Anna Kinberg Batra (@kinbergbatra)
https://www.instagram.com/kinbergbatra/?hl=en
In Sweden, Opposition leader Anna Kinberg Batra has brought some much-needed fresh air and common sense into the public debate about civic responsibilities of migrants and newcomers to assimilate into Swedish society. #Almadalen* Updated on July 20, 2016, see bottom!
Even as we've recently learned to our dismay that the Democratic Party in the U.S. is now prepared to abandon its longtime policy of emphasizing that newcomers to the U.S. must, of course, learn to be able to communicate in English, Anna Kinberg Batra, the leader of the Swedish Moderate Party, as well as the leader of the Swedish opposition, has publicly reiterated the need for all migrants and newcomers to Sweden to actually learn Swedish, or be prepared to suffer meaningful penalties as a result.
Which is to say, that perhaps the bad old days of countless government officials, patronizing academic elites and members of the news media consciously looking the other way when some migrants to Sweden just went thru the motions, and society was forced into pretending that all migrants were really doing the right thing, and that the problem of them isolating themselves wasn't real or have long-term negative consequences for Swedish society -besides causing great personal offense to millions of Swedish citizens paying the hefty freight for newcomers' housing and education- may finally be coming to an end.
That is, if Kinberg Batra becomes Prime Minister, and can institute some much-needed and long-overdue policy changes.
IF.
Anna Kinberg Batra spoke for many frustrated and open-minded people I know and respect in Sweden when she spoke at length at a press conference today at Almadalen, Visby, about what sorts of changes she wanted to see.
Stating that there's nothing wrong in believing that there is, indeed, something known as "Swedish values," she made this point clear by emphasizing that besides the numerous personal rights and opportunities that come with being a legal resident or citizen in Sweden, there were also personal & social civic responsibilities attached to being able to live and work legally in Sweden as well.
”Man ska inte kunna skolka sig in i Sverige” -One should not be truant in Sweden- said @KinbergBatra, and who could plausibly argue with this bit of self-evident common sense?
The job is the first important key to integration. Language is the other, she said.
She also said that it was naive to believe that the migrant situation in Sweden, with its attendant costs and chaos, were over for good.
Again, directly at variance with what many powerful special interest groups and non-profits in Sweden want the people of Sweden to believe is the case, lest they ask for more accountability in an area that has seen so many financial/oversight scandals the past two years.
When it comes to government benefits, Kinberg Batra "repeated previous demands that a ceiling should be introduced so that newcomers can not get more in income support and establishment of compensation than what they can get by working."
Again, common sense, but then that is exactly what has been in such short supply in Sweden for many years in the view of many observers, including your faithful blogger.
You can love Sweden but acknowledge that its longstanding problems are not going to solve themselves.
My friends in Sweden are, it goes without saying, VERY pleased to hear Kinberg Batra say these things publicly and draw a meaningful distinction with other politicians and political parties on this issue, as their enthusiastic emails to me have made clear since she gave this talk.
1/ Even as U.S. Democrats abandon longtime policy of emphasizing that newcomers must learn #English, leader of #Swedish opposition publicly— HallandaleBeachBlog (@hbbtruth) July 9, 2016
2/ reiterates need 4 #immigrants to #Sweden to learn #Swedish or suffer meaningful penalties. .@KinbergBatra speaks up 4 "Swedish values" at— HallandaleBeachBlog (@hbbtruth) July 9, 2016
3/ #Almadalen, makes clear to all that there are, indeed, personal & social responsibilities attached to being able to live/work in #Sweden.— HallandaleBeachBlog (@hbbtruth) July 9, 2016
4/ ”Man ska inte kunna skolka sig in i Sverige” says @KinbergBatra, and who cld argue with this bit of #commonsense? My friends in #Sweden— HallandaleBeachBlog (@hbbtruth) July 9, 2016
5/ are VERY pleased to hear @KinbergBatra say this publicly and draw a distinction w/others. (Me too!) @svtnyheter https://t.co/VlHK6xfqHi— HallandaleBeachBlog (@hbbtruth) July 9, 2016
#Sweden - Opposition leader Kinberg Batra wants stricter requirements on new arrivals, @didigital_se https://t.co/xpA9HyWeA5 #immigration
— HallandaleBeachBlog (@hbbtruth) July 9, 2016
Sydis: Kinberg Batra vill straffa asylsökande som skolkar: Den som uteblir frĂ„n sfi-lektioner ska fĂ„ svĂ„rare ... https://t.co/2rYKL6XZM5— Svenska kultursidor (@kultursidorna) July 9, 2016
https://t.co/7og7NhRtUX: Kinberg Batra: Man Ă€r naiv om man tror flyktingkrisen Ă€r över https://t.co/HqLdfsuHpC #migpol #svpol #almedalen— Migrationsnytt (@migrationsnytt) July 8, 2016
Kinberg Batras (M) utspel i #almedalen – vill tvinga flyktingkvinnor att lĂ€ra sig svenska https://t.co/8piWSoDhJk pic.twitter.com/xUWW14qJwv— Sydsvenskan (@sydsvenskan) July 8, 2016
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Update of July 20, 2016:
Since I first wrote and posted the blog post above, I have discovered a new tweet from Anna Kinberg Batra herself that has a helpful link to her comments, plus a video of the entire speech:
Anna KinbergBatrastaliAlmedalen: Plan förettstarkareSverige| NyaModeraternahttps://t.co/vhvzATihSE
&mdash">https://t.co/vhvzATihSE">https://t.co/vhvzATihSEYou can find those comments on the Moderaterna party website at
http://www.moderat.se/nyhetsartikel/anna-kinberg-batras-tal-i-almedalen-plan-ett-starkare-sverige
Anna Kinberg Batras Almedalstal
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5a9gybTvA_k
