the answer is: I did join the PS party but noticed pretty quickly that my heart beats stronger for the ideas of direct democracy and the freedom of speech. Therefore Change 2011. (PS still holds a place in my heart.)

[-PPT-]

Do you remember a party 20 years ago called Ny Demokrati? They were very anti-immigration in their rhetoric and in the TV-debates all other party-leaders walked out in a protest against such a racist party participating the election.

They got through the eelctoral threshold of 4% in 1991 but they were a one-term wonder. However, many of their policies have later been implemented by the later governments of Sweden.

[nurkkakuntalainen]

Why was he comvicted?
Islam is a paedophilia religion because of the fact that Muhammed was a paedophile and he is the best example of how to live for all muslims. It's like 1+1=2.

Exactly. He got his blasphemy conviction by saying something like: "The Prophet Muhammad was a pedophile, and Islam is a religion sanctifying pedophilia, that is, a pedophile religion. Pedophilia is Allah's will."

His incitement conviction came from saying "Looting passers-by and living on the taxes is the Somalis' national, perhaps even as a genetic characteristic.". He said that it was a parody of a newspaper article, which said that killing people when drunk is maybe a "national, perhaps even as a genetic characteristic" of the Finns (the people. Byt the way, the True Finns party also calls their parliamentary group "The Finns" in English, which is not considered so good thing by some people.).

Mr. Halla-aho wanted to demonstrate the inconsistency that you can say something bad about Finns without being prosecuted, but you can't say that of the Somalis.

[foobar]

Why is Swedish peoples party so pro mass immigration?

Numbers of native Swedish speakers are not exactly in rise. The change is dramatic from early independence, when sizeable portion (20%?) of population was Swedish-speaking, and vast majority of financial wealth was congregated to swedish-speaking families. Not all Swedish-speaking Finns were wealthy by any standard, but wealth that was was largely built on privileged position in the class society.

Swedish-speaking Finns are - somewhat understandably - concerned of their dwindling position in the society. Unfortunately this also connects to class elitism - such as "God-given" right to educational institutions which keep them away from the "common folk" - Finnish-speaking Finns, that is. Either it's lack of sense of reality, or cold calculating attitude that's behind Swedish Peoples' Party attitude towards immigration. Minorities have special right to special benefits. Majority - how convincingly Finnish-speaking Finns in this case - don't. They're the taxpayers. Speaking Swedish makes a minority rightfully more privileged in itself, many of them think. Immigration is some sort of a lever to these people, hopefully creating bigger "pro-minority" effect on Finnish politics. Different rules for different creeds, that seems like unquestioned attitude among many politicians, not just SFP politicians - because the party has had much stronger position in Finnish politics than what its' size would mandate.

Of course, it's not all that simple. There are various paths on the side - like Swedish-speaking greenhouse farmers which benefit from foreign workers not knowing their rights properly, but financially supported by the society when troubles occur. Most important part is that SFP even more than other parties (none of which has almost ever reached absolute majority in politics) can trust that their projects are mostly funded by "others." Maybe this is not an unbiased opinion, but my feeling is that most of the politically prestigious SFP members don't consider Finnish speakers entirely human, with real right of decision on their own matters. This attitude really stains their own reputation - but obviously not enough to be pushed away from rather successfull position in inner circle of Finnish politics. (SFP has been continuously on all governments since early seventies, if I remember correctly. No other party has succeeded in that.)

True Finns are repeatedly demanded to shake away any sympathies for "racism", or whatever they call it. SFP has its' own dark history - with Axel Olof Freudenthal, highly valued member of svekoman movement in the 19th century. His opinions on speakers of Finnish and Swedish were outright racist in favor of Swedish speakers, and prizes named after him are still given at this time. Yet, somehow it's fine to be Freudenthalian, but it's bad to support idea that even immigrants would be responsible of their own life and actions, despite their "better" creed (which strangely enough, shows up as higher unemployment and crime rates).

In general, SFP is laser-gazed single-focus party. If something benefits Swedish speaking minority, to hell with thought how it affects the majority. If something causes even a minor dent in their benefits, it's unacceptable. It's understandable in some ways, but what is a bit hard to understand how they can unite people from extreme conservatives to communists under this single cause - cause of special privileges to Swedish speakers. In a way it feels that the minority has effectively hanged itself by this single-interest attitude. No matter what they do, majority of their minority votes the party. As result of rather lacking competition, they just don't have corrective feedback on the manner other parties may experience.

[Defend Finland!]

Ja, hur har det kunna gå så för Svenska folkpartiet? Idag kännetecknas det av två saker; en liberal kriminalpolitik och massimport av muslimer. Just de faktorer som förstör Sverige. Ifall vi går 50 år tillbaka i tiden så var SFP ganska annorlunda, ett socialkonservativt parti med en agenda liknande SD:s idag.

Tänk oss Sfp för 50 år sen och låt oss jämföra två politiker i partiet. Vi kallar den ena Sven och den andra Alwar.
Sven har rykte om sig att vara en rakryggad fosterländsk man. Står klart till höger och man vet att han varit med om tuffa saker under krigen och också själv visat sig hård och tuff. Sådana karlar respekteras inom väljarkåren.

Alwar lutar långt åt vänster, är en radikal pacifist med religiösa förtecken. Inom partiets väljarkår ser man inte med blida ögon på hans agenda. Men, å andra sidan förstår man att han är med som kandidat för att locka de religiöst färgade pacifisternas röster i Närpes, Korsnäs, Munsala osv. Dessa skulle annars gå till kommunisten Georg! Det Sven står för är också partiets linje i stort.

Nu 50 år senare kan man med sorg i hjärtat konstatera att Alwars linje segrat helt och hållet och sådana som Sven skulle i dag stämplas som fascister och allt annat. Man kan säga att SFP av idag är Alwar + förespråkarna för massimmigration utan krav på de som kommer. Eller rättare sagt kräver SFP att ursprungsbefolkningen ändrar sig för att gå invandrarna till mötes.

Dessa personer var inga fiktiva politiker utan Alwar Sundell, vänsterinriktad pacifist och Sven Högström som var justitieminister på 1950-talet och hurudan kriminalpolitik han bedrev kan man gissa utifrån att då han satt  som krigsdomare under kriget så gav han som mest 9 dödsdomar under en enda dag.
Georg Backlund var hård stalinist och fångade också röster bland religiösa.
Denna korta historik skrev jag ifall Svensken förundrar sig över Sfp och dess nuvarande linje.

[Svensken]

Why was he comvicted?
Islam is a paedophilia religion because of the fact that Muhammed was a paedophile and he is the best example of how to live for all muslims. It's like 1+1=2.

Exactly. He got his blasphemy conviction by saying something like: "The Prophet Muhammad was a pedophile, and Islam is a religion sanctifying pedophilia, that is, a pedophile religion. Pedophilia is Allah's will."

His incitement conviction came from saying "Looting passers-by and living on the taxes is the Somalis' national, perhaps even as a genetic characteristic.". He said that it was a parody of a newspaper article, which said that killing people when drunk is maybe a "national, perhaps even as a genetic characteristic" of the Finns (the people. Byt the way, the True Finns party also calls their parliamentary group "The Finns" in English, which is not considered so good thing by some people.).

Mr. Halla-aho wanted to demonstrate the inconsistency that you can say something bad about Finns without being prosecuted, but you can't say that of the Somalis.

We are grown up here in Sweden taught that other people than whites can't be racists and that you as a swed always have privilege and all the immigrants on school always got positive special treatment. If they said something that would get a normal pupil on enormous trouble the immigrants just got a "be quite" or "sit down".

In Sweden it's perfectly legal to say very bad things about christians and white heterosexual people. But if you just discuss facts like HIV-statistics and sexual preferences you can get in trouble with the law. The law against hate speech is very rubber-like and can easily get you if you say the wrong things about the wrong people.

[Svensken]

Do you remember a party 20 years ago called Ny Demokrati? They were very anti-immigration in their rhetoric and in the TV-debates all other party-leaders walked out in a protest against such a racist party participating the election.

They got through the eelctoral threshold of 4% in 1991 but they were a one-term wonder. However, many of their policies have later been implemented by the later governments of Sweden.

Yes, I remember them. They destroyed a lot by being so stupid and red neck. The media of course attacked them like crazy. But when they got to power there were still much hope for Sweden... now... there is so little hope. In some elections time we will be like America, out numbered by minorities. Mitt Romney got 70% of the white votes, but about 90% of the minorities voted for Obama and the republicans will never win another federal election.

[Svensken]

Asta Tuominen, foobar, Defend Finland!

Very interesting to hear your views and explanations for why SFP do what they to Finland, thank you! They surely also watch SVT and learn a lot from there how to destroy things

But I see the point of a minority that thinks they will get better protection in a society with other minorities, that makes sense. It would be really nice to talk to these politicians in swedish and ask if they haven't learn anything from sweden, I newly read that Sweden has a bigger cost of school burnings than the whole of USA in absolute numbers.(http://fof.se/tidning/2012/7/svenska-skolor-brinner-mest)

It was very informative to know that the sweds were more % of the population earlier. Are the swedish minority in Finland growing or diminishing at the present?

By the way:

HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL!

[foobar]

It was very informative to know that the sweds were more % of the population earlier. Are the swedish minority in Finland growing or diminishing at the present?

I must correct my memory of their presence during early independence. Although at 17th century amount of Swedish speakers was around 16%, in 1910s it was down to around 11.5%. By the beginning of 1990s it was down to under 6%, and now it's under 5.4%, having had dropped around 0.02% or so more or less every year during past decade.

It is, though, important to note how vast majority of wealthy and powerful families still in the sixties were "Swedish", at least by their name. (This doesn't mean they all of them would have ever been Swedish-speaking, though - large portion of Finnish families had Swedish surname in past centuries, and primarily the Finnish language movement made them adopt a Finnish-language surname roughly between 19th and 20th century.) Drop on this prominence in this regard and as a "language of better folk" has been much faster than drop in population statistics.

Still, even efforts of SFP pushing immigrants to learn Swedish as their native tongue doesn't seem to be enough to stop the slow slide in statistics of their minority. Practically every Swedish speaker here is bilingual nowadays, often stronger in Finnish than "native" Swedish, and in a way it's understandable that they're concerned of their own culture. Some of their desperate actions may seem more sensible, if this background is taken into account.

One thing is important when speaking of Swedish-speaking Finns. They very rarely identify themselves as "Swedes", but precisely Swedish-speaking Finns. Åland islands may be an exception with strong attitudes towards Sweden and against Finland, but it's really an exception.

[foobar]

Why was he comvicted?
Islam is a paedophilia religion because of the fact that Muhammed was a paedophile and he is the best example of how to live for all muslims. It's like 1+1=2.

Exactly. He got his blasphemy conviction by saying something like: "The Prophet Muhammad was a pedophile, and Islam is a religion sanctifying pedophilia, that is, a pedophile religion. Pedophilia is Allah's will."

His incitement conviction came from saying "Looting passers-by and living on the taxes is the Somalis' national, perhaps even as a genetic characteristic.". He said that it was a parody of a newspaper article, which said that killing people when drunk is maybe a "national, perhaps even as a genetic characteristic" of the Finns (the people. Byt the way, the True Finns party also calls their parliamentary group "The Finns" in English, which is not considered so good thing by some people.).

Mr. Halla-aho wanted to demonstrate the inconsistency that you can say something bad about Finns without being prosecuted, but you can't say that of the Somalis.

We are grown up here in Sweden taught that other people than whites can't be racists and that you as a swed always have privilege and all the immigrants on school always got positive special treatment. If they said something that would get a normal pupil on enormous trouble the immigrants just got a "be quite" or "sit down".

In Sweden it's perfectly legal to say very bad things about christians and white heterosexual people. But if you just discuss facts like HIV-statistics and sexual preferences you can get in trouble with the law. The law against hate speech is very rubber-like and can easily get you if you say the wrong things about the wrong people.

Finnish atittudes during and after last Swedish elections showed that there's a difference of general attitude between Finland and Sweden. Public expression of opinions against treatment of SD didn't come just from the margins and extremists, but also prominent people of wide acceptance. There certainly are forces at work that attempt to turn Finland into Sweden in its' political climate of freedom of speech, but also strong anti-authoritarian sentiment that tends to keep these forces at least in some amount in check, and common folk are not exactly afraid to express their opinions. Although consensus is maybe over-valued, it's not demanded. People not involved in politics rarely have to fear, at least realistically, that their differing opinions would put them in big trouble.

Through its' political history Finland has had multiple internal crises where independence- or law-threatening movements have grown particularly strong. Especially after the second world war, these (mostly far-left) movements have been tamed by taking them in democratic process, instead of denying them the access to politics. In general, majority of Finns would seem to think this is the right way to go, and the other way would cause bigger troubles than what it resolves.

People with keen capability of being "upset" by differing opinions may get excess amount of visibility in the press, but the common folk is more geared towards the direction that sees it problematic that every party would be alike. Finnish politicians know that Finns are quite hard to command "from above" in ways that smell even a bit of authoritarianism, and this has kept diversity in political climate more alive than it would seem - at least form here - regarding Swedish politics.

[Lemmy]

The surnames don't necessarily say it all. You must understand, that until 1880's all higher education & government was in Swedish, that was the "official language", so if you went to court, the law was in Swedish, the sentence was written down in Swedish... A law was passed in 1902 that actually gave the Finnish language the official status!

So back in the day, if you weren't too thick-skulled and pappa had pengar, you went to school and learned Swedish and Latin, and got an education. Also, as your name was something Simo Simonpoika you changed it to Simon Simonius... or you ended up in the army and were given name Simon Ganskäckligt or something of the sort.  So that is how the surnames formed.... Jump then into the late 1800's and you get the "Fennoman" movement, so you get Aleksis Stenvall change his name to Aleksis Kivi. Hoplaa - national author.  But you also had people speaking Swedish as their first language change their names, and people then with a Swedish name who spoke Finnish who didn't... theres a lot of families with brothers that have say Holmbro, Saarisilta, Saari, Saarinen as their names, as it wasn't anywhere uniform how you changed or if you changed your name. There were also two "fashion" movements, in the late 1880's by the "Fennomans" who were upper class, and then later on after the independence for the "common folk" - some of which had no surnames.

So then the language in the family... upper crust spoke of course Latin, French and Swedish, officials, anyone with a government job, anyone in service, Swedish. There was also a lot of working class, especially on the coast and industrial cities that spoke Swedish. But as people travelled more, there was more intermarriages, the language of the family was usually decided by which school and which mates the kids hung around with, and Finnish won out. Only in the 80's and 90's you got - along with allowing "dialects" in schools - the revival of Swedish language, to put the kids of mixed-language couples in Swedish schools.

Which then brings us back to the "better people" question, as if theres a Finnish school, and a Swedish school - the "cultural enrichment" usually ends up in the Finnish one. And as there isn't much if any "hairy-arsed metalworker" class left in the Swedish-speaking community, the parents are upper-middle-class almost by default.