Antti Blåfield on the theory of hate

In his column for the Finnish daily Helsingin Sanomat Antti Blåfield writes about the two school massacres in the Finnish cities of Jokela and Kauhajoki, in which 20 people died. "In Finland we are facing a new brand of networked, reproduced violence ... Combating it must be a top priority for police work. ... The necessary conditions must be created for this to be the case. ... All children need support, protection and adequate space to grow up. And all children need adults they can talk to. In the past people complained that parents were too strict with their children, thus destroying their self-confidence. Now experts talk of the opposite being the problem. ... A secure childhood doesn't necessarily guarantee that a child will develop a balanced personality. ... In the past victims of mobbing destroyed their own lives. Now their hate has found a new channel. Mobbing is an omnipresent form of violence. Children who are mobbed experience feelings of shame which make it difficult for them to talk about it. And a silent majority promotes acceptance of mobbing." Commenting on a project against mobbing which is already up and running at Finnish schools taking part in a pilot study Blåfield writes: "So far the results have been positive. If schools all over the country take part in the project the chances of reducing mobbing will increase. ... The most important lesson is joint responsibility. ... We [also] need money, probably a great deal of it. Families and schools need the knowledge, help and support of experts."

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