Tuesday, August 24, 2010
[I'm bumping this up to the top (original publication time: 1:26). Scroll down for the update.]
Of all the choices in the world, Frank Johansson decides not only that Israel is worthy of such abuse, but that it's perfectly appropriate to say so in a public forum. Talk about losing the thread. A shocking must-read from Tundra Tabloids: Chairman Of Finnish Amnety International Calls Israel A Scum State...
Finland's AI chairman Frank Johansson: Oh I've been to Israel and deem it a scum state.
Writing on his blog over at the Finnish tabloid paper, Iltalehti, the chairman of Finnish Amnesty International took to calling Israel a "scum state" while recounting a visit he had with his friend who lives there.
"A friend of mine who works in Israel, was visiting while piling wood in the shed, we got into his favourite topic. Several years of residence in the holy country, he has come to the conclusion that "Israel is a scum state". On the basis of my own visit, which occurred during the 1970s and 1990s for the final time, I agree."
So this "human rights" activist who chairs Finland's AI branch of the international organization, which is supposedly a non-biased, impartial organization, labeled Israelis....scum. The man is a bigot, and an anti-Semite. Would Johansson ever dare to write publically about Saudi Arabia, or any other Muslim nation as a "scum state", or does he, as many other "human rights" organizations do, take aim at Israel, just because he thinks he can get away with it?
This dispels the notion that Amnesty International (especially in Filand) is an impartial human rights organization as long as sentiments such as Frank Johansson is allowed to go unanswered by that parent organization. Another point worth noticing, is that Johansson makes that obvious biased, bigoted statement out in the open, without a care in the world that he would be held accountable in the Finnish speaking media and blogosphere...[More.]
It seems that Mr. Johansson is not only blind to any sort of proportionality in the world around him, but he's oblivious to the destruction of his own organization's credibility. Then again, that seems to have been a problem for both AI and Human Rights Watch and quite a few others for some time. TT also points to this post by Dennis Mitzner on the subject: The Upside-down world of Frank Johansson
...Israeli civil society is civilized, democratic and liberal. Israel is a country where murder-rates and domestic violence cases are lower than in Finland.
Johansson's willingness to label Israel is nothing short of perverse. Out of all the rogue states in the world Johansson decides to choose the only democracy in the Middle East.
I wonder what scale Johansson is using in determining the scum-states of this world...
He goes on to give an example.
We await reaction from Amnesty central.
Update: The Jerusalem Post has spoken to Johansson and he isn't backing off one bit: Amnesty Int'l Finland: Israel scum state
The head of Amnesty International's Finnish branch, Frank Johansson, told The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday that he stands by his statement that Israel is a "scum state."...
...Asked why he termed Israel a "scum state," Johansson told the Post in a telephone interview that it was because Israel has "repeatedly flouted international law," and due to his "personal experiences inside and outside of Israel with meeting Israelis."
Johansson said that his remarks were not anti-Semitic. "I actually praise Breaking the Silence," he said [Jews that lie to denounce other Jews are OK with him. -MS], referring to an Israeli organization claiming to collect and share testimonies of former IDF soldiers over human rights violations they allegedly witnessed, while rarely providing names of troops, dates and locations of these incidents.
Asked whether there are other countries aside from Israel that, according to him, meet the definition of a "scum state," Johansson did not specify any, but noted that there are "Russian officials" who meet the criteria.
The Amnesty International official said: "I have been on record on Finnish TV as saying George Bush is the biggest executioner in the Western Hemisphere, [I] use strong language... I am writing those [blogs] in my capacity as a private person, not as an Amnesty official."
However, Iltalehti's Web site clearly provides readers with his title as "director of the Finnish branch of Amnesty International," which appears above his blog...
...a spokeswoman for Amnesty International's headquarters in London, Susanne Flood, told the Post in a telephone interview that "Amnesty would never use an expression like this toward the State of Israel, or any other state."
Flood said that Johansson used the phrase "creep state" to describe Israel, rather than "scum," as the initial English translation of the Finnish word found. Native Finnish speakers from Tundra Tabloids said the Finnish term used by Johansson to denigrate Israel is a "highly derogatory term," and is frequently translated as "scum," "scum bag" or "douche bag."
Asked if AI plans to discipline or sack Johansson, Flood said she would have to check on his employment status, but noted that the organization generally does not comment on human resource matters.
Pressed if he is singling out Israel for disparate treatment - a manifestation of modern anti-Semitism according to some critics - Flood said that one "has to look at the full context of his articles."
She added that Johansson assured her that he is not using his title to write the anti-Israeli blogs. But, when shown that his title was indeed being used in his blog, she conceded to this fact...
Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry: Chairman of Amnesty International Finland, Frank Johansson: Israel a "Scum State" Update: Johansson Stands by Scum Comment.
TrackBack URL for this entry: http://www.solomonia.com/cgi-bin/mt4/mt-renamedtb.cgi/18520
[The following, by Daniel Greenfield, is crossposted from Sultan Knish. (Found via Huffington Post Monitor.)] The Nazi propaganda rag Der Sturmer may have gone out of publication around the time that the Fuhrer's ashes were smoldering in his bunker ben... Read More
Mr. Johansson,
You have abused your position as Chairman of Finland's AI. Your comment that Israel is a 'scum state' is reprehensible. Your comment is indicative of the type of person that YOU are.
I support your right to demonstrate your bigotry and malignant intent.
Thank you, Mr. Johansson, for revealing your true feelings. We now have evidence of what unbiased means in your lexicon. I just wish that all true haters would be so candid, so we would know who are the true enemies of freedom, and who are the facilitators of actual terrorism.
Right. This kind of bias does absolutely nothing to promote the cause of human rights.
This person should have the decency to resign immediately and AI should apologize.
I went into his blog (linked above) and called on him to resign.
Even if my comment does not appear on the blog, at least he will have read it. And if enough people go in and comment, maybe he will be a little less pleased with himself.
For a country that only 70 years ago has managed to ghettorize an entire ethnic group, and is afraid to admit to it, has absolutely no credibility with me. The Finns did even a better job then the Nazis on territories they controlled. What's funny is that Finnish crimes page on Wiki is not even translated in Suomi. What are these people afraid of?
The article about Israel seems to have disappeared from Johansson's blog...
I wondered what could have caused that :)
You have destroyed my respect for Amnesty International. The only way they could regain respect would be if you were removed and repudiated. Not likely to happen, so goodmye AI.
"ghettorize an entire ethnic group, and is afraid to admit to it"
Excuse me, what have you been smoking?
I don't know, but is there a major problem with such attitudes in Finnish society? Or is it just this man?
Has age old Soviet antisemitism seeped across the border into Finland?
This is typical of an anti-Semitic bigot who is also part of an anti-Semitic organization! Amnesty International applies a "double-standard" toward Israel, which it does not apply to any other nation. I urge all to boycott Amnesty International and refuse to financially support it! Johanssen is a disgrace to Finland and like any other bigot should be flushed down the toilet!
Fun fact: According to recent WHO figures, the suicide rate for Finns is 28.9 and 9.0 per 100k males and females respectively. As I recall, Finland has continually ranked in the Top Ten National Suicide Rates for decades.
Suicide rate for Israelis? 8.7 and 3.3 per 100k males and females. For the math-challenged, that's roughly 1/3 the rate of Finns. And the Finns don't have to worry about getting blown up by fanatic Islamist suicide bombers or being rocketed by Hamas on a regular basis.
Pretty good for a "scum state," huh?
ce Frank Johansson merite une seule chose : d'etre mis dans les toilette car CE QU'IL ECRIT EST DE LA MERDE!!!!
Well how do you think he GOT the job in the first place?
This reminds me of the Human Rights Watch nazi merorabilia fetishist mark garlasco affair.
As long as Amnesty International does not repudiate Frank Johanssons bigoted remarks, AI has ZERO CREDIBILITY and any claim to impartiality.
Pan AM 103 and scottish/british dhimmitude for libyan oil contracts
htt://www.boycottscotland.com
Amnesty International is no longer a legitimate organization that promotes human rights!
Amnesty has become a front for professional Israel bashers!
Letter to Porfessional Israel basher - " Mona Baker" from:Zahir Janmohamed Advocacy Director
Middle East and North Africa
_____
From: Amnesty Internaitonal USA [ alerts@takeaction.amnestyusa.org]
Sent: 30 January 2009 19:25
To: Mona Baker
Subject: [SPAM] What our researchers found in Gaza
"Dear Mona"
Holding Palestinian families as human shields--we published a statement last Thursday saying that Israel was using Palestinians as human shields"
:Zahir Janmohamed Advocacy Director
Middle East and North Africa
Since when did statements critical to Israel become statements of anti-semitism? Now THAT is bigotism.
A person who is not critical to ANY country using lethal force to solve problems should take a good look at their own value system.
What's the URL?
Since when did statements critical to Israel become statements of anti-semitism? Now THAT is bigotism.
When you're ONLY critical of the Jewish State, in spite of the facts, when you seem to have a special bit of hatred in your heart ONLY for this state...it's a pretty good indicator.
A person who is not critical to ANY country using lethal force to solve problems should take a good look at their own value system.
A person who doesn't acknowledge a state's obligation to use deadly force to defend itself against deadly force needs to take a good look at their value system.
HAM-ASS uses Islamofascist ferver to brainwash their young to after making farewell videos complete with Islamofascist flags, blow themselves up trying to kill as many Infidels as possible.
HAM-ASS uses
- children as human shields
- mosques as shields
- hospitals as shields
- ambulances to ferry UNWOUNDED islamofascist terrorists and rockets
- dress male islamofascist terrorist in burqas - as also seen in afghanistan
so that when a weapons depot located in a mosque, a hospital, rocket launch site is targeted and destroyed, HAM-ASS and "Islamofascist Rights" NGOs disingenuously claim that "civilians" were targeted.
As long as Amnesty International has the SCUMBAG Islamofascist-philic frank johannson on its staff, AI has ZERO CREDIBILITY to its claim of IMPARTIALITY.
Since when did statements critical to Israel become statements of anti-semitism? Now THAT is bigotism.
Wrong. Have another look at what the man had to say:
...Asked why he termed Israel a "scum state," Johansson told the Post in a telephone interview that it was because Israel has "repeatedly flouted international law," and due to his "personal experiences inside and outside of Israel with meeting Israelis."
So, if I referred to an African nation as a 'scum state', and went on to say that I formed this opinion, not based on the country, but based on meeting certain individuals from that country... how would you describe that?
Would you not say that I am denigrating an entire group based on my experiences with a select few? And isn't that bigotry?
Well, bigotry against Jews, Israeli or otherwise, is called "antisemitism". There you have it... unless you are prepared to argue that, when Mr. Johansson said "Israelis", he meant "Israeli Arabs".
Mikael, the Finns ghettorized or rather placed almost entire non-ethnic Finnish population of Korelia into concentration camps.
Frank Johansson must resign. AI must repudiate Frank Johansson with strong and unequivocal terms and acctions.
Frank Johansson must not be allowed to sneak back into any AI position, even after a "suitable" interval; from Frank Johansson's "scum" statement there must be no forgiveness.
What did he have to gain by making such a statement? Does he not know that philinthropic Jews give more to world causes including AI than give to Israel? That plenty of christians who love Israel may decide not to give to AI because of his remarks? He could've said he isn't happy with Israel, but to level an insult shows a deep hateful ideology that cares not for logic and reason. AI's main branch deserves no support for letting his comments slide by. Anyone who gives to them is giving to Hamas & Hezbollah. All of them are enemies.
"A scum state"? Takes a "piece of shit" to know one, I guess.
One has to wonder what epithets little shit from Amnesty would reserve for Iran, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Egypt, hams, Hezbollah, Syria..to name but a few.
Enough to make one's bowels...
I have been unhappy with Amnesty International (as well as other avowedly do-the-right-thing-but-don't NGOs their political axes to grind, lack of impartiality and a departure from their mission). Frank Johansson is just one of their representatives. The hate in his heart can be seen emanating from his photo. Note the facial features.showing the banality of evil.
Had I wanted to answer Mr. Johansson personally and using his logic...I would say I have met some Finns I do not like ...all attached to blood (sucking/swallowing) sharks and hence denounce the country of Finland. And wasn't it the Jew Spielberg who portrayed the Finns as evil in "Jaws", (the probable source for Johansson's hate) which could have been titled "Frank Johansson and His Ilk --Scum From The Sea".
Do I make as much sense as Frank "Scum State" Johansson
Perhaps he could be transferred to Somalia.
If Amnesty has not fired FrankJohansson by now, it shows that it agrees with his assessment of the state of Israel. But, of course, we have known for many years that Amnesty no longer follows the honorable practices that it established at its founding but now follows the ways of the outrageous bullies of the world and has become a terrorizer of its victims.