The Finnish women were the first in the world with the right to elect and be elected and that over a century ago at 1906. Just think that the rest of the western world followed as late as 1950s and 1960s. Finland prides to hold the top position in the list of the less corrupted countries globally, to have one of the best education systems, one of the best welfare states and one of the most secure countries all around the world. But the last decade Finland also has a very dark cloud that overshadows the country the last decade and unfortunately has veiled with a very dark shadow today’s national elections. I have said it a lot of times in the past and unfortunately Finland makes it for one more time timely, tolerance is the weakest part of democracy. Tolerance to everybody even to the ones who fight democracy and bring out the worst part of the human nature; thirst for power under any cost. Covered under the so fashionable lately identity of the Euro-sceptics a party that only by its names betrays its real identity has come the last decade to test the Finnish democracy and her tolerance. The True Finns.
A party that never explains what their name stands for, who the “true Finns” are and what identifies them but the same time vomitingly preaches xenophobia, prejudice and racism. A party that in a manifest a month ago stated that even art and education should be Finnish-centred in a world were Finns have immigrate to every single country; a political party that with populisms drifts a nation into a political abyss. A party than in the parliamentary elections of 2007 got 4.7% threatens today in the year 2011 to get more than 18% in a country where parties get less than 25% maximum and governments are a result of coalitions. A party that chillingly reminds another national-socialist party that combined in the same way left-wing economic policies with extreme conservative social values
Whatever is the percent the True Finns will take by the end of this evening if it is more than 5% it will be a victory for the darkest side of the Finnish democracy and the higher the percent the darkest the future of the country. The worst is that one way or another True Finns have already won from the minute their fear veiled the actions of the whole country. They won the minute the rest of the parties including the so called Finnish Green party had to prove how Finns they are and they won the moment all the parties changed their policies turning and focusing their campaigns to immigration and non-Finns in general. And fear.
You can see the fear when you deal with any kind of state services. You can feel it that …you are not so welcome anymore. The True Finns have spread fear in all the society and this unfortunately is a victory for a party that stands on fear, a party that pumps power from fear. Even the Christian-Democrats in Finland lost their merciful characters and they have become a homophobic and xenophobic cult that declared that only Christian immigrants should be welcome in Finland.
For the next few hours thousands of Finns will stand in front the poll and vote for the next parliament and in extent for their next government. Let’s hope that all these people will feel the responsibility not only for all these things they are proud off but for all these things they want to be proud for and xenophobia and racism I’m sure are not included.
Last not least remember what I wrote a few days ago quoting the German Pastor Martin Niemöller:
First they came for the communists, and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a Jew.
Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me.
