Being singled out as a security threat does not increase the will to defend
Jimmie Åkesson and the Sweden Democrats’ politics create division – that is not good for Sweden’s security. Photo: Robin Bäckman/TT
Recently I wrote a text about young people with a foreign background dissing the rags. It took the house to hell.
But it’s all really simple. Willingness to defend is connected with the feeling of belonging. When people feel part of the we, they are also prepared to defend it.
If, on the other hand, you differentiate between people through both your politics and rhetoric, the will to defend is damaged. It will be the consequence of the current government’s policy.
When we are marginalized based on our skin color and name, when we are constantly watched and suspected, it will take to put on the uniform.
The defense cannot only consist of a part of the population. Sweden cannot afford that. That’s why the Commander-in-Chief goes in the Pride Parade, that’s why they’re changing their communication and that’s why they see the report from the Duty and Review Board as a warning signal.
The armed forces are growing, but it is happening at a much too slow pace in relation to the challenges Sweden is facing. This is what both army chief Jonny Lindfors, navy chief Ewa Skoog Haslum and air force chief Jonas Wikman mean in an interview in DN.
The heads of the various branches of defense are concerned about the situation in the world. The war in Ukraine, NATO entry and the tense world situation require a more robust defense.
Right now we are not enough.
It’s simple, we have to become more. More conscripts must be called up. In this way, more people can feel represented. The strength of having a popularly rooted defense is that the will to defend naturally increases.
When the government talks if defending Sweden, it is a castle in the air. Because at the same time they do that, they pursue a policy that divides. Some will get reduced taxes while others will get visitation zones. When politicians increase polarization, it also damages the will to defend in large groups.
Their partner party, the Sweden Democrats, has not boasted about its politics. They have painted Muslims as the abyss, they spread conspiracy theories about population exchange and most recently Richard Jomshof has had a crusading rhetoric against Muslims.
In the midst of all this, the Prime Minister is silent. Or backbound. Ulf Kristersson seems to have fully embraced the Sweden Democrats’ view of humanity.
At the same time, we live with dark features with a lump of anxiety in our stomach that only grows. Who will defend us, when we are seen as a security threat?
Should we upgrade the defense, be predisposed to join NATO, assist Ukraine while protecting our own borders – well, then it’s simple. We need cohesion and not division.
The ultimate of our democracy basis is the idea of the equal value of all people. And right now that idea is falling apart.