Rascism in Sweden ?

[Renata]

I hear a lot about rascism in Sweden. Is this true?
Or is it as common as in other european countries?

[rodneymackinnon]

Racism is pretty common everywhere. It's like greed or lust.

[Schnuffelchen]

I think there's a very important difference between racism in Sweden and in some othjer european countries, say England or Greece: Racism in Sweden is very dangerous, because it is to a very high degree organised.

[bosse_s]

I am not so sure about that the racist are well organised in Sweden. The National Socialisic Front (NSF) had about 700 members at its "peak" a couple of years ago - mostly youngsters (I guess) that are not so well in to the ideology that they are claiming to believe in. They are probably even fewer members now since some guys did some pretty nasty stuff that does not look so good for a "patriot" (like the killing of two swedish cops/family fathers in Malexander a couple of years ago).

I would say "pretty dangerous (like any individual with the will and the weapons of violence), but not that well organised". But I could be wrong there.

[shajar]

Rascism is common in the entire world
I think it is very much in my country INDIA.
Here it is another form as thet of Religion.

so I dont believe i rascism, It we "Human Beings" who made all this.Just ignore them and hope for brighter future

[RenaissanceMan]

I am an American living in Sweden. To me, the country is very racist. Not only are there world-famous neo-Nazis putting out CDs, but even ordinary people look down on foreigners. You might say, well, France has a far right party, and so does Austria. But there's a difference. In Sweden, there is no far-right party in politics, maybe because it's most people's view. An anti-immigrant party is not needed.

I've heard that Umeå is the most immigrant-friendly city in the country.

[Milou_7]

Really?? i didn't know that!

to me it is strange that lots of immigrants vote for the socialistic goverment.
They should know by now that most of the racists vote for that party too.

Swedes who have less money, less education look down upon immigrants so they can feel better about themselves.. they are not in immigrants level, they moved one level up, thanks to the immigrants!

thats is the worst kind I know!

PS:
Smarta immigranter röstar för Moderaterna

[Milou_7]

well, when people say that there is racism in every country..IT is NOT the issue here.. It doesn't justify Swedes behaviour just because there is racism somewhere else. We are talking about Sweden!

[bosse_s]

Well, Milou - your "political review" is strange. Voting for the moderater does not make poor people rich, so the problems of "poor" being ignorant does not solve the problem you are refering to.

If you know anything about swedish politics, you should know that suggesting immigrants to vote for Moderaterna is not - or rather have not been - a wise choice. It may be today, but that is mainly because of the more radical young moderats who have been trying to break up w/ the older conservative view upon immigrants and immigration within the party. I am not saying that one should vote for the Social democrates because of this. Absolutely NOT!

How do YOU know that most racist vote for the Social Democrates? And in what way is it smart of a immigrant to vote for especially the Moderaterna? I really like to know, because I really don't know.

[Milou_7]

1)How do YOU know that most racist vote for the Social Democrates?

2)And in what way is it smart of a immigrant to vote for especially the Moderaterna? I really like to know, because I really don't know.

1)You have to be blind if you dont know!

2)If you go to http://www.moderaterna.se and read their program, then you will know why it is smart of an immigrant to vote for Moderaterna!

[bosse_s]

Good reply, Milou. I must be blind, I guess! How would I know that most racist are Social Democrates!? I do not have a clue, so that is why I asked you. I rather get a good explanation then a stupid answer.

It is perhaps not strange that "poor people" feel that they have more problems with people who they claim take their job oppurtunities etc. This "enviness" maybe comes from those who are not so well educated and well situated. We'll probably find many Social Democrates and Left Party people among those people.

But on the other scale, among the "rich", you have the people in power-positions, those who have a great influense on immigrants life situation (employers for example). The Moderates are probably doing a good job for the immigrants in their party programme, but I think you'll find just as many racist people there as anywhere else.

(But I am not sure which is worst: the "intollerance of the uneducated poor" or the "intollerance of the educated rich". I guess it depends on the situation. And I am not sure which is easiest to deal with. I would think that it easier to help the poor and uneducated to get more wealth and educatation than to reform the conservatives?)

If I was an immigrant I would probably be interested in the party that had most immigrant members. I am not sure which party that is, but I am quite certain that it is not Moderaterna.

[Milou_7]

Sorry if I disappointed you but I was a Moderaterna member while i was living in Sweden.

[bosse_s]

That cleared things up a bit... But your statement still needs some explanation, though.

[Merecir]

If there is someone who shows their stupidity by what they vote on it's the people who vote for moderaterna.

Why on Earth would you vote for a party who the last time they where in power doubled the national debt and made 500k people unemployed... Oh yeah, that's what I call great politics. Not!

[Didac]

Without revealing my political believes I do think that the Social Democrats can be blamed for the situation in Sweden where a lot of immigrants cant "get in" (working life, society). When a company hires someone they must be really sure it's the right person, they will find it very hard getting him fired otherwise. Therefore companies haven't dared hire immigrants but rather take a "safe card", a Swede with documents and references they easily could check. Also young Swedes without working experience have been victims of this. When not getting jobs many immigrants started small, own businesses (Pizzerias for example) and now they are "locked" in those small businesses. When you have an own business and take out the profit as salary you are hit by very high taxes in Sweden, as long as the profit stays in the company the tax is low in a European perspective - but you must have money to shop with, a salary. Therefor you must make lots of money. The guy in my local pizzeria works for 13 hours a day including Saturdays and Sundays. Year after year..

I don't think racism in Sweden is very bad. I really don't. I have travelled some and I do think I would have noticed if the racism in Sweden where exceptional. I have seen documentaries from schools in USA were the black kids and the white kids where seated totally separated in the cafeteria, very strange. Of course you can find racism also in Sweden, a distant relative of mine (very distant, I might add..) talks about immigrants as "babianjävlar" (dont make me translate that) and shows real ignorance and he cant be the only one like that here, but I think its rare, I have never heard a colleague at work saying bad things about immigrants or immigrant jokes or so.

..about Moderaterna, that party have moved in a liberal way the last years. Before they had quite a restrictive view on immigration but now they are in favour of almost free immigration. Some years ago, In school, in a school project I read their vision "Land för hoppfulla" (a lot of it written by Mauricio Rojas) where they declares their views on immigration. I was really surprised, that was not the moderate party I knew. They have some good points, one problem today is that if you are not a refugee and comes from a non-western country you will find it nearly impossible to get permit to stay here, getting working permit is very hard. I think that's wrong, also non-refugees should be able to come. Recently I heard that they wanted to introduce a green-card system like they have in USA.

Sincerely, David