This will most definitely be a long and aggravated post. I can no longer sit here in silence, we can no longer shut out the hatred and insanity that is going on in this world. We must raise our voices in protest, we must unite in the cause of spreading love, acceptance and freedom. We must stop this violence and hatred. Together we must make a change!
How can this happen?! How can this be acceptable? When will enough be enough?
All my life I've been proud to call myself Swedish. Sweden has been a country where I as a citizen have been granted a lot of privileges, things I would not have been offered had I grown up in let's say India or Singapore, or even almost any other country in the world. Sweden has given me "free" education even now on University level neither me nor my parents have paid a single cent to the university in fees. I've been offered free health care up until I was 18 (Still have free dental care). I have been paid to go to school, and no it isn't a loan it's a fee that you get every month to pay for text books etc, if you want you can take a loan on top off that and that of course you have to pay back, but the allowance you don't need to pay back.
All of these things and many more has allowed me to lead a rather privileged life in this country, and for that I am very grateful.
During my teen years I always saw Sweden as a very liberal, accepting and open minded country. We've been a nation that has accepted all people through different walks of life, regardless of their sexuality, religious views, ethnicities etc. Of course there are people that don't fit into the category of "open minded", but no country, government or nation is perfect. Nor will they ever be.
However. Over the last few months, maybe even years the climate has slowly, but steadily been shifting in our country. We have now started to debate more important issues like feminism, etc. The thing that scares and angers me the most though is the continuous hatred that seems to be growing towards refugees, or even just people with a different skin color. Almost daily a new hate crime is being reported in the news as a result of racism and hate. My once safe country, doesn't seem so safe anymore.
There's been numerous of refugee shelters that have been burned to the ground, a few months ago a mother and her son was stabbed to death at an Ikea store. The most recent event was a 20 year old BOY that walked into a school with numerous knives/swords killing a student, a student assistant and a teacher on the sole basis that they were not white or caucasian and didn't represent "the typical Swede". What's even more disgusting is that students were posing with him at the school because they thought it was a joke at first, he has also received support from people online.
Why is this happening? Why is this acceptable behavior? Why aren't the politicians or the media doing more to prevent these kinds of things from happening in our society? Why aren't people getting more educated? Why are we spreading fear and ignorance? Diversity is necessary for a society to grow and flourish. I am not only from a multicultural background, I am also female. Why should that put me in an even more dangerous situation? Why should my male friends have to walk me home at night in fear that I might get raped if I'm alone.
I've never felt more unsafe in my "safe" city then I do now, and that's CRAZY! I am not less then anyone else who's "purebred". Man I hate that word! I am not less smart, I don't have less worth, I am not a less honest citizen... I am just as fucking Swedish as I am Singaporean-Indian. And you know what?! I don't hold a Singaporean passport, not because I don't want to but because Singapore doesn't allow dual citizenships. And I still claim my Singaporean side, because it's a part of me and a part of my roots. My "non Swedish" friends aren't less Swedish then me. They might be born and raised here (like me), but don't have Swedish blood (unlike me), but they're still just as Swedish as I am.
Your passport doesn't determine who you are, it's just a document that states where you're from. I could easily give up my Swedish passport, move to another country and become a citizen there. Guess what?! I would still be fucking Swedish, because it's in my blood and because I lead a "Swedish" life, although I'm not sure what that means anymore.....
All I'm trying to say is that we need to stop this darkness, let love and light flourish. Sure, it probably sounds cheesy but I don't care. Because it's the God damned truth!
xxx
- Gaithri
Images via Google.
