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Open Letter Condemning Hateful Attack on Estonians & Kaja Kallas
Please consider signing this open letter from members of the Estonian community and our friends in Canada and the Association of Estonian Canadians about this offensive and hateful anti-Estonian tweet: https://archive.is/8OkVs
To the Producers of Heated Rivalry, Wolf Parade and Arcade Fire
We write as members of the Estonian community in Canada to express our outrage over a tweet attributed to Dan Boeckner that described Estonians as “beef and onion slop eating Hungarians who polished the cocks of German horses for 1000 years before being elevated to sapience by the USSR.”
This statement is vile, dehumanizing ethnic abuse. It is not satire. It is not wit. It is hate dressed up as provocation.
What makes it even more offensive is that, as posted, it was directed at Kaja Kallas, Estonia’s former prime minister and now one of Europe’s most senior foreign policy leaders, serving as the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission.
When a female leader is targeted through degrading ethnic and national abuse, the message extends beyond her. It communicates contempt not only for Estonia, but for Estonian women in public life.
The statement is also historically grotesque. To suggest that Estonians were somehow “elevated” by the Soviet Union is an insult to a nation that endured Soviet Russian occupation, terror, deportations, censorship, and the destruction of its independence. That is not only false. It is cruel.
Kaja Kallas has become one of the clearest democratic voices in Europe against imperial aggression and authoritarianism.
Because Heated Rivalry used Wolf Parade’s music, and because Dan Boeckner is publicly associated with Wolf Parade and as a touring musician with Arcade Fire, silence from those who benefit from that profile risks being read as indifference.
We therefore call on:
1. Dan Boeckner to issue a full and unequivocal public apology to Estonians and to Kaja Kallas.
2. Wolf Parade to publicly disavow this statement and make clear that ethnic degradation, misogynistic abuse, and historical falsification have no place in Canadian cultural life.
3. Arcade Fire to clarify whether it condemns these remarks and whether the band tolerates a band member engaging in this kind of ethnic degradation, misogynistic abuse, and historical falsification without consequence.
4. The producers of Heated Rivalry to state clearly whether they are comfortable continuing to elevate a public figure who has used language that dehumanizes an entire nation while targeting one of Europe’s most prominent female democratic leaders.
Canada’s cultural institutions should not normalize this kind of hatred when directed at Estonians, or at any other people. Had similar language been used against another ethnic community or against another female public leader, there would be immediate and justified condemnation. Estonians deserve no less.
We expect better from Canadian artists, Canadian productions, and those who benefit from public trust and public platforms.
Silence is not neutrality. Silence is complicity.
Signed,
Members of the Estonian Community in Canada and Around the World and Our Friends:
Marcus Kolga
Petro Schturyn
Kalev Nisbet
Jaan Kittask
Raja Raudsepp
K.Hemingway
William Burtniak
Holly Stoddart
Tarmo Remmel
Liisa Toose
Karl Altau
Jaan Hess
Oleg Kovalchuk
Kristjan Karu
Rein Andre
Irene Solomon
Marit Davey
Marie Kaul-Rahiman
Roman Zakaluzny
Simon Kouklewsky
Bernard von Schulmann
Joonas Roose
Kristina Sermat
Aarne Tork
Andres Kasekamp
Paul Lillakas
Ilze Kuplens-Ewart
Randar Puust
Ariana Gic
Katrin Sermst
HM Young
Sten Puust
Kimberley Glennie
Patrik Maldre
Alik Gomelsky
Piret Kork
Jaanus Kase
Ivars Bezdechi
Regina Bauer
Laas Hess
Lada L. Roslycky
Kristopher Rikken
Ene Timmusk
Hannes Rai
Aigar Paju
Reelika Virunurm
Kadi Laaneots
Tim Hagemann
Cynthia Karpa
Raul öhman
Igor Malakoff
Linda Lillakas
Liisa Novek
Peeter Leppik
David Hogg
Siiri Valter
Lisa Fleming
Laine Taylor-Dunham
Laine Nõmmik
Susan Matas
Roman Zyla
Lida Gic
Roma Ihnatowycz
Kristi Doughty
Andres Jeeger
Katherine Vellinga
Märt Matsoo
William McCullough
Robert Zeidler
Robert Zeidler
Linda Koplimae
Irena Bartoszko
Tiina Hubel
Helmi Hess
Marta Kivik
Rein Lepnurm
Mart Poldma
Rita Blosmanis
Michael Wesolowsky
Hilja Laasen
Rob Hiis
Viive Tork
Silvi Verder
Evy Beraldo
Marti Capirchio
Hedy Sellers
A. Capirchio
Elle Rosenberg
Peter Paas
Miroslav Riha
Viktor Riha
Jaan Jalgratas
Derek Christie
Peeter Saarna
Birger Svenningson and Lea Svenningson
Ann Marie Leis
Vaino Raun
Antonija Kruuser Mitt
Leila Hess
Tiiu Wallner
Erik Hess
Heiki Sillaste
Martin Tiidus
Kilu Mari
Vivian Pallandi
Ruth McFarlane
Caitriona Giles
Helga Sermat
Ülle Morgan
Anne Liis Keelmann
Kadri Munro
Greg Andre-Barrett
Kaia Toop
John Newcomb
Kaja Telmet
Maret Giles
Kiiri Sandy
Sten Hankewitz
Arnis Markitants
Kai Virkus
Eileen Boyko
Pia Poolsaar
Inga Eichenbaum
Elle Andra-Warner
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Joseph Quesnel
Joseph Quesnel
Andres Simonson
Helgi Leesment
Silvia Vaikla
Martin R Sausins
Tiia Reinvald
Katreen Apel
Andriy Shmatukha
Robert X Vessmann
Ingrid L Roosild
Leda Lada
Reet Mae
Jennifer Isle
Lembitu Ristsoo
Stefan de Jong
Aho Rebas
Ksenia Lena Maryniak
Piret Noorhani
Roger Blum
Juan Castillo
Kristoffer Bengtsson
Markus Schubert M.A.
Merike Laigna
Valda Matusevics
Sven Reitav
A Utz
Lana Koshkareva
Oliver Laanet
Timothy Cooney
Leanna Tallmeister
Andres Rootsi
Bill Kinnon
Jolanta Linde-Martinsons
Kaili Colford
Laine Taylor-Dunham
Rosanne Milliken
Sven Linkruus
Tatiana Schturyn
Elda Kaarmann- aher
Toivo Heyduck
Karin Sillat Muld
Kirsti Kompus
Tiina Liivet
Taavo Nisbet
Tuula Heinar
Matthew Gibbs
Linda Walker
Mick Schaer
Krista Leesment
Max Ots
Iuliia Pavlenko
Liis Truuvert
Kristina Lillakas
Daria Prykhodtseva
Izolde Spurmanis
Izolde Spurmanis
Ilo Puhm
Beau Beckett
Siobhan Giles
Arno Sokk
Hans M. R.
Walter Daschko
Leon Kosals
Larysa Iat
Merit K. Vabamäe Marnot
Ingrid Soide
Alexander Lanoszka
Anne Tork
Liisa Hein
Ilona Toots
Martin Allison Booth
Tiina Jylli
Susanne Holmberg
Arthur Martinson
Natashia Muna
Kirsten Busse
Martin Roos
Valmar Kurol
Ruth Patterson
Raivo Remmel
Elo Kuutan
Kalle Ludig
Anne Joulu
Imants Lapins ,
Shithole Estonia
Erikson Moore
Ants Toi
Anne Liis Keelmann
Piret Aasa Hurrell
Ken hurrell
Caileen Desmond
Marcus Vaska
Andreas Onkel
Heikki Aasa
Kaia Rebane
Derek Puddicombe
Alex Rebane
Marie Teppart
Taavi Siitam
Tiina Väljaste
Marty Dumbrille
stacey wraxall
Viivi Niitsoo
Ene-Liis Arrowsmith
Email: associationofcanadianestonians@gmail.com