Diversity Diaries: Beverly Kees

By Beverly Kees
freedomforum.org

12.05.01

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In my early reporting days, I wrote a feature about a woman who had written a novel based in a Minnesota town founded by people from Finland. I wrote about the author's background, the Finlander heroine of the story, etc.

After the article was published, I got some unpleasant and puzzling anonymous phone calls and letters. A few days a later, a very thoughtful woman called and said: "I was talking to my friend and we thought maybe you didn't know that 'Finlander' is an insulting term. The proper term is Finn."

The country is Finland and the anthem is “Finlandia,” but it never occurred to me that Finlander was an insult. I have been forever grateful that the woman took the time to set me straight.

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