Managing Societal Change with a Growing Muslim Population

Of the "vulnerable" refugees who have come to Sweden, 79 percent have returned to vacation in the country they fled from due to distress and persecution. Additionally, 81 percent of those who have arrived from outside Europe intend to remain in Sweden for the rest of their lives, regardless of how the human rights situation develops in their home countries.

There are no similar statistics for Finland, but I believe they would be quite comparable. Thus, it is clear that both Sweden and Finland - as well as most other European countries - will have to continue living with a growing Muslim population that tends to avoid adopting the Western way of life.

It would be wise for the political leaders of these countries to recognize this issue, so they can take corrective measures. In my view, key steps include reducing the pull factors for those considering coming from Muslim countries and improving the conditions for societal success for those who have already arrived in the Nordic countries.

In this regard, I consider the most important issue to be reducing the prevalence of consanguineous marriages - which are typical in many immigrant groups - through education and legislation. This is because it would reduce the mental and physical health problems that - due to recessive gene traits - occur more frequently in immigrant communities than in the general population.

It is also important to ensure that special attention is paid to women’s rights and status in the education of immigrant children. This should start in preschool and continue in schools, making it clear that all people are equally entitled to the same rights.

As a sign of this, the wearing of face-covering garments should be banned, and there should be no special services for women, such as separate swimming times, which are in reality aimed at Muslim women. These services are specifically rooted in gender inequality.

Third, I would address immigrant crime by ensuring that any immigrant convicted of a crime with a maximum sentence of over a year in prison is always and without exception deported back to their country of origin. This should be done even if the person has already acquired citizenship in their new home country. This could reduce the disproportionately high rates of drug, sexual, violent crimes and homicides among immigrants.

Fourth, I raise the issue mentioned at the beginning of this article about refugees vacationing in their home countries. Such behavior should naturally be seen as an indication that the person no longer needs refugee status, and it should be revoked. 

This is especially important if children have been taken back to their former home country to learn the customs of their own culture — and, in fact, to experience violence and/or be married off to a relative. In these cases, however, I would not send the child back to their home country, but would instead arrange for the parents themselves to return to their childhood homeland.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Society, Genetics, and the Impact of Consanguineous Marriages: At the Intersection of Education and Heredity
Drugs, Zombies, Girls, and Killers, as well as Swedish Deportation Flights
Important Changes Ahead: What You Need to Know About Finland’s Quota Refugee Selection