A mass movement in Poland has succeeded in delaying the implementation of a court decision that would ban nearly every abortion.
Abortions are already virtually impossible to access in Poland—the procedure is criminalised in all cases except when the pregnancy results from rape or incest, when the life or health of the woman is in grave danger, or when the foetus risks severe illness or death. On 22 October, the country’s new Constitutional Tribunal ruled that allowing abortions in cases where the foetus risks severe illness or death—which is the provision on which the vast majority of legal abortions in Poland depend—is unconstitutional.
Since the horrific killing of Samuel Paty in Conflans, the French government has been trying to revive its fortunes with a drive for national unity. But behind calls to defend free speech, the government is launching an extraordinary offensive of Islamophobia and reaction. Now the national education minister has suggested that anyone who denounces Islamophobia should be seen as part of the camp of “Islamo-leftists”, guilty of intellectual complicity with terrorism.
The murder of Samuel Paty, a history teacher at Conflans Saint Honorine school, has aroused strong emotions. Teachers have complained for years that they feel isolated and exhausted; they were profoundly shocked by the event, which only seemed to reinforce those feelings.
In the country at large, widespread horror and shock have strengthened the government’s call for national unity.
Thus Emmanuel Macron spoke of the importance of “unity” against “those who cultivate hatred of the other”, of “Islamists that would steal our future”. The president made a very ideological speech at the Sorbonne, invoking the legacy of figures like Jaurès, Victor Hugo, and Louis Pasteur: “In France… the lights [of the Enlightenment] will never go out.”
The, what is classified as downright war by many (European) media now, in Ukraine is really such a sensitive topic. Not only because of the obvious, but also because it is bringing speculations and accusations over China doing the same to Taiwan. And honestly, Beijing seems very silent right now (according to Western media - I have not seen if there’s any statement from the gov in Chinese media yet?). It makes me wonder if the gov is patiently keeping an eye at the conflict, seeing the development and the outcome. If the outcome is favourable towards Russia, I have doubts whether China won’t also be encouraged to carry out their own “military operation”. It is a really scary thought - what happenes when big authoritarian states like Russia and China deem that they can “take what is rightfully theirs”? What is “theirs” exactly? The former USSR for Russia and everything from Mongolia to Taiwan for China? Seeing how the West is hesitant to use the exclusion of SWIFT for Russia as a sanction is even more scary, because in my opinion, it shows the lack of willpower against Russia the Western world has. If it’s not a direct attack on the big countries’ land, it’s better to avoid a big war and just send what looks like “emotional” support to Ukraine. I’m not well versed in Russian politics, and I’m well aware they have their own reasons, like the lack of control and constant fear of the Western powers, but if the later is what made them scared of Ukraine joining the UN causing this whole thing to escalate, one cannot help but wonder if they’re scared of European military in Ukraine because they were indeed planning to do this (and more) for a long time. Anyway, this is just my take on the situation, and I felt like sharing my thoughts so that they might either be acknowledged or challenged.
“Faced with the worst health crisis in modern times, Biden and other world leaders have chosen to support the interests of a few enormously rich companies. The same people who loudly disavowed Trump when he called COVID-19 the ‘Chinese virus’ have embraced their own variety of nativism, exerting reckless privilege while claiming to act in the interest of public health. All of this should be a scandal, but it isn’t. For the most part, people in rich countries have been relieved and content to have themselves and their families vaccinated after months of restrictions. Other countries remain an afterthought. Years of jingoistic policy under Trump and other nativist leaders worldwide have not inspired hope for global solidarity.”
i think its absolutely beautiful that Ukraine won. Because while Russia spouts all this propaganda that Ukraine is not a country and is russian, denying them national autonomy, Ukraine wins the most european event that is all about nationality and solidarity, being supported by people from all over Europe.
Anyone remember that little thing in Ukraine that’s going on You know, the civil war That Russia might get more involved with That might start WWIII No?
This, from Holocaust survivor Dr. Gabor Maté (on my podcast Under The Skin) is the most beautiful and powerful testimony on this subject I’ve ever heard. From someone with deep connections to the history of this situation.
obvious warning for homophobia, transphobia, etc. in the link above.
I was born there. I have countless of LGBT friends there, and the fact that this is happening in the year 2020 is inhumane and terrifying.
If you’re Polish, vote in the upcoming election. If you’re not polish, please spread the carrd around.
I am not an ideology. Nie jestem ideologią.
Meet Wiktor, Michał, Dominik, Milo and Kacper.
Wiktor was almost 15 years old when he threw himself under the train. He was transgender.
Michał was 29 years old when he hanged himself on a tree. He was working as a model. He was gay.
Dominik was 14 years old when he hanged himself on his shoelaces. He was gay.
Milo was 23 years old when she jumped off a bridge. She was an activist. She was transgender.
Kacper was 14 years old when he hanged himself in his house. He wasn’t even sure if he was gay yet.
All of them were bullied in school. Some of them were assaulted, insulted, attacked on street. Some of them were denied psychological help they needed. Some of them were denied medical treatment.
All of them died because of institutional and personal homo- and transphobia here in Poland.
I will think about those five people - one of them I knew in person. I will think about them when I go vote today. And when I vote, I will think about countless children who might lose their lives in the future because of politicians who find themselves a new public enemy - “LGBT ideology”.
None of them was “an ideology”.
We are not an ideology, I am not an ideology either. Nie jestem ideologią.
from me as a polish actvist i want to say more about situation in Poland because i feel that more people should know.
from begging:
(12.06.2020) in tv program one of the guest member of Sejm Jacek Żalek from „Agreement” party which allied with the ruling party of Poland said that „[LGBT+ people] are not people, this is an ideology” Katarzyna Kolenda- Zaleska, the journalist hosting the tv program decided to throw him out from her program.
(13.06.2020) Andrzej Duda the president of Poland gave a speech to his electorate in which he compare „LGBT ideology” to neobolshevism” and once again said „this is an ideology”
people went mad. rightly
(15.06.2020) this is Helena Biedroń. she is a mother to Robert Biedroń (the first openly gay member of the Sejm, leader of the „Spring” party, one of the three leaders of The Left, candidate to President, MEP) she read the letter from polish lgbt people parents to president. one of the quotes from her movingspeech:
„I came here from afar, but i have something important to say to you Mr. [President]. I can’t stay quiet when my child is hurt.”
(bless this lady she deserved the world)
(17.06.2020) Andrzej Duda invited Helena and Robert Biedroń and Bart Staszewski (polish LGBT activist) to a meeting. only Bart Staszewski showing up in President Palace. after the meeting he wrote this on his twitter account:
Helena and Robert Biedroń didn’t show up because they claim that president did not want to debate with them but he invited them so he could had a photo with them to manipulate that he atleast tried.
this is the end of mine post but this shit is still on. and you know what? i feel threatened. as a Pole, as a activist, as a LGBT+ person, as a human.
one last word from me. VOTE
[if you see mistakes in mine text then please inform me about this, i will editing in the loop]
I’d like to add that we lost the presidential elections, in case the international readers of this post didn’t know it yet. It will most likely lead to the implementation of the so called “Family Card” which will, among other things listed in the carrd itself, prohibit “spreading lgbt propaganda in public institutions” which will surelyfurther repress lgbt people and activists.
Małgorzata Szutowicz was accused of “active participation in events taking place on 27th of june 2020 in Warsaw’s Wilcza street” which means: she allegedly took part in destroying cars driving in our capital, which are covered with homophobic lies (“homosexuals are 20 times more likely to be pedophiles, 91% of children rised by lesbians are molested” etc.) and people in them yelling similar propaganda with megaphones. She also allegedly pushed a man who was recording the whole situation injuring his wrist and back.
The homophobic cars are technically illegal in poland since october 2019 based on a decision of the court (Sąd Okręgowy w Gdańsku), however nobody actually does anything about them and the police ignores the reports of them driving around our cities (so much for “we’re all equal in the eyes of law lmao”), including Warsaw, and accusations of slander from lgbt activists towards the people responsible for the propaganda campaign have been largely ignored.
It’s a very hard time for the polish lgbt community and we’d appreciate spreading information about what’s going on in our country.
And to my polish LGBT friends- Grupa Stonewall offers free psychological support for LGBT people affected by the current situation.
Poland has been participating in Holocaust Revisionism recently as well. Sadly, because of that, I’m not surprised to see this cropping up as well. Please keep Polish victims/survivors in mind, folks.
