Commentary on Polish political scene

[Szuchow]

Poland’s ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party wants to regulate the status of the country’s journalists, in a move that the opposition is calling an assault on democratic freedoms.

The new rules are part of a 232-page party manifesto published last weekend in preparation for the October 13 general election that PiS looks very likely to win.

The main aim of the new law would be to create a "self-government" body to ensure ethical and professional standards among journalists, to self-regulate the sector and to educate young reporters. The document also says that the new law would “by no means limit the principle of openness of the journalistic craft” and that its introduction would be preceded by a series of consultations.

According to the manifesto, the party also aims to create a "new media order” based on the public media — television, radio and news agency.


Considering that

In the 2019 edition of the World Press Freedom index, Poland slumped to 59th place among 180 countries, down from 18th place in 2015.

 it can't end in anything good.

I doubt that this info will shake the voters especially when one take into account opposition ineptitude and PiS plans for making life of significant part of electorate better (minimum wage increase most of all).

[Minimalist]

Any politician who uses the words "Law" and "Justice" in the name of their party is interested in neither.

[Szuchow]

PiS voters were asked about what they deem danger to Poland:



Looking at the main "threat" I am at loss for words. I mean I know that propaganda can make people stupid but fearing something called "gender ideology"*. Here is corresponding article: https://oko.press/mezczyzni-najbardziej-...-o-klimat/


*Scare words of right wing in Poland without definitive meaning. Perhaps best explanation of it I saw in meme in which mother said to kid that he should eat his soup before "gender" will come to eat it.

[Minimalist]

Wow.

That's fucked up, man.

Evidence, as if any more were needed, of the deleterious effect of religion on a society.  I'm proud of the Irish for catching on.  Someday perhaps Poland may catch up?

[Cavebear]

PiS voters were asked about what they deem danger to Poland:



Looking at the main "threat" I am at loss for words. I mean I know that propaganda can make people stupid but fearing something called "gender ideology"*. Here is corresponding article: https://oko.press/mezczyzni-najbardziej-...-o-klimat/


*Scare words of right wing in Poland without definitive meaning. Perhaps best explanation of it I saw in meme in which mother said to kid that he should eat his soup before "gender" will come to eat it.

Is it perhaps what people think is in their ability to control?

[Szuchow]

PiS voters were asked about what they deem danger to Poland:



Looking at the main "threat" I am at loss for words. I mean I know that propaganda can make people stupid but fearing something called "gender ideology"*. Here is corresponding article: https://oko.press/mezczyzni-najbardziej-...-o-klimat/


*Scare words of right wing in Poland without definitive meaning. Perhaps best explanation of it I saw in meme in which mother said to kid that he should eat his soup before "gender" will come to eat it.

Is it perhaps what people think is in their ability to control?

It is gov and church propaganda machine in action coupled with bigotry that never really left Poland and is now much more tolerated with authoritarians (or maybe even fascists*) in power.

*According to Roger Griffin definition I'm afraid fascist label is merited: Griffin's theory of fascism suggests that a heuristically useful ideal type of its definitional core is that it is a form of palingenetic ultranationalism. In other words, it seeks, by directly mobilising popular energies or working through an elite, to eventually conquer cultural hegemony for new values, to bring about the total rebirth of the nation from its present decadence, whether the nation is conceived as a historically formed nation-state or a racially determined 'ethnos'.

[Szuchow]

PiS plan to muzzle scholars that write history which not fit with nationalist delusions of ruling clique*. To quote from their program: 

"The only criteria shaping science may be merit and ethical criteria, in justified cases also the criterion of reason of state. Further reform of the Polish science system will be heading in this direction".

It may not sounds too bad but minister for Science Jarosław Gowin just couldn't keep his mouth shut and clarified what ruling nationalists really mean by asking (in interview given to niche Tygodnik Solidarność) if history written by Americans or Germans

corresponds to the truth and the Polish rationale of state?

He also lied about non existence of polish works about Poles-Jews relations in English language (there are such, they just don't fit with gov narrative) which I guess is another clue for deciphering what nationalists really want.



*https://oko.press/pis-o-nauce-racje-stanu-gowin/ Article (sadly) only in Polish.

[Szuchow]

The police detained a married couple from Lublin, which brought an explosive charge of its own construction on Saturday's Equality March. According to the expert, it posed a threat to lives of people who would be close to the explosion*.

If I would live in a normal country not a shithole filled with nationalists fools, bigots, fascists and politicians for which fellating a clergy is highest calling in life this would force people to react. However in country where something called gender ideology is deemed a serious threatI expect deluge of rationalizations and further attacks on LGBT.

Guess gov will have to quickly found some "brown" terrorist to cover the issue.


*Article only in Polish: https://www.rp.pl/Sluzby-mundurowe/19100...nstwo.html

[Dom]

I merged threads. I think it will get more attention this way, being pinned.

[skyking]

Thank you, Szuchow.
This helps put things in perspective.

[Thumpalumpacus]

We each fight the good fight where we can, brotha.

[Deesse23]

"Gender ideology!?  

[Szuchow]

We each fight the good fight where we can, brotha.

If only such would have some measurable effect. But what one man can do when when left is held in contempt* but nationalist party doing parody of welfare policy is praised or when people seriously think that LGBT is a threat? My good fight have no effect... At least one day I would be able to say that I wasn't silent.


*Sadly it can't be said that left didn't earn it in years past.

[Szuchow]

"Gender ideology!?  

After 30 years of church holding great deal of political power it is no surprise that even non existing things can be made into a mortal threat.

[Thumpalumpacus]

We each fight the good fight where we can, brotha.

If only such would have some measurable effect. But what one man can do when when left is held in contempt* but nationalist party doing parody of welfare policy is praised or when people seriously think that LGBT is a threat? My good fight have no effect... At least one day I would be able to say that I wasn't silent.


*Sadly it can't be said that left didn't earn it in years past.

The thing is that not staying silent helps keep the flame alive. We each in our own countries have lost battles against resurgent neofascist or extreme right-wing elements; they have the upper hand for now. It's what little we can do for now.

But by speaking out, we keep the ideas alive and hopefully relevant. And yes, we'll have the consolation of knowing we spoke up at the critical moment. As the saying goes -- was it @Full Circle  here who once had the epigram, "a clean conscience is the softest pillow"? It's the truth ... at least until the three a.m. knock, lol.

[Minimalist]

The police detained a married couple from Lublin, which brought an explosive charge of its own construction on Saturday's Equality March. According to the expert, it posed a threat to lives of people who would be close to the explosion*.

That is kind of the whole point of a bomb.

[Full Circle]

We each fight the good fight where we can, brotha.

If only such would have some measurable effect. But what one man can do when when left is held in contempt* but nationalist party doing parody of welfare policy is praised or when people seriously think that LGBT is a threat? My good fight have no effect... At least one day I would be able to say that I wasn't silent.


*Sadly it can't be said that left didn't earn it in years past.

The thing is that not staying silent helps keep the flame alive. We each in our own countries have lost battles against resurgent neofascist or extreme right-wing elements; they have the upper hand for now. It's what little we can do for now.

But by speaking out, we keep the ideas alive and hopefully relevant. And yes, we'll have the consolation of knowing we spoke up at the critical moment. As the saying goes -- was it @Full Circle  here who once had the epigram, "a clean conscience is the softest pillow"? It's the truth ... at least until the three a.m. knock, lol.

Still do 

[Szuchow]

We each fight the good fight where we can, brotha.

If only such would have some measurable effect. But what one man can do when when left is held in contempt* but nationalist party doing parody of welfare policy is praised or when people seriously think that LGBT is a threat? My good fight have no effect... At least one day I would be able to say that I wasn't silent.


*Sadly it can't be said that left didn't earn it in years past.

The thing is that not staying silent helps keep the flame alive. We each in our own countries have lost battles against resurgent neofascist or extreme right-wing elements; they have the upper hand for now. It's what little we can do for now.

But by speaking out, we keep the ideas alive and hopefully relevant. And yes, we'll have the consolation of knowing we spoke up at the critical moment. As the saying goes -- was it @Full Circle  here who once had the epigram, "a clean conscience is the softest pillow"? It's the truth ... at least until the three a.m. knock, lol.

In Poland this fight was lost before I was even born - even "communist" regime that theoretically should espouse internationalism started antisemitic crap: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1968_Polis...y_politics Nationalists and other clowns were silent here for a time (never entirely as one can see from reaction to Gross books) but looks like it was silence before storm.

I doubt that me speaking will make even a iota of difference but staying silent is not an option. 

As for 3 a.m. knocking - Poland had concentration camp in the past and PiS idealize this period of time so it's not impossible. I"m not afraid however, there are far more important people that - hypothetically - would be silenced first.

[Szuchow]

Prosecutor refused to start proceedings against Jarosław Kaczyński for his attack on LGBT people. Nothing surprising in it considering that Kaczyński is de facto ruler of Poland. Reason for refusal however deserves mention - besides standard crap about traditional family prosecutor said that many people reacted positively to Kaczyński speech.

Here is article in Polish if anyone wants to use translator - http://warszawa.wyborcza.pl/warszawa/7,5...rects=true

[Dom]

President Trump on Friday said he has approved granting Poland access to the State Department's Visa Waiver Program, making it easier for Polish citizens to travel to the United States.

Trump told reporters outside the White House that he had signed off on "preliminary" paperwork and would soon finalize the agreement with Poland. He had teased the announcement last week during a United Nations meeting with Polish President Andrzej Duda.

"They’ve been trying to get this for many, many decades, and I got it for the Polish people, in honor of the Polish people in the United States and in Poland," Trump said.

Under the waiver program, citizens of participating countries are able to travel to the United States for up to 90 days without obtaining a U.S. visa. Poland has long sought to gain access to the program.

Thirty-eight countries are participating in the visa waiver program, including several close U.S. allies like France, Germany, Australia, Sweden and Japan.

[Szuchow]

Guardian take on Polish issue: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/o...lands-soul

Little addendum - Civic Platform isn't liberal. It's just lighter shade of PiS when it comes to issues like women rights, or church influence. Knowing this the fact that their support is far lower than what ruling party get is no surprise. Also I just fucking wonder how anyone could call this bunch of clownish fuckups a liberals?

[Szuchow]

According to PiS Sejm candidate Małgorzta Wasserman Facebook is either subversive or seditious* for criticizing ruling party. Allegedly she also want to ban internet for those below 15 (though she denied it). Here is article in polish - https://shareinfo.pl/wassermann-zapowiad...internetu/


*In Polish it was "nieprawomyślny politycznie". Usage of such words brings "communist" Poland times and Orwell "1984" to the mind.

[Szuchow]

PiS may get as many as 42% of votes.

Another four years of fascist rule might fuck this already hopeless country beyond all hope of recovery. If people hoping to enter the Sejm from PiS lists say some shit about censoring internet just before the elections with no fear of backlash it shows how much things are fucked up.

I hope that I won't start posting from prison in near future*.


*Exaggeration on purpose. I doubt that I will be affected much but life for women and minorities will continue to be shit.

[Tartarus Sauce]

Maybe it’s time to consider leaving Poland?

[Szuchow]

Maybe it’s time to consider leaving Poland?

Possibly, but I don't really see myself living abroad.