Unintended Consequences of Modern Value Shifts

The world has changed significantly in this millennium. What used to be considered normal, even self-evident, is today not always even acceptable.

A startling example of this change appeared in Finland when two schoolboys got into a fierce fight, throwing punches and kicks at each other. A teacher tried to break it up by ordering them to stop, but to no avail.

So the teacher finally grabbed one of the boys and lifted him out of the situation. The hitting and kicking stopped, and no one was seriously injured.

But then something completely unexpected happened. One of the parents filed charges against the teacher, claiming that milder methods could have been used. What those methods might have been—given that the teacher had already ordered the boys verbally to stop—has never been explained publicly.

In any case, at the parents’ initiative, a legal process began that lasted a full year and a half before the prosecutor decided that the teacher’s actions would not be taken to court. It is clear that this time was extremely difficult for the teacher.

We can only guess how such a case will affect teachers’ willingness to intervene in schoolyard fights—not in a positive direction, surely. And for that reason it must be said that, as a consequence of the case I have described, school life likely became a little less safe than it once was.

For my part, I see this case as yet another indication that the value shifts of the 21st century—BLM, DEI, Woke culture, intersectional feminism, and so forth—do not make the world a better place. Instead, they seem to be leading to a decline in care for one another, double standards, less openness, and increasing social polarization in all kinds of ways, despite the fact that the stated aim was the exact opposite.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Has Modern Education Strayed Too Far — and Is It Time to Change Course?
Library Scrubs Queer Creator’s Character from Moomin Exhibit
Why Finnish Youth Are Abandoning the Green Party

The Finnish Stabber Has a Long Track Record of Violence

I wrote yesterday about the mass stabbing that took place in Tampere, in which a Finnish man injured four people. Over the course of today, more information about the case has come to light, prompting reflection on the fairness of the Finnish justice system.

The Finnish Broadcasting Company (Yle) has reported that the man arrested for the crime has previously been convicted of multiple violent offenses. He was charged with attempted manslaughter for an incident in June 2023, in which he stabbed a sleeping acquaintance in the stomach.

However, in January 2024, he was only convicted of aggravated assault, assault against another man, illegal threats, two cases of property damage, and obstruction of an official. According to the verdict, he was supposed to serve a total of two and a half years in prison.

Last month, the stabber also received another six-month prison sentence for assaulting a victim in the fall of 2021. In that case, he had repeatedly struck the victim in the head, strangled them, and beaten them in the upper body with a metal pipe. At the time, he was on probation. He was sentenced to only six months in prison, as his previous conviction for aggravated assault was considered a mitigating factor.

In addition, the man was sentenced to three years in prison for three robberies committed in 2020, when he was 18 years old.

In light of all this, we must ask how the justice system intends to respond to the man's actions from yesterday when the case eventually goes to court. Will he again be granted sentence reductions and be allowed to endanger others’ safety after serving only a short prison term?

Or will the court finally recognize that this is a person who, with near certainty, will sooner or later end up killing one of his victims, and who therefore must be kept behind closed doors for the rest of his life? And if it doesn’t, is it prepared to take responsibility for the death of an innocent person?

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Multiple Stabbings Reported in Tampere, Finland
The Stabber Killed Three People in an Extremely Multicultural City
Why Were Violent Protests Acceptable for George Floyd but Not for the UK Child Murders?

Warnings from Jussi Halla-aho and Igor Girkin About Europe's Near Future

The Speaker of the Finnish Parliament, Jussi Halla-aho, stated at the Conference of EU Parliament Speakers in Budapest that Europe's biggest and most urgent challenge is to learn from the mistakes made after the Cold War, as Russia poses an immediate threat to European security.

He noted that it is not enough for us to rebuild our own defense and help the Ukrainians—nor is it even enough that Russia’s neighboring countries do their part. Instead, the major EU countries must do more.

At the same time, he reminded that those countries which benefited from European solidarity during the financial crisis, the migration crisis, and the COVID crisis must now show similar solidarity towards the EU's and NATO’s eastern border states. Only in this way can Europe survive future crises.

Speaker Halla-aho also recalled the serious mistakes made over recent decades, stating that "many European countries built their economies on cheap Russian gas and oil, ignoring the risks and warnings. Most European countries dismantled their defense capabilities, believing that traditional military threats were a thing of the past and that the United States would endlessly pay for our security. Moreover, the whole of Europe is dependent on China—from raw materials to industrial production."

Much needs to be corrected now, just as Russia and Ukraine are—perhaps—expected to sit at the negotiating table in Turkey to make peace. More precisely, a peace that would allow the Russians to prepare for their next imperialist strike against Europe—very much in line with the precedent set by the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact.

* * *

Of course, peace in Ukraine is not yet certain, but that does not change the fact that European leaders would do well to listen carefully to Jussi Halla-aho, who has time and again been right in his assessments. This also applies to immigration from developing countries into the EU.

That is why he reminded politicians and the press—also in Budapest—that "instead of panicking over President Donald Trump or similar movements in Europe, we should understand that more and more ordinary citizens are voting for them for a reason. People have genuine and legitimate concerns about the changes happening around them. Mass immigration from third countries is probably the most significant of these concerns."

He also reminded that well-off people—such as politicians—are more or less shielded from the negative effects of immigration, such as violent crime and the segregation of schools and residential areas. Less affluent people, on the other hand, experience these effects, according to Halla-aho, "in their everyday lives."

As a result, societies in EU countries are becoming polarized and fragmented, so "we must ensure that citizens feel their voices are heard and that their hopes, fears, and concerns are taken seriously."

It remains to be seen how carefully and seriously the speakers of EU member states listened to Halla-aho’s remarks—and whether they will pass on what they heard to their national governments for action. They certainly should, because—as I said at the beginning—Halla-aho’s views have repeatedly proven correct, and I do not doubt that the same will be true for the points made above.

* * *

Finally, I want to inform you, dear readers, that Russian FSB Colonel Igor Girkin has predicted that Ukraine will gain the upper hand in the war this summer. According to him, "the Ukrainian Armed Forces have gathered reserves, while the Russian Armed Forces have exhausted their capabilities... The next Ukrainian assault could begin at any moment."

Girkin also does not rule out the possibility that the upcoming Ukrainian offensive could result in major territorial losses for Russia. That is yet another reason why major EU countries must now take Ukraine’s military assistance seriously—so that Girkin’s prediction may come true, and Europe's security situation could improve, at least for a time.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Diplomacy Without Rituals: What Awaits as Finland’s Speaker Halla-aho Visits China?
Are We on the Brink of World War III?
A Finnish MP Resigned After Straining Finland-Russia Relations

Gun Violence in Brussels After Swedish Massacre

As the investigation into Sweden's Tuesday mass murder is still ongoing, something unusual happened in Brussels. There, two masked men opened fire with assault rifles outside a metro station, though no one was injured.

Based on videos and photos taken at the scene, it appears that this time the perpetrators were individuals who had sought refuge in Europe from war and persecution, or at least their descendants—unlike in the Swedish massacre (as I had previously suspected). However, the motive behind their shooting remains unknown.

In any case, photos of the shooters at the metro station have been published, and the public has been asked to help identify them. This may help bring to justice those who endangered people's safety.

It is, of course, a coincidence of sorts that firearm-related incidents occurred on consecutive days in both Sweden and Belgium. However, it should be understood that these incidents stem from the societal developments of recent decades, which have led to rapid demographic changes in Europe (example) and, as a result, the polarization of different population groups.

Recognizing these facts is essential in order to make the right decisions to halt this ongoing trend. Only then can European societies be restored to what the vast majority of their populations desire: safe for their residents and structured to provide the greatest possible well-being for their communities.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Swedish School Shooting with Automatic Weapon Highlights Nation in Crisis
Marxist far-right and bullies
Prediction: Sharia law in force in the United Kingdom, Belgium, and France by the year 2044

Strengthening Christmas Market Security: Lessons from Magdeburg

The motive for the Magdeburg terrorist attack remains unclear, and I will not address it in this text. Instead, I wonder how it was even possible for a vehicle to access the market area. After all, the security measures for Christmas markets had been recognized as extremely important in Germany ever since a similar attack in Berlin in 2016, when a man drove a truck into a market and killed 12 people.

For this reason, large concrete barriers had also been placed around the square in Magdeburg. However, a gap was left between the barriers for emergency vehicles, and it was through this gap that the terrorist managed to get through. This was done to ensure an evacuation route for a "conventional" emergency situation.

Of course, at this point, this sounds utterly foolish—as it undoubtedly is. Hopefully, it is now understood that the security measures for Christmas markets must prevent all types of vehicles from accessing the area, while providing a guarded and controlled access point for emergency vehicles, which is only opened when absolutely necessary.

This should also be implemented in countries other than Germany, including Finland and other nations where such terrorist attacks have never occurred.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Terrorism Landscape in the EU Contradicts the Narrative Presented by EU Politicians and Media
The Stabber Killed Three People in an Extremely Multicultural City
Cancellation of Taylor Swift's Concert in Austria Was a Success for the Terrorists

Safe Spaces or Freedom of Knowledge?

In my childhood, nearly all Finns were Christians. Most were Evangelical Lutherans, but there was also a small minority of Orthodox Christians. However, many had strong doubts about the literal truth of the Bible, yet this didn’t prevent them from belonging to a church community or lead to the removal of religious topics from schools.

Over the decades, however, more and more people left their church membership, and religious education in schools became optional for those not affiliated with any church. Additionally, due to immigration, more people of other faiths—particularly Muslims—settled in Finland, and arrangements were made to provide religious education for them as well.

Now we have reached a point where the child of an atheist Finnish family received 1,500 euros in compensation from their hometown for hearing about Jesus at a school event. And very recently, a performance of Baroque music was canceled in a Finnish school because it was seen as referencing Christian traditions.

These cases have led many Finns—including several atheists, among them one example, another, and a third—to speak out, asking whether an understanding of cultural history is no longer part of the curriculum. So far, there has been no response.

It is clear, however, that the cases described above show that Finland has gone too far in this notion of a “safe space.” Instead of preventing genuine issues, we’ve ended up in a situation where children are shielded from the realities of the world, which in turn weakens their readiness to navigate the often contradictory world of adulthood.

I hold this view firmly, not least because I don’t believe in gods, but also because I highly value people’s right to learn about all aspects of the world. Moreover, I believe such knowledge helps them succeed in an increasingly diverse world.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Hassan Nasrallah Has Been Killed, but Lebanon Is Unlikely to Become the Switzerland of the Middle East Again

The demands of the vandals
Demonstrations cause trouble in Helsinki and Sweden

Joe Biden Must Step Aside, But Can a Suitable Candidate Be Found?

The fragile president of the USA, Joe Biden, failed completely in his recent debate but is still aiming for a second term. This would very likely mean that Donald Trump will return to lead the USA.

This is bad news for the entire world. However, it would also be bad if Biden continues in power, especially if he is as senile as he appeared during the debate.

This is because the world needs a competent leader for the flagship of democratic nations. One who can find ways to defeat Russia in Ukraine, ensure that China doesn't even consider attempting to conquer Taiwan, and keep Islamist extremists in check.

For this reason, I really hope that Biden will withdraw his candidacy. But that is not enough; a replacement candidate must also be found for the Democrats, someone who can guide the Western superpower’s economy to continue growing, take an interest in global politics, and ensure internal security in the USA.

It is unfortunately clear that the Republican candidate, Donald Trump, is not such a person, but could a competent replacement for Biden be found? Someone intelligent, competent, and capable.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Brianna Wu's advice and the reality of Finnish politics
Biden's dementia and Trump's speeches may improve European security
Risk of dementia in the U.S. presidential elections

Putin's useful idiots in Finland

The flow of asylum seekers from developing countries organized by the Russians to their western border has prompted the Finnish government to prepare an emergency law proposal, which would allow the entry of newcomers to Finland to be blocked. The primary purpose of this law is not about trampling on the rights of people fleeing distress and persecution but about resisting the aggression related to Russia's hybrid warfare.

This has been well understood within Finnish parties belonging to the political right and center. The leadership of the Social Democratic Party of Finland also supports the emergency law, but the left wing of the party, like the extreme left and the Greens, is ready to oppose the law, that conflicts with international human rights agreements.

Since it is an emergency law, it requires a five-sixths majority in parliament to come into effect. And it is precisely this that the representatives of the left wing of the Social Democrats intend to block.

In doing so, they act as useful idiots for President Vladimir Putin, who is waging war in Ukraine and threatening its other neighbors. They open a channel for him to negatively influence Finnish society through hybrid warfare.

This is a significant change in Finnish politics, as the Social Democrats have understood the country's security needs since the Winter War of 1939-1940. But now it seems that this long tradition is about to be broken.

It remains to be seen what impact this will have on the Social Democratic Party. Will a rift develop between the party's realpolitik majority and the Putinist left-wing minority, ultimately leading to the division of the entire party?

And if this happens, will a new party that has grown from the minority gain popular support? And if not, will the politicians belonging to it perhaps join the Left Alliance or the Greens to promote Putin's freedom of action in Finland?

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Brianna Wu's advice and the reality of Finnish politics
Duck emphasizing the urgency of the new border law
Change of immigration policy and development cooperation

Risk of dementia in the U.S. presidential elections

In Finland and the USA, presidential elections are taking place. We have two middle-aged men facing each other, both in good health, with no significant decline in mental and physical condition expected in the upcoming term. In this sense, things in Finland are quite exemplary.

It's a different story in the world's leading superpower. The Democratic candidate and the incumbent president, Joe Biden, was born in the midst of World War II in 1942, making him 82 this year and, if he were to serve another term, he would be 86 at its end. At times, there have been signs of both mental and physical deterioration in him.

Biden's likely opponent in the presidential election is the former president of the USA, Republican Donald Trump. He is slightly younger than Biden, also an older man. Thus, it is clear that the onset of old age symptoms is likely for him during a potential upcoming presidential term.

If the scenario unfolds in the U.S. elections where these two candidates are pitted against each other, there is a significant risk that the grip of the world's leading superpower on realpolitik weakens. In the worst-case scenario, power transfers to the vice president, but a president turning senile may hold onto power for an extended period.

This, in turn, implies that undemocratic forces gain more weight in global politics. This is especially true for the strongest among them, China, but Russia will undoubtedly seek to exploit such a situation as well, potentially even militarily.

Therefore, it would be excellent if Americans across party lines understood that their country needs a younger leader, one likely to remain functional throughout his term. This is particularly crucial now, as European leaders believed that world history ended with the dissolution of the Soviet Union and allowed their crisis response capabilities to deteriorate – capabilities they certainly won't be able to fix over the next four years.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Military confrontation between China and USA highly probable in near future
Will China ally with Russia against Ukraine?
Leaders infected by a parasite

The change in the demographic structure of Helsinki

The Capitol of Finland - Helsinki - is not a huge city but rather a relatively big town with its ca. 660 000 inhabitants. It means that approximately 12 percent of Finns live in their Capitol.

According to current predictions, the population of Helsinki will grow up to 700 000 people in the following six years. But that will not be due to a baby-boom or even Finns moving from countryside, but mostly via immigration from abroad, which will be responsible of two thirds of the increasing population.

Even today, Helsinki may be considered somewhat multicultural town as only about 83 percent of people speak Finnish or Swedish (the official languages of the country) as their first language. Russian is the most common foreign language and is spoken by almost three percent of the population. That is followed by Somali, Estonian, Arabic, and English speakers with 1.8, 1.6, 1,3 and 1,1 percent share of the population. 

The figures above indicate, that most speakers of foreign languages have moved to Helsinki to work in Finland (e.g. Russian, Estonian and English speakers). In other words, they are contributing to the welfare of the city dwellers and whole country. 

However, in 2021 the number of people speaking domestic languages moving out from Helsinki was higher than the amount of those moving in. The reasons are unclear but may have to do with increasing possibilities of remote working, COVID-19 pandemic or increased violence in the streets of Helsinki. 

The big question in the future will be, what kind of immigrants Helsinki will attract in future. Will people move into the city due to its working possibilities or are they only looking for the benefits of the relatively liberal social welfare-system of Finland. And - as has been seen during the last few years - will they instead of working contribute to the criminal records. And thus reduce the quality of life in the town?

 

The answer cannot be provided yet, but it is clear that the immigration policy of the next Government of Finland will direct the development. The key question to be decided by voters in spring 2023 is, whether Finland will support possibilities for private enterprises to hire highly educated foreign workforce or if it rather opens Finland´s borders to masses of uneducated asylum seekers from the developing world. 

Interesting though, according to recent news, almost one third of Ukrainians - who escaped Russian aggression - have plans to live rest of their lives in Finland. They are hard working, and have not caused similar problems as people from Iraq, Somalia and Afghanistan who looked for protection in 2015 using the war in Syria as an excuse. 

Whatever will be the outcome on the politics of the next Government in 2023-2027, its will have a major impact on the future of the Capitol area of the country. In the best case, Helsinki may in future - largely due to the positive contribution of immigrants - be seen as an excellent option for people looking for sufficient income and decent living in a safe environment - but in the worst case the Capitol may develop towards a town with poor street safety but high taxes to support living of increasing non-working population. 

These two scenarios will provide the road make to the future of Helsinki - and ultimately the whole of Finland. Therefore, elections of the Finnish Parliament in 2023 are more important than normally. And voters should use their right to give their support to candidates only after a serious consideration.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Finland after the Russian war in Ukraine

Sweden already in trouble - Finland following
Vakartšuk of the Okean Elzy: Finnish history inspires Ukrainians