True Finn MP plays the Nazi card

You all might remember the quote "Whenever I hear the word culture, I reach for my gun." It's frequently misattributed to Hermann Goering, but it actually comes from a pro-nazi play called Schlageter. People usually quote this to point out the brutality and violence of the national socialist regime, well normal people do that. True Finn MP Jussi Niinistö whom I've blogged about before apparently uses the phrase completely without irony.

Jussi Niinistö, you can't see his hands but they're reaching for his gun

Helsingin Sanomat reported that in a parliamentary session this Tuesday, Jussi Niinistö said he is a strong proponent of expanded presidential powers, and that "whenever I hear the word parliamentarism, I reach for my gun". Let's just re-iterate that this quote is frequently raised as an example of the despicable brutality of the nazi regime, it's certainly not a phrase that is in common use in Finland and would probably be in itself enough to send you to prison in Germany. Needless to say, this caused quite a bit of a scene in the session, and probably will haunt mr Niinistö for months to come.

Jussi Niinistö: lets form paramilitary groups to attack gypsies

Jussi Niinistö, the True Finn chairman of the parliamentary committee on defence (and a nationalist nutter), said today that Finland should consider arming paramilitary groups in Finland. According to Niinistö's proposal would be formed following the example of extreme right-wing Jobbik party of Hungary, where said groups are known to parade in formation wearing black shirts and violent attacks on gypsy settlements. Like Niinistö proposes, these vigilante attacks are funded and approved by the Hungarian police force who have been spotted laughing on the sidelines as skinhead thugs terrorise Roma people in their own houses, breaking windows and shouting racist slogans. Apparently the defence committee chairman in Finland thinks things like this are desirable and needed.

"This is what Finland needs!" -Jussi Niinistö, 2011

Surprisingly enough, groups such as these are not new to Finland. It was last tried in the Finnish civil war and it resulted in over 20,000 executions of suspected leftist sympathisers in summary executions and concentration camps, and over 30,000 deaths overall in a country with a population of about 3 million.  Following World War II such groups were disbanded in accordance with the Paris peace treaty. They were also banned in Hungary, but re-established after the downfall of the communist regime and the rise of populist right wing parties.

The results

I heartily suggest everyone read the blog Gyöngyöspata Solidarity, just to get an idea of what is about to happen in Finland. Not a day goes by without Iltalehti reporting another 'gypsy crime', or someone in Helsingin Sanomat calling for the deportation of all Roma people from Finland. If you're wondering why the True Finns should not be allowed anywhere near power, Jussi Niinistö his lunatic opinions are enough reason. And the kicker? Jussi Niinistö is widely considered to be one of the moderate True Finn MPs.

Halla-Aho takes lead of parliamentary committee, so does Niinistö

Every single news outlet reported today that Finland has its first openly racist leader of a major parliamentary committee. The governmental committee in charge of things such as immigration, weapons policy and police force will be chaired by none other than our friend, blogger and popular racist Jussi Halla-Aho. Another confirmed committee chair from the True Finns is Jussi Niinistö who will chair the defence committee. No argument here about Niinistö, whose credentials in matters military or political can hardly be questioned. His judgment maybe, but not his credentials.

*places hand on forehead* "It is... relieved"

But all may not be as bleak as it seems, since this most likely means that the easy path into ministership ends here for Halla-Aho. It is not possible for one to hold a committee chairmanship as well as a ministerial seat in the Finnish system. It is expected that the True Finn leader Timo Soini, who is at this writing the chair of the foreign relations committee, will resign his seat in order to take up a ministerial role in the near future, but Halla-Aho blogged recently in a rare moment of honest introspection that he would not in fact be qualified for a ministerial role. According to his post he prefers to stay quote unquote behind the scenes. And it is there where he truly belongs, I'm inclined to add. In all seriousness though, let's do as Halla-Aho's blog requests and not contact him or criticise him. In fact, let's forget all about him and let him become a faceless bureaucrat in a machine he pretends to rage against.

In fact it is not likely that Jussi Halla-Aho will influence Finland's immigration policy much at all. His post as a committee chair will only grant him influence in as much as getting a deciding vote in case of a tied vote. And even then, his proposed policies would be subject to parliamentary scrutiny and should it come to that, an open vote. If I was to make a prediction, the new National Coalition led coalition will get rid of the immigration ministry entirely, probably merging it with either the ministry of interior or foreign ministry and call it prudence. Should this be the case, the 'halla-ahoist' anti-immigrationist fringe will be contained for at least another four years, perhaps forgotten entirely.

Let's take a look at future defence minister Jussi Niinistö

True Finn leader Timo Soini has named Jussi Niinistö, professor from the Finnish National Defence University, a possible contender for a ministerial seat. In all probability that would be the defence minister's seat. He certainly has the credentials for it, being a lieutenant in the Finnish Army and a well respected lecturer on all matters military. He was also the True Finn campaign manager in their successful campaign for Parliament 2007 and Timo Soini's campaign for European Parliament 2009. But that's not all there is to Jussi Niinistö, he has another side as well. A dark and hilarious side.

"FINLAND NEEDS YOU" -a really buff version of the 7up dude

According to the newspaper Uusi Suomi, he was a member of the radical "White Culture Front", writing reverent articles for their newsletter on such luminaries as Vihtori Kosola, the leader of the fascist IKL in the 1930s. Mr Niinistö has referred to his involvement with the White Culture Front as a youthful error, and to be fair he was around 20 years old at the time. Be that as it may, a visit to the blog of the far left anti-fascist committee of Finland is highly recommended if not for anything else but funny pictures.