Campus Celebrity in Politics: Lauri Linna (The Independent Left)

What is SitVas (Sitoutumaton Vasemmisto – The Independent Left)?

SitVas is a leftish group that operates in HYY. Our main goal is make our university better via left politics and organize events like reading circles and discussion groups. Our organization is agent-originated, so every generation can do whatever they feel is right. SitVas is an independent organization so we aren’t a member of the Vasemmistoliitto.

What do you do in SitVas and how did you end up there?

I am the chair of the organization side. We also have another side, which concentrates on operating in the Representative council.

I already got in to the Faculty of Law last year but decided to do the mandatory civil service first. However, I had had this feeling for quite a long time that I would like to make a difference and be part of an organization that tries to improve things. And that’s why I wanted to take part of SitVas’ activities even though I wasn’t even studying yet. Now, at last, I feel that my conscience is somewhat clearer because I am involved in things I believe in.

I have worked as an editor in SitVas’ magazine Toimenpide and last fall I was running for HYY’s Representative council and was lucky enough to get the position of the vice representative. The elections made me realize that I could be even more active in SitVas and that’s how I fell into my current position.

Why did you choose to be part of left? Why aren’t you a member of – let’s say – SDP or Greens?

I sympathize with the ideology of leftism partly because of my friends, I cannot deny that. But mostly it is due to a grasp of how powers connected with economy work in our society. I think that in the left this is understood better and, therefore, I want to be a member of a leftish group. I see that SDP is nowadays way too far in the right. The Greens have a great base in what comes to values and they have a lot to offer in environmental issues, too, but I think that in general they don’t understand the relationship of power and economy. For example, they don’t realize how privatizations distance the power from people.

Okay, so if this is true then why leftish aren’t groups more popular today? Where have you guys been if you have the answers?

That is a millon dollar question. Sometimes it seems that people tend to associate the left with Taistoism (taistolaisuus). But people forget that they were a minority even in the 70’s. Another thing is that many institutions underpin right-wing politics. The left doesn’t have as many resources as the right does.

Of course, it is good to take a look in the mirror, too. Our rhetoric hasn’t been as great as it could have been. After all, most of the people are proletarians but people have difficulties associating themselves with the basic manual worker. It’s quite understandable that an urban white-collar who has been forced to entrepreneurship finds it hard to relate him/herself to a stereotypical metal worker. Tommi Uschanov has described this paradox very well. It is mainly because of the left, that the majority can educate themselves widely. But because of that, most of people don’t have understanding of “the real world” in that age when they are building their identity. So, the outcome is that even though leftism has done very well, people don’t want to support them.

Let’s get back to our beloved university. What are SitVas’ main goals in the Representative council?

We form an electoral alliance with HyVi (Helsingin Yliopiston Vihreät – Helsinki University Greens) called Maailmanpyörä, and we work together in council, too. We do have some differences with our emphases, but in the main issues we stand on the same line. We speak for the view that sees HYY as an organization, which holds a lot of political influence and is therefore able to take a stand on current issues of the society. We also want to promote students’ interests in general and not only the benefits of groups that operate in the university.

What kind of people are SitVas’ members?

Our members vary a lot, and one of my own goals has been to crack the stereotype of smelly hippies, which has sometimes been associated with SitVas. Naturally, the most important thing is to share leftish values. Of course, our members tend to be a bit more aware of the issues in our society. This shows, for example, in the number of vegetarians among us. But as I said, we are regular people and you don’t have to be of a certain type to participate in our activities.

A young, politically motivated student like you surely wants to be a politician, right?

Well, I do see politics as very interesting, but I am not yet sure if I want to participate in our society specifically as a politician. There are so many fascinating things in the world! From time to time, I think that all the pressures that politicians have are just too much, because of the social media and the fact that politics is nowadays very much based on personalities. But anyway, I see politics as a civil duty, so I will be part of it in one way or another.

I consider it sad that people don’t appreciate politicians that much. After all, they should be easily replaced with someone better! But I understand it also. After all, when middle-aged, white men tell us with a steady voice that we have to do “inevitable hard decisions”, which don’t hurt them at all, it’s no wonder they’re not appreciated. And unfortunately that happens a lot.

Any words of wisdom for our readers?

As Annis Riekkinen – the former Chairperson of the Board in HYY – said in one council meeting: it is important to think “outside of the box” and not to get stuck in current positions. So I want to encourage people to be more independent with their thinking and to see all the opportunities the world holds. Not everybody should be a top politician, but it is important to have at least some clue what is going on, so that there would be no regrets on one’s passivity later on. You can make a difference by being active!

In these series we celebrate the upcoming parliamentary elections by interviewing students involved in HYY’s political organizations about their values and political opinions. We want to encourage a multivoiced university and dialogue between different political groups by giving voice to these brave and visionary fellow-students. Different views – same university!