Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
After the recent attack in a Swedish school by Anton Lundin Pettersson, aged 21. It has now been established that the attacker had right wing sympathies.
I have raised the issue of Racism and discrimination in Sweden before only to be told I was wrong. Despite having lived in Sweden for two years and having a Scandinavian partner. I eventually left due to the discrimination I experienced (I run a software company in London and I worked as a Java developer in Stockholm)
Given the rise of right wing former neo-nazi parties like SD and frequent outbreaks of racist violence in Sweden, isn't it time to put to rest the idea that Sweden is a racial utopia (devoid of ugly racism). At best Sweden is no better than countries like Germany with regards to racism/integration and in my opinion is far behind nations like Britain and Ireland on this issue.
After the recent attack in a Swedish school by Anton Lundin Pettersson, aged 21. It has now been established that the attacker had right wing sympathies.
I have raised the issue of Racism and discrimination in Sweden before only to be told I was wrong. Despite having lived in Sweden for two years and having a Scandinavian partner. I eventually left due to the discrimination I experienced (I run a software company in London and I worked as a Java developer in Stockholm)
Given the rise of right wing former neo-nazi parties like SD and frequent outbreaks of racist violence in Sweden, isn't it time to put to rest the idea that Sweden is a racial utopia (devoid of ugly racism). At best Sweden is no better than countries like Germany with regards to racism/integration and in my opinion is far behind nations like Britain and Ireland on this issue.
There could be something to this, but I would not say Britain and Iteland are more tolerant than Sweden whatsoever. Maybe London, at least in the affluent parts like Chelsea or trendy Shoreditch, but I do believe there is strong nationalist or racist sentiment in other areas, particularly in struggling, post industrial areas in the Midlands or the north.
That being said Sweden is very tolerant save for those that support the Sverigedemokraterna. Your experience, however, is your experience. It is terribly unfortunate any of those things occurred.
This attack shows the danger of "crusader conservatives".
I agree, I know there are intolerant parts in the UK, but the whole point is that no one in Britain denies this.
I think people's views of Sweden are based on outdated view of how the country perhaps once was, especially when regrettably today the third largest party in the country is one with neo-nazi roots.
Lone wolves are a well known phenomenon, but as with Islamic terrorists they often arise where there is a fertile breeding ground for such views.
Unlike in Sweden, folks in the US drew a direct link between the underlying culture of racism in sections of society in the American South and the actions of Dylann Roof.
Last edited by nograviti; 10-23-2015 at 07:56 AM..
Along with the fact that the third largest party in Sweden SD has neo-nazi roots, you honestly wish to maintain the position that Sweden is still a racial nirvana..? Also that his views do not reflect a section of the Swedish population?
i've never heard anyone claim that sweden is a racial nirvana. it's only foreign ultra-liberal newspapers like the Guardian, or that ridiculous liberal radio-show The young turks, that still holds these delusions.
Along with the fact that the third largest party in Sweden SD has neo-nazi roots, you honestly wish to maintain the position that Sweden is still a racial nirvana..? Also that his views do not reflect a section of the Swedish population?
hmm...
No, I don't think you can extrapolate anything smart from the recent tragedy.
SD does not have neo-nazi roots. Jimmie Ã…kesson draws inspiration from other Nordic parties such as Dansk Folkeparti, Fremskrittspartiet and The Finns Party. All of the parties are rather strict when it comes to expressing pro neo-nazi opinions. In fact, it is not tolerated at all.
Also, like kronan123, I have never heard anyone claim Sweden to be a racial nirvana (lol). It's a country infected with political correctness to the extreme, but the Swedes aren't less or more racist than so many other Europeans.
PS. I love how you made sure to mention that you run a software company, which is totally unrelated to the topic. Remeber when I accused you of being a narcissistic? That was fun...
No, I don't think you can extrapolate anything smart from the recent tragedy.
SD does not have neo-nazi roots. Jimmie Ã…kesson draws inspiration from other Nordic parties such as Dansk Folkeparti, Fremskrittspartiet and The Finns Party. All of the parties are rather strict when it comes to expressing pro neo-nazi opinions. In fact, it is not tolerated at all.
Also, like kronan123, I have never heard anyone claim Sweden to be a racial nirvana (lol). It's a country infected with political correctness to the extreme, but the Swedes aren't less or more racist than so many other Europeans.
PS. I love how you made sure to mention that you run a software company, which is totally unrelated to the topic. Remeber when I accused you of being a narcissistic? That was fun...
Could you please address the direct questions in my post?
If Sweden is not a racial utopia, then is it fair to say that some sections of Swedish society are intolerant and that the country struggles with issue of racism and prejudice like other continental European countries?
Also please don't try to mislead people, SD does have direct neo-Nazi roots (unless you are an apologist for SD). It has direct origins in the Swedish Party which was formed from a merger of Bevara Sverige Svenskt and the Progress Party. The BSS was clearly racist with campaigns like "LÃ¥t inte din dotter bli en negerleksak" which translates as "don't let your daughter become a negro toy". Policies included repatriating all non ethnic swedes.
Next you will tell me that they are all wrong. Not to mention members like Kent Ekeroth who clearly has unsavoury views. A party attempting to constrain racist rhetoric and overt racist symbols in a party, doesn't mean that the party members do not hold racist views (with members who were former skinheads and others being caught out wearing Nazi armbands etc). Le Pen and the now reduced British National Party have all tried this well worn approach..
If we are going to debate this issue, at least be honest.
I included reference to my work as an oft repeated claim by Swedes to foreigners who struggle in Sweden is that they didn't have relevant skills. I did and still encountered racial problems.
So lets keep the debate about the issues and address my questions instead of already throwing aspersions on my character.
Last edited by nograviti; 10-23-2015 at 10:01 AM..
Reason: grammar
No, Anton Lundin Pettersson does not represent the Swedish population.
Nor does he represent the majority of people who subscribe to the range of views that can be characterized as "conservative"; yet he is immediately labeled "right-wing" by the supposedly open-minded "progressives".
Calling SD a neo-nazi party is as accurate as calling the Tories a fascist party. Sure there are some representatives within the party who have had far-right affiliations in the past, just like in the other Nordic similar parties mentioned by the Dentist, but that is nowhere the dominating feature and the parties don't promote dictatorships. They are first and foremost conservative parties, as the traditional main Nordic conservative parties have turned increasingly liberal with the years. For example in Finland the traditional conservative party the Coalition supports things like gay marriage.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
