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Discrimination is the same in any language. A reflection
of complicity in or resistance to inequality.
Complicity is doing or supporting an act that actively oppresses
or does harm to another. Social inequalities happen daily, we see them on the
News, for example, where there is a large disparity between higher and lower
socio-economic populations, and the homeless are visibly on the streets.
Complicity lies with those who voted politically for those currently in power,
those who work within the system of oppression, those who work within the
administration and continue working towards the goals of the takeover, those
who promote it among their families and social groups or on social media or
even now those who watch it happen and do nothing about it.
Resistance is the other side of this, where individuals are visibly and vocally against oppression. There are many of these figures throughout history who have become symbols of resistance for equal rights, for example, Nelson Mandela, who worked peacefully against apartheid in South Africa.
Examples of complicity:
Complicity
lies in those influential elements which shape society. This part can be hard
to identify so I refer to my above example.
What happens on a daily basis is that there are openly offensive
and racist slurs on radio without any consideration of its meaning or impact. The
radio station is complicit when it plays music with offensive language without
warning. For example, in Australia, a radio station is obliged to have a radio
version of a son which omits extreme language, including racial slurs. If it is
a radio station which does not censor, then the radio station gives a
forewarning about offensive language. This means then that DJs, producers,
management team and directors try in their own education to be able to pass
this level of critical thinking on to their listeners. This does not happen in
Finland.
For
example at many family dinners, senior members of the family speak of
newly arrived immigrants using the ‘N’ word in front of kids. Complicity in
staying quiet so as not to upset the status quo, yet glancing at the children
to check if they heard it.
The dynamics at play regarding the radio scenario - the assumed expectations of
the radio listener / the assumed pressure to be ‘cool’ and use ‘language from
the streets’ in order to maintain listener numbers. DJs even use the language
themselves. This filters down to the listener who subconsciously hears the
language being used regularly and celebrated by DJs without responsible
commentary.
Dynamics
in the home include the pressure to remain submissive to the older/ senior
family members. Another dynamic is that the Baby Boomer generation grew up
before political correctness became part of general knowledge. Finland is new
to immigrants finding space in their country and has had minimal exposure to
new cultures which therefore has reduced the ability to understand about other
cultures, elements of political correctness, acceptance of others, how laws
prohibiting discriminatory acts or language could be used to create and
maintain a safe and accepting society.
Complicitity in the case of the radio station because media/
communications professionals should have studied the power of language and
influence. They should understand communication issues, law, policy and
procedure, rights of access and responsibility in the use of their medium. Complicit
are those who should know better but choose to ignore it for their own benefit or
stay silent. They choose to ignore it for the sake of ratings.
Complicity is in reiteration because they are just regurgitating the same opinions
which they had before they knew any better. It is complicit because they are
sprouting it verbally for the younger generations to hear in their own home
environment by those they consider their seniors / superiors. I was complicit
because I didn’t want to create an issue and discomfort during a family dinner.
I felt horrified when I heard the music and language whilst driving my children
around in the car. Even my own 5 year old was shocked “Mummy, they can’t say
that!” I agreed and turned it off, started explaining what they were referring
to and that it hurt a lot of people
In
the home, senior family members should have learned enough and experienced enough
to understand issues of prejudice enough to think critically. Also, consider
those they know who are foreign and living a marginalised life.
I
feel now, since my kids have grown to pre-teen & teen that I have become
the ‘difficult’ one because I won’t allow songs with particularly offensive
language to be played on the car radio. The irony is that in Australia, the
radio stations which give language warnings and run critical thinking current
affairs programs for youth – is one of the cooler radio stations in the
country. Educating & connecting with a higher level of intelligence.
Celebrating critical thinking.
Moment of resistance:
I had a student once at a college I taught at in Finland, approach me to
discuss a classroom assignment when we were about to go on break. His friend entered
the classroom, called out to him, and named him “My N****r” with a big
friendly smile. My student was of Philippine descent and had been adopted into
Finland when he was a young child. I reacted without thinking and said directly
to the friend ‘That’s racist!’ The friend looked surprised and said quite
genuinely, ‘No it’s not.’ I then explained briefly what the word referenced and
how it was derogatory and now he was using it to a friend who had darker skin.
The friend when silent and my student smiled at me.
The
motivation for me is that I feel strongly about racism already and have
noticed that the ‘N’ word is used frequently among youth and children. It is
also heard readily on the radio without any filtering for access to underage
children and therefore, normalised in everyday language (my own children hear
it too, that’s why I became aware of it – I addressed it directly with them too
and have opened up a dialogue with them so that they become aware of it).
The
impact in my classroom was small. My student recognised this was an
awkward moment but held eye contact with me and smiled. His friend was shocked
and hadn’t realised it was racist, but now was aware of it and will probably think
about doing it again, as it’s quite clear his friend is dear to him.
I
learnt that people in Finland are unaware when something is racist and that racist
language is normalised so much so that they wouldn’t even think twice about
doing it in front of a teacher, that it is a part of speech without any real
understanding of its impact.
Systemic prejudice and discrimination
Through my examples I have illustrated how racist rhetoric is complicit to
systemic prejudice through law, policy, communication, societal and
peer-pressure for acceptance and ratings, repeated rhetoric down through
generations, repeatedly controlling systemic and generational acceptance of the
rhetoric. Systemic discrimination is the continuation of rigidity in the media
institute in Finland which wouldn’t even consider there should be an
alternative. It’s the law which is written passively enough that it cannot be
used to make change in discriminatory culture. It is the established families
who have worked their whole lives, perhaps in government jobs or run businesses
with underlying discriminatory opinions. Privilege is those in a comfortable
home with so little regard for others that they sprout racist slurs
unnecessarily and assume that because it’s in their own home it doesn’t impact
anyone else. Privilege is assuming that the foreigner is not shaped by the
constraints for being foreign. Power is those with a microphone and open media
platforms with capability and knowledge that shapes what people have access to,
information they learn from and chose to maintain the platform in a way that
benefit them financially.
Allyship is recognition of prejudiced behaviour against the ‘other’. Allies give
validation and empowerment to the vulnerable minority by calling out complicit
behaviour.
Reflection:
I would recommend that colleges in Finland run some dialogue sessions on racism
and add courses on discrimination into general curriculum. I would contact the
radio station with the aforementioned issues.
To
foster more resistance and less complicity, I will address some of the current
social injustices that happen to those skilled migrants who have come to
Finland who have a lot to contribute and speak reasonably about how
unemployment could be reduced if it was dealt with a little more openly.
I
will continue to speak on diversity, equity & inclusion issues & build
it into whatever future role I take on professionally.