This is the conclusion of a two part series on Poland.
What is wrong with Poland? Why is the country so reactionary? Why is it one of the few countries in the developed world which castrates men accused of sexual assault? Why was it the first country in the EU to ban pornography? Why is Poland the most anti-Semitic country in Europe?
Poland is the most pro-American country in Europe, if not the world, on both the governmental level and among the general population. It is embarrassing and sickening how much Poland acts like a submissive woman to the United States. Though there are many admirable things about the United States culturally, Poland celebrates and emulates everything negative about the U.S. Warsaw has a statue of Ronald Reagan in the city centre.
More cities in Poland plan to tear down Soviet monuments celebrating the victory over Nazism and replace them with statues of Reagan. (I wonder how they would react if they were aware that Reagan at one time was a communist supporter back in the 1940s and actually applied to be a member of the Communist Party USA.) The crimes of Reagan are too numerous to mention but he represents everything which Poland embraces. Reagan represented all of the worst traits of America: bigotry, provincialism, turbo neo-liberalism and aggressive militarism. Indeed, the United States confused many Poles when Barack Obama was elected. Many Poles lost respect for the U.S. after his election.
It was not surprising that Reagan and Pope John Paul II were close political allies and worked together to overthrow the dictatorship in Poland. Pope John Paul II was reactionary through and through. He took the Catholic Church backwards out of the 20th century and pursued a crusade to overturn all of the political, social and cultural advances made since The Enlightenment. He was an incorrigible misogynist. He advanced the most primitive ideologies concerning sexuality. His positions on HIV/AIDS were despicable as they were irresponsible (anti-contraception, anti-birth control, etc.) Where was Pope John Paul from? He was from Poland of course!
Few would disagree that the Stalinist dictatorships in Eastern Europe were deplorable and that their overthrow was a positive development. However, unlike the Czech Republic and Hungary, which embraced Democracy and implemented human rights and pursued egalitarianism, Poland has impeded human rights. Equality is officially denounced in Poland. Any advocacy of equality is denounced and dismissed as “communist.” Inequality is the official doctrine of contemporary Polish politics. For Poland, Equality=Communism, Freedom=Inequality.
Moreover, unlike The Czech Republic and Hungary which still have relatively large Jewish populations living in Prague and Budapest, there are very few Jews living in Poland. That country has a vicious history of anti-Semitism which stands out from the gruesome oppression that Jews have suffered under historically in Europe. I once had a girlfriend from Poland. She was Catholic but she often endured anti-Semitic attacks in Poland. I asked a person in Poland why Jews were so hated. The following exchange was typical:
“Jews have caused us lots of problems.”
“Such as?”
“Many problems! Everything bad that has happened to Poland was the fault of the Jews.”
Another variant of this theme, which is shared by many, is that the Jews were responsible for the invasion of the country by Nazi Germany. If Poland had not had so many Jews in the first place, the argument goes, then the Nazis would have never invaded.
The final difference between Poland from Hungary and the Czech Republic is the power and influence of the Catholic Church. The vast majority of Czechs are atheists. Hungarians are more or less indifferent and secular. In Poland, an absolute majority attend Mass regularly. Ever since the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century and especially since 1848, the Catholic Church has been largely discredited across Europe. Its crimes against humanity are too great and extensive. No one who studies history would ever argue that the institution of the Catholic Church was a progressive force for peace or liberation. (There is a strain within the Church in the Third World known as Liberation Theology but was ruthlessly suppressed by Pope John Paul II) In Poland, the Church is seen as liberating the country from oppression. It’s beyond the comprehension of most Poles as to why the Czechs do not attend church or why the institution of the Catholic Church is opposed and despised by activists for peace, justice and equality.
Poland is one of the most violent countries in the EU. It ranks near the top for the number of racial assaults and acts of racial violence in the EU. This accounts for the reason why most Black males in Poland rarely seen in public alone and always walk in pairs or groups of up to 5. It’s dangerous for Black males to go out alone in Poland. Poland is also distinguished for sexism and misogyny. Sexism is in every society but in Poland it is so pronounced that even I as a straight male noticed it. I do not know how women cope.
One could write a doctorate dissertation documenting and highlighting the innumerable crimes against decency, justice, human rights, not to mention common sense committed in Poland. If Poland were a small and insignificant country, it could be ignored and laughed at. The opposite is true. Poland is the most enthusiastic member of NATO. Poland was the most fervent backer of the illegal US/UK war against Iraq. Indeed, Poland has the third largest military contingent in Iraq. The greatest danger of Poland is its keenness to provoke war with Russia. Poland wants to settle old scores with Russia. It goes back beyond the U.S.S.R to the time when Eastern Poland was colonised under Tsarist Russia. These hateful and spiteful resentments of Poland are not only infantile but dangerous to the future of the world.
Poland is attempting to drag, kick and cajole the US and NATO into war with Russia. Poland insists on having the ill-conceived missile defence project on its soil. Poland not only wants anti-ballistic weapons but it also wants American nuclear weapons on its soil aimed at Russia. Poland whined and cried demanding that the US send troops to occupy it. There are very few, if any examples, I know of in recent history when one country has demanded another country to occupy it militarily. The US has acquiesced and 3,000 soldiers will be sent to Poland by this summer. If a conflict erupts between NATO and Russia which results in nuclear war, Poland will be responsible for it (unless the country of Georgia beats them to the punch). Human existence as we know it could be wiped out by a stupid, backwards and spiteful country. God damn Poland!
