'Keep Sweden Swedish'

Uproar among politicians and anti-racist media in Sweden after the phrase is used in OP-Ed 

  • Bodil Sidén, Press Secretary at Moderaterna, wants to ”keep Sweden Swedish” but has been criticized for the use of that particular slogan. Photo by Jonna Thomasson courtesy of moderat.se
  • In an OP-ED for Nyheter24 online, the press secretary for the New Moderate Party, Bodil Sidén mentions a string of Swedish phenomena Swedes ought to be proud of and celebrate on a day such as June 6th. Among them Zlatan (the Swedish soccer star), child leave for men, humanitarian reception of refugees, kebabs, punctuality and herring on midsummer...
    In spite of the article’s overall anti-racist message, it has caused an uproar among politicians and anti-racist media in Sweden, and that’s because Sidén in a play on words wants to ”Bevara Sverige svenskt”, or ”Keep Sweden Swedish”.
    This phrase was the name of a racist organization during the 1980’s and has more recently been used as a slogan among Swedish ultra nationalists. Now Sidén is accused of being ignorant when it comes to history, and for taking too lightly a phrase that has made many immigrants fear for their lives, as it has been scribbled on detention centers.

  • Screen dump from the debate section of Nyheter24 - http://nyheter24.se/debatt
  • ”How can someone so unwittingly use the phrase ’Keep Sweden Swedish’?” ”Study the history, Bodil!” one person writes in the comments section at Nyheter24. Sidén is also criticized by politicians for her choice of words. ”The content is OK, but do you know what ’Keep Sweden Swedish’ was????” Patrick Kronholm, political secretary for the Social Democrats tweats. Sidén did not grant interviews when asked for an explanation, but instead answered in a message through another press secretary, Anna Lööf: ”My text is the opposte to what BSS (Bevara Sverige svenskt) stood for. They don’t own those words. I celebrate the National Day by openly standing for openness, diversity, anti-racism, and solidarity and against racism, nationalism, and populism. If anyone has taken offense at that it was not my intention, but I believe my text as a whole clearly shows what I stand for.”

  • We say, why not use the expression for a good cause? To keep Sweden Swedish is a good thing - everyone will gain from this in the long run and besides, why let ultra nationalists hijack a phrase that in itself makes a lot of sense?

  • In case you read Swedish, here's the link to the original OP-ED at Nyheter24: Bodil Sidén (M): Bevara Sverige svenskt