Americans living in Helsinki disappointed by Kerry defeat
Sarah: "I won’t go home as long as Bush is in power"
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By Laura Pekonen
"This is going to be a funeral party", grunts Olli Penttilä, 69, as he walks in the door at seven o’clock on Wednesday morning.
Bloodshot eyes can be seen everywhere at the offices of the League of Finnish American Societies in the Töölö district of Helsinki, where people have gathered to watch the election returns. Many Americans living in Helsinki got up in the early hours of the morning to follow the vote count.
Expressions in front of the television set look pained. There does not seem to be anyone among the approximately 20 people who would want President George W. Bush to win the election.
"Americans living abroad support John Kerry because we can see the impact that Bush’s policies have on the outside world. We do not feel as threatened as people do back home, where fear is used to get people to vote for Bush", says Lisa.
Like many others, she does not want her full name to appear in print. The American Embassy has urged Americans to keep a low profile because of a terror threat.
Two others, Sarah, 27, and Kimberly, 26, squeeze their plastic cups. Their grip grows tighter, the more the red colour identifying states won by the Republicans spreads over the electoral map on the screen. They find it hard to believe that Bush could win the elections after the war in Iraq.
It also does not make their own lives any easier. They say that some Finns blame all Americans for Bush’s policies. Sarah has heard her share of comments by drunken Finns.
"I have left my life in the United States partly because I do not believe in the values with which the present administration leads the country. Therefore, it is painful to be treated as a representative of those values", Sarah says.
"I have decided not to return home as long as Bush is in power."
Finns do not necessarily express their prejudices openly. Instead, they can be seen in the form of chilling looks. Nowadays Sarah turns off her mobile phone when she rides the bus to keep Finns from recognising her accent.
The Americans watching the election returns feel that the prejudices felt by the Finns increased during the war in Iraq. However, they did not start with it.
Penttilä, who moved from Finland to the United States in 1965, says that older people still take a negative view of the USA. He sees this as a throwback to the leftist way of thinking that was in fashion in the 1960s and the 1970s, as well as the Vietnam War. The invasion of Iraq simply confirmed the old prejudices.
"Back then I had to explain to my friends why I could live in the United States. They generally thought that they knew local conditions better than I did, and if I said something different, it showed that I did not understand things, or even that I had been brainwashed", Penttilä says.
Penttilä, who is a Kerry supporter, nevertheless takes a calm view of Bush’s victory. He feels that Bush has made such a terrible mess of things that it is best that he should be the one to deal with it. "It sets up a good foundation for a Democrat to be elected the next time."
Kimberly and Sarah are not as optimistic.
"The victory is a great ego boost for Bush. If you didn’t like him before, look out: you ain’t seen nothing yet", Kimberly says mournfully.
At 8:15 the news comes that Ohio is leaning toward Bush. Sarah covers her mouth with her hand.
It looks like there will be no going home for a while.
"This is going to be a funeral party", grunts Olli Penttilä, 69, as he walks in the door at seven o’clock on Wednesday morning.
Bloodshot eyes can be seen everywhere at the offices of the League of Finnish American Societies in the Töölö district of Helsinki, where people have gathered to watch the election returns. Many Americans living in Helsinki got up in the early hours of the morning to follow the vote count.
Expressions in front of the television set look pained. There does not seem to be anyone among the approximately 20 people who would want President George W. Bush to win the election.
"Americans living abroad support John Kerry because we can see the impact that Bush’s policies have on the outside world. We do not feel as threatened as people do back home, where fear is used to get people to vote for Bush", says Lisa.
Like many others, she does not want her full name to appear in print. The American Embassy has urged Americans to keep a low profile because of a terror threat.
Two others, Sarah, 27, and Kimberly, 26, squeeze their plastic cups. Their grip grows tighter, the more the red colour identifying states won by the Republicans spreads over the electoral map on the screen. They find it hard to believe that Bush could win the elections after the war in Iraq.
It also does not make their own lives any easier. They say that some Finns blame all Americans for Bush’s policies. Sarah has heard her share of comments by drunken Finns.
"I have left my life in the United States partly because I do not believe in the values with which the present administration leads the country. Therefore, it is painful to be treated as a representative of those values", Sarah says.
"I have decided not to return home as long as Bush is in power."
Finns do not necessarily express their prejudices openly. Instead, they can be seen in the form of chilling looks. Nowadays Sarah turns off her mobile phone when she rides the bus to keep Finns from recognising her accent.
The Americans watching the election returns feel that the prejudices felt by the Finns increased during the war in Iraq. However, they did not start with it.
Penttilä, who moved from Finland to the United States in 1965, says that older people still take a negative view of the USA. He sees this as a throwback to the leftist way of thinking that was in fashion in the 1960s and the 1970s, as well as the Vietnam War. The invasion of Iraq simply confirmed the old prejudices.
"Back then I had to explain to my friends why I could live in the United States. They generally thought that they knew local conditions better than I did, and if I said something different, it showed that I did not understand things, or even that I had been brainwashed", Penttilä says.
Penttilä, who is a Kerry supporter, nevertheless takes a calm view of Bush’s victory. He feels that Bush has made such a terrible mess of things that it is best that he should be the one to deal with it. "It sets up a good foundation for a Democrat to be elected the next time."
Kimberly and Sarah are not as optimistic.
"The victory is a great ego boost for Bush. If you didn’t like him before, look out: you ain’t seen nothing yet", Kimberly says mournfully.
At 8:15 the news comes that Ohio is leaning toward Bush. Sarah covers her mouth with her hand.
It looks like there will be no going home for a while.
LAURA PEKONEN / Helsingin Sanomat
laura.pekonen@hs.fi