Kaalikääryle, ruskeakastike, yrttiperunamuusi ja puolukkahillo 18.4.2011

Tribute meal to Mr Soini

I do not feel obliged to cook and serve a "true finnish" diner to my finnish friends to prove them that I care for this country. And yet, since yesterday 20.00 gmt +2, I feel obliged to do it.

You see, I'm a french living in Finland.

One day, I've decided to leave my own country for the love of a finnish girl. and since then, I've never ever had one moment of regret. Ever.

I found a beautiful country, been welcomed with open arms by my in-laws, made great friends, met all sort of always nice people along the years. In short, I consider Finland as my country of adoption, my true home.

However, i have a strange taste in my mouth today. I can't help myself but to think that some finns may see me "the foreigner" at best like a guest, at worst... well, you get the picture.

Don't get me wrong. As french, member of the European Union, I know that I risk nothing. I'm safe.

... But what if I was black? Or from the middle east?

Some finnish readers who may have vote for Perussuomalaiset might say: "we're here in our country, we do what we want!" or "who the hell do you think you are to criticize the way we vote!" or "you dunno sh*t, go back to your country if you're not happy!" etc...

I'm a democrat. I respect the democratic principles. And I accept that people may have different opinions than me. But, when politicians use systematic stigmatization against specific groups of people like the immigrants (legal: they steal jobs - illegal: they live on welfare) or institutions like the EU (they strip us away from our national identity) as a political mean, my inner alarm system goes berseck. Do you really believe that if the EU does not help Portugal, economic growth will be back here tomorow morning? Really? I tell you what. If Portugal goes bankrupt, there's a potential - but nonetheless real - risk of domino effect. Spain for exemple, could be next. And so on. At the end of the day, it's not Finland, nor France who's the winner. It's the anonymous trader at the other end of the world, who speculates on countries debts like Greece or Portugal. The very same trader who initiated the worse economic crisis in decades with the subprimes system.

As for Mr Soini, well... we have the "Front National" with Le Pen (father & daughter) in France. So you see, I can't really give you lessons, even if I wanted to.

One last word though. If by some crazy circumstances, Mr Soini read this message one day, I'd like to say this: "dear sir, I'll continue to bang my finnish wife, eat the finnish bread, and to go to the finnish dentist." 

... And I love Finland!