Autumn meeting statement: All young Finnish people deserve to live in a society free from racism and hate speech

Political leaders must take responsibility for the normalization of racism and hate speech. Decision-makers, especially front-line politicians, hold significant responsibility for the language used and the behavior permitted in public discourse. By allowing racist speech, they imply it is acceptable. Mere apologies or expressions of regret  are not enough. Flirting with racism must stop, and there must be genuine zero tolerance through concrete actions and meaningful interventions.

Racism is not a matter of opinion. The racist attack on Lucia once again highlighted the reality of racism in Finland. This incident is not surprising, nor is it an isolated case. Rather, it reflects a long-standing societal trend in which discriminatory and racist language is normalized. No one needs horrified reactions about the issue anymore, what is needed is action from everyone to confront and combat it. The silent majority opposing racism must make their voices louder.

Every young person living in Finland deserves to feel safe, to belong, and to be accepted for who they are. Children and young people are equally exposed to the language and narratives in the media. The hate speech directed at Lucia underscored the narrowness of our understanding of Finnishness. In Finland, there are over 130,000 young people under 29 years old with one Finnish parent and one parent from abroad. Roughly one in ten young people is raised in intercultural families, and they are just as Finnish as anyone else. This is no longer a small minority.

Finland has always been multicultural, though this fact is often overlooked in public discourse. We have long-standing minority communities, such as the Sámi and Roma, who have lived here for centuries. There has never been a single, unchanging definition of Finnishness, it has evolved depending on who held power. Currently, those in power are fostering a dangerous narrative about who is considered Finnish and what can be spoken. Such words and ideas especially harm the mental health and well-being of our young people.These harmful perceptions of Finnishness affect the entire nation and everyone living here.

Racism affects every aspect of a person’s life and leaves lasting scars. Now is the time for political leaders to take a decisive stand against racism. If we aim to campaign for anti-racism, political leadership must set an example: end the tolerance of racist speech and address it with concrete actions. Anti-racism cannot remain merely words; it must be reflected in the actions of decision-makers, setting an example of how we speak about and treat others. Eradicating racism and hate speech requires tangible measures that directly support the well-being and sense of belonging of our youth.

More information:
Anu Kytömäki, puheenjohtaja, Familia ry, [email protected]
 
Elina Helmanen, toiminnanjohtaja, Familia ry, [email protected]