Wednesday, June 3, 2015

Half naked

Poland has a new President, well, President-Elect until he's actually sworn in. President-Elect Andrzej Duda won out over current President Bronisław Komorowski. Duda is strongly supported by the conservative right and won overwhelmingly in the eastern side of Poland. The east-west split in Poland falls along the lines of history with so-called Polska A of the west including territory acquired after WW2.* Polska A tends to be less conservative, less religious, and better off than Polska B. It follows that Polska B is less well-off, more conservative, and more religious. In some areas in the east, Duda received even 70% of the vote. Voter turnout hit about 50% if I remember correctly. There were 2 eastern areas where Komorowski won out. Those areas are Eastern Orthodox which goes to show how much of an impact religion had on the election results.

*Noted* First commenter below reminds that this division existed prior to WW2 as well.

Recently Duda was asked about the possibility of homosexuals working in his cabinet. His reply speaks for itself:

"I cannot imagine that I would ask employees how and with whom they live."

Good, good.

"But I also cannot imagine that some half-naked people would be parading around my office."

Duda, you should have stopped while you were ahead. So homosexual = half naked. Maybe if we are talking about a hot, gay club at 2 a.m. or at least that's what I've seen on TV. Maybe Duda has more experience with half-naked homosexuals than I do or perhaps we just watch the same TV programs.

Mayor of Słupsk, Robert Biedroń, when asked about Duda's comments, made an excellent point, "Duda should remember the he is president of a serious country. If he holds such a stereotype about gays, just imagine what he thinks about Jews, or Roma, or Germans or Russians. That's not an appropriate stance for a politician of this stature. He's not doing me any favors sitting at the table with me. I'm just as much a citizen as anybody else." I should mention here that Robert Biedroń is not only the Mayor of Słupsk, he is also homosexual.

It's supposed to hit 28*C today so I think there are plenty of people who'd like to be parading around half naked at work...including me!


Article in Polish 
http://natemat.pl/144559,robert-biedron-nie-przystoi-by-prezydent-tak-wypowiadal-sie-o-gejach





16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Mała uwaga: podział na Polskę A i B istniał również przed drugą wojną światową - artykuł.
Pozdrawiam

Chris said...

Dzięki za uwaga :) I noted it above. Pozdrawiam.

Izabelka said...

Czytałam ciekawą książkę o tym podziale, właściwie to album. Autor postanowił zwiedzić Polskę wzdłuż granicy podziału. Otóż ta granica kultur sięga do rozbiorów, nie tylko II Rzeczypospolitej. Polecam "Koniec świata" Tomasz Padło, wyd. Universitas.

Chris said...

Izabelka- Thanks for the recommendation. It sounds interesting and I've already found it online for about 30 zl. Now I have to locate my credit card and order it ;)

Anonymous said...

i have one question . If Duda isnt good president, who can be better ? . Janusz Korwin-Mikke is a person who likes dictatorship. Paweł Kukis is a musician, not politician. He doesnt have any experience . Bronisław Komorowski is a stealer and traitor . I want to give you a document which discribes pathology at government ( years 1989-2003).

http://www.rodaknet.com/raport_wsi.pdf (raport WSI or raport Macierewicza)

Me said...

Fajny obrazek. Jakieś ukryte/odkryte inklinacje? ;)

Odnośnie prezydenta Dudy, mam podobne odczucia, ale myślę, że była potrzeba dać PO do myślenia. Z tej perspektywy lepiej niż stało się to za sprawą przegranych wyborów prezydenckich, niż parlamentarnych. Choć wiele wskazuje na to, że PO odleciało już za daleko od realnej Polski i traktuje to przede wszystkim jako grę o "zabawę w rządzenie", gdzie wyborcami/sędziami są tępaki, którym wystarczy naobiecywać to, czego chcą. Cóż, nadal czekam na zaufania godną, świeżą inicjatywę lewicową.

Chris said...

Anon - I don't know who would be better and I'm sure many people who voted for Komorowski were not crazy about him either. Really, I don't know. As you described no one from the potential candidates is ideal...or even good. Probably the best we can hope for is satisfactory.

Me - Yes, I've been hiding my secret talent ;) I too hope that PO and other parties see the presidential election results as a sign of the dissatisfaction of the people with their policies, politics, and political games. They can treat it as a kind of kick in the ass. I've got my fingers crossed for some kind of progress/change coming up on the parliamentary elections as well. I guess it's just wait and see.

Liz said...

I knew it, I knew it.......
Just a matter of time.
Imagine, freak show for the next 5 years, and you don't even need tickets.

Krzysztof said...

@Liz : But of course you do need tickets, you have to buy them even if you don't want to watch the show. They're called taxes.

Chris said...

And I get to buy the tickets, but have no right to choose the players in the show:(

Izabela said...

I like your picture!!! Says a lot.

Anonymous said...

Hi Chris,
Here's how the New York Times interpreted the outcome:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/07/world/europe/young-seeking-change-over-ideology-power-right-wing-in-poland.html?_r=0

Cheers from Denver,
Dorota

Chris said...

Izabela- Thank you. Very artistic, isn't it?

Dorota- Nice article. I agree that many people especially young people voted for change. The article nicely pointed out that the Prime Minister is a more powerful position than President and also that the two candidates could be described as conservative and more conservative.

Anonymous said...

politics aside...my daughter walked in my bedroom when i was in a tank top and my underwear and said, "why are you ALWAYS naked?!" i said---it's summer (nearly) and i'm HOT! so, apparently, i am definitely going to be seen a lot around my own home as "half naked" ;) as always, brilliant writing!

Chris said...

So the kids get it from their mother ;) Be careful, we're expecting half-naked weather this weekend. I do my half naked thing the other way - shorts and sports bra.

And thanks for the compliment - you always make me feel clever.

hermilion said...

Let me translate what president said to terms that would be understood by you:

Sentence 1: I do not have any problems with homosexuals who keep their private matters to themselves

Sentence II: I have a problem with homosexual activist who use theirs homosexuality as basis of political movement; moreover who are obnoxious by going out naked.

The main thing is: homosexual <> naked homosexual activist