Um.

[marshtide]

SFI is currently using themes which run for three weeks each. Our last one was, uncontroversially, "study techniques".

Our next one is "the 2010 election".

...

We're going to have debates.

...

One guy has already announced that his sister works for Folkpartiet ("The People's Party", right-wing) so we should all vote for them.

...

This is going to go so well. And I am totally not going to get angry at all.

Comments

[silveradept]

...that sounds like an entire barrel full of monkeys. Angry, rabid, zombie monkeys. Good skill and fortune to you.

[marshtide]

I... I think I need it.

[cimorene]

That sounds like a situation right out of one of my nightmares! People saying ethically and morally infuriating things right in front of me tend to inspire such a pile-up of outrage at all the ways that they're wrong that I become speechless and unable to pick which one to say first. It's even worse in Swedish, though, because I don't have as rich a vocabulary of Swedish insults (or Swedish terms for logical fallacies...).

[marshtide]

Yeah, seriously. Three weeks of politics. How will I live. Someone is going to say something that makes me furious and then I'm going to either just stare at them in disbelief and be completely unable to articulate a counter-point or I'm going to get wildly upset because that's my brain's basic response to almost everything at the moment. It'll be great. I'm just waiting for someone to recommend kristdemokraterna. Though at least we should be free from supporters of sverigedemokraterna, given that they don't support any of our rights to be here...

[cimorene]

You know, it's very funny to reread this comment after having read your post about the guy who did exactly that.

[antisoppist]

Is the teacher so desperate to get you talking that they are willing to provoke you into killing each other instead?

I have been translating Social Democrat election leaflets into English for immigrants precisely so that you don't need to read them all in Swedish but I doubt that will get you out of it.

[marshtide]

Apparently so! ;;

I think we're doomed whatever happens! Not sure who thought this was a good idea. I mean of course some political understanding of the country you're living in is good, but uh.

[antisoppist]

Possibly your teacher has overlooked the fact that you are not actually Swedes and might not work together to achieve amicable consensus and compromise.

oh dear

[dancing_moon]

For a moment there, I thought you meant the Dansk Folkeparti (like Sverigedemokraterna, only with more power) and boggled a bit.

the worst thing is, that during the nineties, I'd easily have put Folkpartiet as the best out of a bad lot of the blue parties :/ Lately, however, they've turned less and less liberal (which is, uh, kind of the point of that party) and worryingly interested in restricting "foreign" culture - supposedly to further integration but by god, some of those suggestions are so painfully stupid that I want to hurl

Re: oh dear

[marshtide]

Yeah... I find them worrying, in that they're not so extreme as to completely alienate voters but seem to be sliding in directions I really, really dislike. That said, I'm still trying to get a proper handle on Swedish politics. I think I have a very broad grasp of who stands where now but not of the finer details. (I'm planning to do a bunch more reading up over the weekend so as to be forearmed... >> )

Re: oh dear

[dancing_moon]

It's always changing, even more so since the latest election when all the right parties got together. I don't like that, honestly, I don't want an american style 2-choices style election. Much prefer a group of people with different ideas arguing and forming new coalitions as needed

Re: oh dear

[marshtide]

Yeah. Not a very appealing set-up, really. (Not to mention that I have huge problems with the idea that anyone is willing to join up with the christian democrats. What the hell.)

By the way, I'll be in Stockholm tomorrow, but it sounds like you're pretty sick so if I'm going to grab books maybe it should be another time.

Re: oh dear

[dancing_moon]

Yes, unfortunately I can't come. You're not in town on Sunday?

Btw, maybe you can do some research on and mention "Kalle Anka-partiet" (http://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalle_Anka_Partiet). They're at least pretty innocent ;)

Re: oh dear

[marshtide]

Nah, I had stuff to get done on Sunday. Not that I actually did, but I tried. Another weekend! I can usually borrow a bus pass on weekends so it's not a big deal to go into Stockholm. :)

Better that than sverigedemokraterna. ;;;;

[eggcrack]

Arrgh, "The People's Party". We have something like that Finland too and it's just scary how people seem to think they're the most awesome thing ever these days.

So, best of luck to you! Sounds like you need it.

[marshtide]

Yeah, it looks like it's going to be a rather long few weeks... aaaagh.