Selective Tolerance in Poland, or How Leftist Ideals Turned Out to be 'More Equal' Than Others

Do I find liberal brainwashing and manipulation techniques similar to techniques used by the Communists during their rule?

Oh yes, very much so.

I remember once or twice sending some American liberal media an ironic congratulatory note, telling them that, as a Pole, I was so very much impressed at how masterfully they distorted the meaning of something, or handled a subject with top-notch manipulative skill that rivals that of our Communist experts.

The things they do are all rooted in the same old principles. Sometimes it’s almost like a deja vu. Often times you just go like ‘Yeah, right, I’ve seen it before.’

Only now it’s not coming from within our country, but from the western world, a world which we have learned to instinctively trust, accept and imitate without questioning. You see, the years of hating our own government and our own Communist reality made us develop this kind of unquestioning attitude to anything ‘western’.

The result now is that we are blind to the tricks the liberals are playing on us, even though we should be able to see through them, considering our not so distant past experience with the Communists.

Another thing is that the liberals are targetting young people, who very often have a somewhat ignorant attitude towards history and the experience of elder generations. Or simply, for them, the stories from the past are just this, stories. They don’t know it from their own experience and their parents are not always willing to share painful memories.

For the younger generations it’s OK to laugh at the past reality, but who would take it as a serious precaution for the future? The communist reality seems so absurd that no one even suspects things like that could ever happen again. That’s precisely why it is dangerous.

My pessimistic feeling is that now we are closer to the Orwellian world of 1984 than we have ever been before. Precisely because people uderestimate the liberal danger.

And us Poles, as a nation, we forgot very quickly the lessons we should have learned from the Communist rule.

“There are many like-minded people in this world; for example, look at our Catholic Church, a mighty power.”

How very true. Wherever I go, whatever I do, whoever I meet, as long as I am within the reach of a Catholic church, I know I am Home. Simplistic as it may sound, we are one huge family and a mighty power, like you said, across boundaries. Are you seriously thinking of creating an international secular association? Why do you not want to include Mexicans?

Dear All,

Last time I was here I said I would be back “tomorrow at the latest” and that was 4 days ago. Apologies for the delay. I have no excuse other than that these past days have been really hectic and at the end of the day I was just drained and unable to think logically, leave alone write a coherent comment.

Once again you surprise me with your hospitality. Let me reiterate that it is MY honor and pleasure to be here. I am delighted to be of any use to you.

Coming back to your questions:

Ukraine is a tricky subject.

On one hand, the general mood prevailing here, in Poland, and I guess in the rest of Europe as well, seems to be one of solidarity and support for the Ukrainian opposition. Almost all the media, politicians from all over the political scene, as well as all kinds of celebrities suddenly unanimously stand up for one cause. The opposition candidate is elevated to the status of a national hero, compared to Lech Walesa of Poland, and it is kind of taken for granted that the ‘orange revoultion’, if successful, will bring change for the better.

However,

personally, I would be careful not to take the events in the Ukraine at face value.

Here is why:

First of all, we have to bear in mind that whatever we know about Yushchenko and the ‘orange revolution’ is filtered through the media. Even from my local European perspective, it is still only this fraction of the whole issue that they want us to see.

Second, what do we really know about Victor Yushchenko other than that he identifies himself as the opposition candidate? Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mean to downplay his role or accuse him of anything unfair. I am just wondering.

Next, how do we account for the almost unaniomous support Yushchenko receives from all over the civilized world? Governments, politicians, the media, the EU… I have my opinions on the EU and I learned to be extremely cautious about things that THEY support.

Yushchenko is openly pro-EU. But how do we know close relations with the EU will turn out to be a good thing for the Ukraine itself? Personally, I doubt so.

And then, mentaliy. My way of looking at things is obviously different from yours, because I see these events from a Polish perspective. And that means years of close contact with the post-Soviet mentality. I think mentality is key to the whole question. Can you really trust whatever the politicians claim to be or do? You can’t. This may sound a bit harsh and unpatriotic, but there’s really very little, not to say, no notion of honor and responsibility for your own words and deeds in this part of the world. I suppose you’d have to be here to fully grasp what I mean.

Another thing is that according to some people, both candidates are leftist or communist. One is openly pro-Russia, the other just pro-EU. They even say the pro-Russia one is less socialist and much more open to the free market economy. Moreover, Yushchenko is said to have no viable political program, apart from his democracy mantra.

One more thing: historic evidence shows these kinds of uprisings don’t always turn out right in the end. Remember Romania some 15 years ago? What was applauded in the media as the turning point in Romanian history turned out to be just a re-shuffle within the same group holding power over the country. At the time it was happening, however, you were supposed to accept it as an undeniable change for the better.

At that time, only one person on the Polish political scene was not overly enthusiastic and had the courage to publicly voice his doubts. That was Janusz Korwin - Mikke of the Real Politics Union (Unia Polityki Realnej). And history proved him right. Janusz Korwin - Mikke was skeptical then and he is skeptical now. So are other notable Polish conservative politicians and writers that I value. So am I.

Muhlenberg: You are probably right about the Polish - Czech difference. I don’t know the Czechs that well, but it’s not the first time I have heard an opinion like yours.

Just after the fall of Communism, in the early 1990s, we were VERY enthusiastic compared to now. I was but a kid then (born 1982) but I remember very distinctly the gray reality of the past turning into a better world right before my very eyes. For a very short while free enterprise flourished, people became richer and happier. New horizons opened. We had a new democratic government, whom we trusted. Naturally, we were full of hope for a better future.

Come and visit Poland now. Talk to people. The enthusiasm of the early 1990s is dead and gone. What you will find here is this ubiquitous feeling of disappointment, hopelessness and yes, despair. No future for the young. Distrust for the government. Corruption on all levels of the beaurocratic machine…

Oh, my. Here I am complaining about my country again… see? I am part of this mood.

Thanks, Andre, I should have provided the links myself.

Some info on the NGOs involved in the organization of the ‘equality march’ in Poznan, Poland on Nov 20, 2004 (their webpages): http://free.art.pl/konsola/english.htm the feminist KONSOLA, http://www.lambda.org LGBT LAMBDA intl and http://www.lambda.org.pl/pro/english.php3 LAMBDA Poland.