The author described Russia commentators as modern-day “Ponds” – Pekka Toveri answers

Author Väinö Linnan The unknown soldier novel has come up in the discussion about the increase in defense spending and the simultaneous cuts in cultural funds.

Researcher and writer Janne Saarikivi pondered in an article published in Helsingin Sanomat on Sunday in his essayhow Finns admire Väinö Castle The unknown soldier characters such as Rokka, Hieta and Koskela, but at the same time the number of Lammio increases.

According to Saarikivi, Rokka, Hietanen and Koskela are soldiers who defend their families and each other, but not their commanders or the abstract idea of ​​Finland.

Instead, Saarikivi describes Lammio’s message as always being the same: “The motherland is in danger, get over it.”

Saarikivi compares the current situation in Finland to war madness, which fills the front pages of the media Vladimir Putinist and “today’s Lammioen”, such as Pekka Toverin, Mika Aaltolan and Charly Salonius-Pasternakinof the comments.

Toveri and Aaltola are current MEPs of the coalition, Salonius-Pasternak works as a leading researcher at the Foreign Policy Institute. After Russia invaded Ukraine, all three have been prominently featured in the public on questions related to foreign and security policy.

MEPMajor General evp Pekka Toveri does not swallow Saarikivi’s comparison of himself as the war-crazed Lammio.

“Yes, it annoys the professional soldier, because he went to the cadet school’s management course Unknown soldier through. Lammio was presented as a cautionary example of what a leader should not be: a goal-oriented type who completely forgets the needs of his subordinates. You can ask my old subordinates what I was like as a leader.”

The comrade criticizes Saarikivi’s text for lacking a sense of history. He reminds that in the 1920s and 1930s, 3–4 percent of the gross national product went to national defense, during the wars almost half.

“Still, the culture is doing just fine. Now we have lived in the 21st century Kumbaya– a time when a good percentage of the gross national product has been invested in national defense. Money has been put into everything else nice that Saarikivi values. However, now we have a neighbor who directly threatens to attack. If, in that situation, national defense is a pond property, then that’s a strange point of view.”

In his essay Saarikivi criticizes not only the warlike climate of opinion, but also the social security reform, where fixing the economy takes priority over art, science and healthcare. He points out that according to Lammio, “Finland is one”, which nowadays often means the state economy or national defense. According to Saarikivi, politicians demand cuts to everything that is not related to these.

“When I think about my own will to defend the country, it depends on how disagreement is tolerated in Finland. I don’t feel like defending those who belittle nature conservation, social or healthcare, culture or science – i.e. current politicians. Neither are those who think that only certain opinions can be expressed about the border closure or Linna’s celebrations,” Saarikivi writes.

Comrade agrees with Saarikivi’s desire to protect things that are considered important, such as science and culture.

“The most important asset is the spirit of national defense. If you force a person to the front, nothing will come of it. It has always been a great strength of Finns, but then there must be something worth defending. That’s why it’s also worth investing in culture. Things have to be balanced.”

Toveri sarcastically adds that culture and science will only suffer if Finland has to go to war.

“At this point, the culture has to suffer, because we have to invest in defense when faced with an emergency. It has a lot of gaps to fill. Then, when the deterrent is in order, money can be invested in other things as well.”