Finland is worth defending because, with all its faults, we have a democratic and pluralistic society.
Volunteer as a military service officer and a reserve officer, I read the Minister of Defense with concern Antti Häkkänen (kok) talks about preventing reserve refusal and the discussion that followed.
Although Häkkänen has since softened his positions, the question arises as to why the prevention of refusal has been hinted at in the beginning. The record number of people who resigned from the reserve shows the imprudence of the statement. At the same time, however, it gives a worrying picture of the direction in which Finland is heading.
The strong militarization of society and seeing dissidents as a threat to the state are characteristic features of totalitarian states. Preventing the refusal of the reserve or referring to the refusers as unpatriotic in the mouth of the defense minister is a bad breath in this direction.
I don't want my home country to turn into a country of one truth like our neighbor to the east. That's why I'm ready to defend it with my life. I have not sworn a military oath because of the blue cross flag or the Finnish lion, but Finland is worth defending precisely because, with all its faults, we have a democratic and pluralistic society. Let's keep it that way.
I am not about to leave the reserve myself. I want to do my part to defend Finland, so that there will continue to be room for dissidents and those who refuse to reserve in our society.
Pinja Vuorinen
second lieutenant of the reserve, chairman of the Left Youth
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