Well, it’s a funny old world that´s for sure. As a start that remark opens up a whole Pandoras box of responses which I will hopefully be able to tick off one by one as this newly started blog develops. As a computer/internet autodidactic you will as a reader just have to bear with me. Eventually I will be getting around to fixing and displaying a little more information about myself. I managed to squeeze in a photo, which was taken in Valparaiso last year and also indicates a few things about my person. I love to travel, have very little hair and am always wondering where I am going. If you can see a bottle in the picture, well, yes I love beer. On a more serious note I feel myself to be a true European with 3 countries I call home which of course is not plausible, thus Europe (EU) is my home. Why I write in English? There are several reasons, the most important being that it is the language I feel most comfortable with and don´t have to ask my wife to check the spelling although she does proof read with annoyingly good suggestions. More about me at a later date.
Two things attracted my attention in the news here in Sweden recently. Jämtland, a Swedish county, challenges the law concerning the distribution of refugees. Nothing new I thought as quite a few local councils had earlier voiced their discontent with being forced to receive a minimum number of refugees/asylum seekers. A law passed by the Swedish government to ensure costs are more fairly shared around the country. Apparently this law is very specific and regulates not only a minimum number of people but also a maximum number. Jämtland is one of several rural counties in Sweden that has a decreasing population and now sees its chance to do something about that by taking in a larger quota of refugees but is being thwarted by a law intended to do the opposite. ”We need these people” Well, whatever we´re talking about, as much as ”Pipe Dream” Swedish Democrats would like to have it, it is not xenophobia.
I have nicknamed the Swedish Democrats (populist party) ”Pipe Dream” as leading members were once filmed on the streets of Stockholm brandishing iron pipes to be used for whatever purposes only they can tell but conjures up nasty political images in my mind. ”Pipe Dream” as an expression also fits in nicely with with SDs political platform. In short, in Sweden, it will not work but remain a pipe dream. I am still convinced that we will not be seeing their leader Jimmie Åkesson as prime minister but hardly thanks to the political establishment who seem to have been doing whatever possible to increase SDs popularity. SD has been completely ignored and treated like something the cat dragged in. It seems to me that many Swedish voters do not like being told who or who not to vote for at the same time being refused a discussion on what worries them. This has resulted in a 17% mouse. Today Swedish minister for Justice and Migration, Morgan Johansson, debated with SD politician Mattias Karlsson about what is true about Trump´s words on Sweden. Back to normal? Then maybe we can soon chuck that mouse in the bin.
Ironically leader of the opposition, Anna Kinberg Batra suggested talks with SD a few weeks ago. Her party´s popularity decreased as a result. It´s a funny old world, that´s for sure.