And america tries to act so high and mighty. America needs to sit down and learn a thing or two from these other countries.
YOUTH PARLIAMENT?! HECK YA!
I like the youth parliament idea, implemented at the local level. A youth county board, as it were. Give kids a say in their own community and they might actually be able to improve it.
I also think it might be an interesting idea for every school board to have a student representative, high school age.
Oh, I think I know the reason!
Nearly everyone is white and everyone benefits from a history of colonialist exploitation
Nearly everyone is white and everyone benefits from a history of colonialist exploitation
Return to #1.
Plus they have a lot of refineries for Russian and Norse oil.
Literally these countries are SO white that they don’t even track the percentage of ethnic and racial minorities because the numbers are too small.
When you’re a monoculture it’s a hell of a lot easier to pretend your politics are about helping others, because everyone is like you.
I’m so tired of tumblr holding up Scandinavian countries as utopias.
Ex-fucking-cuse me.
“Nearly everyone is white and everyone benefits from a history of colonialist exploitation.”
Research wouldn’t hurt.
You might want to know that up until 1917, Finland was not a country of its own but fully under Russian rule. Before that, under Swedish rule. Before 1860, the year we were made mostly autonomous, we were basically a colony ourselves with no right to govern our own regions, collect our own taxes or have a say in Sweden’s or Russia’s politics. Our language and culture was looked down upon. The ethnically Finnish population was poor, oppressed and pretty much entirely without say in anything regarding our own country. Up until 1902 Finnish wasn’t even an official language in Finland, and even after that Russian was the official language of our parliament until we finally became independent.
And if you want some slavery and strife, of course there have been things like Isoviha: Russians invaded Finland (which belonged to Sweden at the time), slaughtered tons of Finns and shipped about 20 000 of us off to
become slaves. For contrast, our population was only 350 000 at the
time. The Swedes just sorta shrugged and went “Not our problem”, since, you know, we weren’t Swedes. Then Pikkuviha, another period of Russian invasion. How about the first and second Sortokausi? Even the name means “era of oppression”. The Russians decided that Finland had it too well and started to forcefully suppress Finnish nationalist movements, shipping people off to Siberia, replacing Finnish officials with Russian ones, making Russian the only official language in Finland – basically trying to destroy the Finnish culture and fully integrate Finland into Russia.
So I’d hardly say that we benefited from colonialist exploitation.
So yeah, sure, we’re white. But it doesn’t fucking matter because we never have lived in a country where whiteness was ever of any benefit. In Finland (and most of Europe anyways) being oppressed has always had everything to do with your ethnicity instead of the colour of your skin. We never had a single colony, we never invaded a single country, slavery has always been illegal here – even when we were a part of Russia where slavery was common. Sure, we have less than 1% of PoC – but please tell me why the fuck does that matter? It didn’t save us from being a god damn colony.
And of course I left out shit like the eradication of our native religion but hey, we’re white so it doesn’t matter anyway right?
It must be lovely to sit on your high horse there in the USA and think you know a single thing about the racial and/or cultural dynamics in Europe. Just because the crackers of your precious country fucked up doesn’t mean that you get the right to shit on minorities (population of Finland: 5 000 000. Contrast that with the USA) and ignore the rapid developement of Finland from pretty much nothing, a country 100% dependent on agriculture and wood, to one of the world’s most educated, most liberal, most egalitarian and most technologically advanced countries in less than 100 years. And all of this without benefiting from “third-world” countries or colonies, without wars or conquest, without aggressive foreign policies. Unlike the fucking USA.
Imagine My Immortal but written in the style of Shakespeare.
SCENE 1. A MAGIC SCHOOL CALLED HOGWARTS IN ENGLAND
Enter ENOBY
ENOBY
For truth, that which the gods have christened me Has many parts, like these locks, flow’n from my crown. That hellish sound, which forms mine name, sprung from The dusky shades of these roots, so like the stone But broken, rent, mottled; for, like the flames That hie from Hades, the dusk is split with peals Of cold violet, the shade of icy fangs Met with military scarlet; coils not But hangs; not ragged, but lustrous, set off Like a precious jewel made more pure by the Barren winds of silent winter deserts, So are not these jewels of mine own self-crown Brought forth in splendour so close to these eyes Frozen, as glaciers, forged by an artist Who, bereft of artisan tools, gives himself And sculpts his godly business with that Which the muses draw blindly from his vision. Thus sorrow, reflected twice in these mirrors, Casting mine eyes as icy limpid tears.
Imagine Shakespeare but written in the style of My Immortal
Hi my name is Hamlet and I have long blond hair that reaches my mid-back and icy blue eyes like limpid tears and a lot of people tell me I look like the sun god Apollo (AN: if u don’t know who he is get da hell out of here!). I’m not related to him but I wish I was because he’s a major fucking hottie. My mother married my uncle after my father died. I have pale white skin. I’m also a student, and I went to a school called Wittenberg in Germany but I just graduated. I’m a prince (in case you couldn’t tell) but I wear mostly black bc I’m in mourning. I For example today I was wearing a black doublet with matching lace around it and a black tights, white undershirt and black boots. I was with my mother and Horatio. We were standing inside Elsinore. It was snowing and raining so there was no sun, which I was very happy about. My uncle Claudius stared at me. I put up my middle finger at him.
People: So you’re willing to risk promising relationships and friendships just because someone is homophobic/transphobic/sexist/racist?
Me: yes
James’ stomach churned as he approached Professor McGonagall’s office. He drew up his strength and knocked on the door.
“Enter!”
James nearly ran for it.
In the end, he bravely entered.
Professor McGonagall looked up from her book and crisply said, “Mister Potter; is something wrong?”
“No,” James replied, “Not exactly.”
Professor McGonagall surveyed the twelve-year-old for a moment before asking, “Well, can I help you with something?”
James hesitated before saying, “Err…hypothetically…”
“Yes?”
James took a deep breath and it came out all at once, “Hypothetically, if animals can’t be infected with lycanthropy then does that mean that Animagus’ in their animal form won’t be infected as well?”
Professor McGonagall looked petrified.
She slowly removed her glasses.
“Hypothetically, of course,” James weakly said.
“Of course,” Professor McGonagall softly said, “Well…Mister Potter…hypothetically…I’d have to say that that is, indeed, true. However, it is also extremely dangerous to become an Animagus and one cannot officially begin the process until they’re of age.”
James nodded before asking, “And what process is that?”
"Potter-”
“Hypothetically, Professor.”
“Right,” Professor McGonagall skeptically said, “Hypothetically, it is an extremely complicated process. It would take years of hard work.”
“Fascinating,” James innocently said, “And…err…hypothetically…do you know where I might find some books to look up this process? It sounds very interesting.”
Professor McGonagall rubbed her eyes and said, “I have not memorized the layout of the library, Mister Potter. That would be a question for Madam Pince. However, any book that you find will tell you what I already have – that you cannot become an Animagus until you’re the age of seventeen!”
“Of course,” James cried, “I’m just looking hypothetically.”
oOo
James tried not to vomit as he approached Professor McGonagall after class.
“Ah, Potter,” Professor McGonagall cried, “I was hoping to talk to you. You have seemed nauseous for days. I want you to report to Madam Pomfrey for a Pepperup Potion. The flu’s been going around.”
The thirteen-year-old’s eyes widened and he quickly said, “Oh, that’s not necessary.”
He nearly gagged and added, “Professor, hypothetically-“
She groaned.
“-what would you suggest to help rid one’s taste buds of the taste of mandrake leaves?”
It was Professor McGonagall’s turn to have widened eyes.
“Hypothetically, of course.”
Professor McGonagall sighed and curtly said, “Well…hypothetically…I would suggest a bit of mint. Perhaps a bit of chocolate. Potter-“
“Thanks, Professor!”
James made a dart for the door.
“Potter!”
He sighed and turned back.
“Hypothetically,” Professor McGonagall quietly said, “If an underaged wizard were to attempt to become an Animagus and he was caught…he would face severe consequences. Including life in Azkaban.”
James stared at her for a moment.
At long last, he softly said, “Well, hypothetically, I suppose that wizard ought not to get caught then.”
oOo
James frantically knocked on Professor McGonagall’s door.
She whisked it open, sporting a dressing gown. It was, after all, three o’clock in the morning. The fourteen-year-old tried to act nonchalant as he fixed the pointed hat that was strangely perched on his head.
“Good evening, Professor!” James pleasantly said, “How are you?”
“What’s wrong, Potter?”
“Hypothetically-”
“Yes, yes, get on with it!”
She was getting quite sick of the questions; he was asking them almost once a week!
“-how would you get rid of antlers?”
Professor McGonagall stared at him.
“Hypothetically, of course?” Professor McGonagall finally asked.
“Of course.”
She shook her head and said, “Hypothetically, that student would need to Professor Slughorn and ask him to give them a Cornibus potion.”
“Cornibus?” James repeated.
Professor McGonagall nodded.
“Alright, thanks.”
“Potter,” Professor McGonagall quietly said, “Hypothetically…if a student is going to great lengths just to spend one evening a month with his friend, he is a very foolish man.”
James flinched.
Professor McGonagall then smiled and added, “But also a very brave one.”
oOo
James was finding it rather hard to remain calm.
He couldn’t supress the smile that was plastered on his face.
When the bell finally rang, signaling the end of class, he practically leapt out of his seat. Still, he patiently waited as the rest of the students left the classroom.
Professor McGonagall came over and gave him a quizzical look.
James glanced around, ensuring that they were alone.
He leaned forward and quietly said, “Hypothetically…it worked.”
Professor McGonagall’s mouth turned up at the ends.
“Hypothetically, I’m glad,” Professor McGonagall whispered, “And very proud.”
“Thanks, Professor,” James mumbled, “Hypothetically, of course.”
He chuckled and ducked as she swatted at him.
Hypothetically, this is one of my favorite things ever.
Random Toughts 