Pär Norling wants to ban Islam in Sweden

Who is Pär Norling?

He is the group leader of the Swedish Democratic party in Bollnäs. 

Why does he want to ban Islam?

Let’s look at this from his point of view shall we?

Comparing modern-day Sweden with the 1970s Sweden, violence has been gradually increasing.  Sweden was once a place where almost no violence existed.  Like you can literally count (1,2 ,3 wise) how many crimes occurred in a year I guess.  There weren’t so many people living here either. Now, however, we are exposed to a totally different scenario. 

Let’s say you live in this country and you are heading out to work in the morning.  Once you’re in the station you grab a copy of the Metro or let’s say “Dagens Nyheter” before getting on the train and the bold title displayed on the cover page captures your attention so you start reading about a young innocent girl who got raped, or an attempted bank-robbery that never really became successful.   In most cases, the victim is a Swede and the criminal/rapist is a “jävla invandrare” (immigrant). 

Norling entirely blames Muslims for the crimes. He even went so far to saying that even citizens who practice Islam should be deported from this country.  He thinks that Islam is ruining the Swedish society. Well Norling you overlooked the thousands of Muslims who are mastering the Swedish language, trying to fit into the Swedish culture (struggling) and becoming successful professionals trying to IMPROVE the society.  How about the hard-working Muslims that do most of the dirty work in Sweden?    

By the way, Sweden’s economy is not so great! No jobs anywhere! You expect crimes to decrease?

Supposedly “Muslims” (hypocrites) who are ruining Islamic image.

Honestly, I think Swedes here are very respectful towards women.

I’ve experienced creepy stalkers within the past years in Stockholm, and look, what a coincident, they happened to be Arabs.  One of them I knew was Muslim, apparently.  Now I think to myself, damn Arab?  Some Arabs I encounter in Stockholm are either rude, aggressive, or uncivilized pervs!  With the exception of my husband’s friends, who are ALSO arabs.  With the exception of the Arabs I met during my sfi and komvux classes.  With the exception of the MAJORITY of Arabs I met in the Masjid during Friday prayers or Eid Prayers.  They are also Arabs living in Sweden. So sincere and with good character. In fact, they are more faithful than those perverts I had encountered. 

The Real Muslim

True faithful Muslims will never commit crimes and be so heartless.  Yet Norling and many others around the world blame Islam for the violence?   A few seconds ago I was blaming Arabs for just a few bad ones?

 Arabs, Somalians, Bangladeshis, Bosnians, Pakistanis, Indians, Americans, Swedes, and so many more races…races of every kind practice Islam.  MashAllah! They don’t practice terrorism, violence, rape, domestic violence, and war.  Jihad has a completely different meaning. I’ll tell you what they DO.  They (the true believers) follow the 5 pillars of Islam:  Having faith, Praying, giving alms/supporting the needy around the world, fasting during the Holy month of Ramadan, and performing the pilgrimage to Mecca.  They Read the Quran and practice Islam not by FORCE (forcing is not permitted in Islam) but by free will.  They must repect woman! Be forgiving and humble. They must have good behavior and conduct because on the day of judgement, the first thing that will be judged is how they acted with other people in this world (muslim or not).   They believe that there is one God and he created everything. Laaa ilaha illalah. They love and respect every single one of their prophets and they always say after saying ANY prophets name “May peace and the blessings of God be upon them”. 

That’s called being a true Muslim.  Do not mix personal flaws, tradition and culture, violence,race with Islam. Islam is not a race but it is a religion of Peace.  My Islam.  That’s what the word Islam means, to surrender/submit.   

May God have mercy on us and guide us to the straight path, Ameen.

Step-by-step in Sweden : Checklist

It has been about one and a half months since I wrote my little to-do list and I continuously tried to remind myself that I will be able to achieve all these things through that magic word - patience.

I'm happy to share to you guys that I am finally having some progress in this country.  After 2 and a half years, that is.

Let me go through my little list that I made on my previous post:

1. I need a job. (in progress)

Any job, really.  Part-time, full-time, temporary.  I don't care! I just need one.

I lost count on how many I applied for! Frustrating. I finally got one last week! Thanks to the help of my wonderful husband.  So hopefully  I will start working as a marketing assistant for this MVNO, full-time.  I'll tell you all the good and bad things about it once I start. After all, it's going to be my first job in Sweden.

2. Need to get educated in SWEDISH. (in progress)

I see available well-paid jobs within healthcare.  Since I studied biology in the US, I'm really interested in getting into Sweden's 3-year nursing program.  I want to start that in the beginning of next year, which leaves me four months of waiting.  What do I do in the meantime?  Work my butt off.

Once I start my new job, which is within the field of administration, reception, and costumer service, I need to still keep looking for similar jobs.  First, because (as much as I want to stay committed in one job) I have no guarantee if I will be a permanent employee, and second, If by any chance this job is an extremely big pain, It wouldn't hurt to send a resume to another company.  Let's hope it's not that bad.

I couldn't apply for nursing this year because my Swedish language grades came a couple of days after the registration deadline, bummer, which is why I have to wait till next spring.  Talk about patience! I did, however, register for a 20-week receptionist program which will start in october. It's a full-time distance-learning program which will give me a certificate in the field of administration, something I will already be working on, but hopefully with this recognition, I might either get a better paying job or a promotion.  Options sound pretty good.

So that's what I do while I hopefully study sjuksköterska utbildning for 3 whole years.

3.  I still need a svenskt körkort.  (no action taken).

Yea. I really need to get that.

4.  I need a permanent residence permit. (CHECK)

And its a huge relief!  I got my permanent residency card from the Migrationsverket last month.  Now i regret making a stupid ID-card for 400sek.  But I am sure Swedes still prefer the typical ID over an alien residency card.

~~~

So that's what's going on!

We are still in the month of Ramadan, where all Muslims fast from dawn  till sunset, and doing that in Sweden at this time of the year is a major test! 20 hours!

I would sit in front of the table filled with delicious food, fresh fruits and refreshments right before sunset and sometimes it seems that the minutes will never move.  I think of how hard it is to be patient and wonder how everything in life is like this.  There is never an easy way out.  If you want something great, you can't just grab it and digest it.  We earn through hardship, and only then do we fully appreciate the value of something so special.  So when the sun suddenly sets, I appreciate that table full of food that some people don't even get a piece of in a day.  All that patience and hardship pays off when Sweden's cool refreshing water goes down my throat. I love Sweden's water!

So that's how I think of it.  Life here is progressing for me.  Working hard will get me to the place I want to be.  

Step-by-step in Sweden

I’m finally done with the basics.  That is to say, I have finally completed the Swedish language.  All those SFI courses, grund courses, and Svenska B lectures are over with.  May those days never come back again, Amen!  I honestly think Svenska B was a waste of time, but hey, it’s required for most qualificaitons.  

The next step is educating myself through Swedish.  I still need all the patience in the world.  I always thought of myself as the patient type.  Whatever happened to that Tani?   I think I had left it in America.  No worries.  My husband and I had recently taken a nice month-long vacation back home in the warm peach state.  I got the chance to find that hidden sack of patience in my old room in Atlanta and took it with me to Sweden.  So what’s my purpose of being so patient?

1

1.  I need a job.
2.  I need a degree that is appropriate for this country.  In other words, I need to get educated in SWEDISH.  Make my karriär you know?  Not career, silly.   
3. I still need a svenskt körkort.  An American driver’s license stays only in America, whether I like it or not.
4.   I need a permanent residence permit.  Because as of now, I am NOT getting any kind of financial aid.

My dad tells me knowledge is power, and that is so true.  He also says to “always follow your dreams” and I am lucky to have parents who would say that.  But if I really want to follow these sayings, there is one thing I need to start doing, despite all the pressure.  And that’s being patient.  

Just wait and watch world! 

Art of the Day: His Ghost

I missed drawing on paper so much that I just took a long break from the ipad. I guess digital art isn't my thing.  I love sketching... I scribble on and on and never erase.

Isn't it scary to even think about it? How we're all going to lose our loved ones.  It's the harsh reality.

The worst feeling ever.  Losing the one you love.  They went through hard times and joy together.  There was a time when they would playfully ask each other "What would I have done without you?" They had 4 beautiful kids, raised them, got to see their weddings.  Some had kids, some just married. Their house became empty once again.  They moved into that house when they were in their mid-20s.  So young and energetic.  So many memories embedded in every single part of their home.  Now they were weak and aging.  All they needed was each other.  They mystically ask each other sometimes, "What am I going to do without you?"  One day it hit the woman.  She realized she was the only one asking herself that.  It stung her inside badly.  All she heard was her echo in that empty house.  "God knows how much I miss you...."

Rant rant rant

I miss thunderstorms.  I miss that feeling of rush going through the body right before a huge storm hits the area.  Haven't seen one in more than 2 years, because Sweden is a place where no such thing exists.  There are no big waves or lightning.  They have no bagels or real nestles chocolate chips.  I still haven't gotten used to the 3 extra letters on the keyboard that mess the entire board up.  I have to start looking at the keyboard while typing nowadays.  I am still not used to putting spaces between the correct amount of numbers in a swedish phone number.  It's hard for me to understand how the lamest slowest least helpful people have the same jobs year after year (like that stupid girl who works at Gallerix) while hardworking well-educated immigrants sit and wait in the employment office to get their names called for nothing.  Like my in-laws say, "nowadays they want you to have a damn degree in CLEANING to be a janitor."

I'm a bit tired of seeing nothing but Volvos on the roads.  Oh, let's not even start with the drivers here.  The only reason there are less accidents here is because more than half the people take other sources of transportation, leaving an almost empty freeway.  It's funny how this country gets on your ass about being a qualified Swedish driver  yet you still see crazy drivers (unseen by cops).   So pointless to spend thousands on traffic schools, courses, and tests when you will get failed for it anyway.  It's less about learning defensive driving and more of getting used to the game.  Or sucking up.  Like, money comes out of our ass or something.

Swedish sometimes becomes irritating because everybody sounds the same.  Same expression, same tone.  It is hard to be unique.  You have to use more adverbs instead of adjectives for something good, because "bra" (good) is an overly used word.

Ok? I'm complaining.  It's my day to rant about this country's dryness in ...well..everything.   DRY DRY land.  Not much touches me because it's so damn dry!  

But hey, no country is perfect.  It's made out of people.  You have flaws..yeah, I know, I do too.  So no point in complaining about how the world treats us.  It's what we make of it.

Yup, I have no idea why I wrote all this....

I feel light-headed though!

Art of the Day - Is There Hope?

We often tend to let our weakness get to us which slowly degrades our happiness piece by piece.  To make it worse, we pity ourselves with that annoying question "why me?" You think your stuck so deep that there's no way out. 

The ugly truth is you're no angel.  Nobody is.  And it's not just you.  We all go through tough times.  Grieving never gets you anywhere in life.  Instead, always look for the light.