From: tervio@katk.Helsinki.FI (TERVI| MARKO J)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.nordic
Subject: Re: Finns and Swedes and soc.culture.nordic
Summary: Bashers get off the network!
Date: 9 Nov 92 11:23:01 GMT
Organization: University of Helsinki, Computing Centre

In article <ksand-061192222739@wintermute.apple.com> ksand@apple.com (Kent Sandvik ) writes:

>Hello, I guess some people think that Finns and Swedes are constantly
>fighting each other in the Nordic countries due to ethnical problems 
>in both countries.

>I must just state that I was born in Finland, raised and educated in
>both languages, and I have lived in Stockholm/Sweden for 4 years 
>(actually I still have the apartment in Sundbyberg :-) ).

>And yes, there are issues. However Finland and Sweden are very quite
>and nice parts of this violent world, and you could walk around 
>five in the morning in the middle of Helsinki and speak Swedish
>without getting killed by an angry mob of Finns. And vice versa.

>It is fruitful to raise issues dealing with the Finns that emigrated
>to Sweden, and the Swedish speaking minority living in Finland. However
>just speaking from my own experience these issues will always be 
>present because people are people, and there will always be those
>that feel their rights have been violated. I'm proud because due
>to my background I've had a possibility to experience both cultures.

>So instead of complaining, can't we shake hands, and instead talk about
>why Sweden and Finland have one of the best social welfare systems in
>the world? And will they have them left five years from now?

>Cheers,
>Kent
>-------------------
>Kent Sandvik (UUCP: ....!apple!ksand; INTERNET: ksand@apple.com)
>DISCLAIMER: Private activities on the Net.

I'm glad someone's making sense here. I'd hate to see soc.culture.nordic 
become anything like soc.culture.yugoslavia!  To any non-Nordic UseNet users 
out there, all that ethnic quarrel that has been posted in tens of letters 
in this newsgroup lately (Assimilationspolitik...etc) is not an issue in 
Finland (or I believe in Sweden) at all.  There is however an ancient 
tradition of telling jokes about Swedes in the Nordic countries, all Finns, 
Norwegians and Danes that I have met know some.  That is not to be taken too 
seriously.  Travelling around Europe I've noticed that all us Nordics, also 
Swedes and Finns have very much in common compared to for example Italians 
or Germans. Common values, customs and even looks are usual and apart from 
little picking on we make very good friends.  

   I guess this tidal wave of bullshit and bashing in this newsgroup started 
when someone posted a letter complaining about the treatment of ethnic Finns 
in the autonomous province of Aland.  A couple of replies later a word of 
words had broken out between some Finns and Swedes here - and I'd say not 
any average ordinary Finns and Swedes either. This sort of quarrel seems 
to always attract certain types of people - even in such civilized countries 
that ours are. The vast majority keeps quiet and doesn't probably even 
bother to read those letters any more.

   Some facts about Aland, as it seems to be a hot topic for some.  It's
an autonomous archipelago off the south-west coast of Finland. It's  
ethnically almost completely Swedish. There are only 25 000 inhabitants,  
and belonging to Finland, which has 5 000 000 people (over 90% of which 
are Finns), the Aland people have always been worried about maintaining 
their identity.  Therefore they have created legal restrictions for 
the mainland people conserning political rights and right to own 
property i.e. houses in Aland.  Now that Finland is hoping to join the 
European Community these restrictions have popped up in the 
political discussion, because in the EC all countries are 
supposed to guarantee certain rights to the citizens of other 
member countries.  As of now, Aland is not guaranteeing those 
rights even to its non Alandic-Finnish residents.  Some have suggested, 
that Aland could stay outside EC even if the mainland joined (compare Faroe 
islands - Denmark). There have also been suggestions that Aland is maybe too 
cautious about Finnish influence on its soil. But I have not heard actual 
bashing anywhere but in this newsgroup. Aland is economically and 
politically  a quite  insignificant part of the Nordic countries.

           
Newsgroups: soc.culture.nordic