EVERY TIME I travel to other countries, I love to see fair, foreign people who work and take care of me; a foreigner for them. I relax when I see their commitment to local habits and culture they maintain from childhood to adulthood. I will do my best to be honest and open-minded to them as well.
Finland has been a safe and neutral meeting point between the east and west.
President Urho Kekkonen put it into words: "In the question of war and peace we are not neutral. We are on the side of peace". That is a good way of thinking, let us maintain our independent countries safe and peace-supporting. That attitude makes a country a good neighbour to other countries and brings cooperation and friendliness between people locally and globally.
Justice is a word that can be misused. Real justice is more local and mental, rather than juridical legislation. Safety of villagers in their streets and the safety of the whole country has a common factor. United, caring people, who at the same time are strong keeping evildoers out. If we see something is destroying our good society, we must say it loud.
Under the Constitution of Finland, sovereignty belongs to Finnish people, and power is vested in the Parliament. The history of millenniums shows that countries where the local population works jointly, and where caring is real, are safest for their citizens. Those countries also live long and in peace. From the past, we also know many flourishing cultures have disappeared in generations when good principles have been forgotten.
International co-operation is important, but it may not lead an independent country to satellite state status. The first president of Finland K.J. Ståhlberg was worried about that. We may not forget history. Huge empires transformed many independent countries to faceless satellite states, neglecting all the needs of local people. The locality was often destroyed by distant rulers using "divide and conquer" methods. But empires always disappear because the remotely controlled model does not work.
In the Parliament House in Helsinki, there is a statue called "The Future", where a mother holds a small child in her hands. The child looks and waves the hand towards MPs and visitors on the balcony of the public gallery. It symbolizes the decisions made, affect the lives of future generations. That is what Parliament and all people around the world should remember. More important than enthusiasm over short term ideology, is a long term thinking of good and safe future for people. No matter what someone’s political view is, we make our future together locally and globally.
In Finnish we have an expression "Let's blow into mutual coal". It means "let's do good things together". I love Finland and all the countries who maintain the idea we are not living selfishly just to ourselves today, but jointly for a good future.
Let us keep Finland as Finland is. Let us keep other countries as their cultures are. Let us all support the future by keeping our countries good places to live for their true citizen. During these coronavirus times, honest co-operation, unpolitical justice and local caring are more important than have been for a long, long time.
But how do you see Finland? What is your honest view?
Veijo Niemi
Member of Parliament of Finland, Finns Party.
Photo (Image Credit) Timo-Olavi Jalkanen
This article was written for MP Talk, a regular column from the Helsinki Times in which Members of The Finnish Parliament contribute their thoughts and opinions. All opinions voiced are entirely those of the contributor and do not necessarily reflect the viewpoints of the Helsinki Times.
MPs are welcome to contribute by sending their columns to the editor: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
