In recent days Poland set an infamous record in alienating a new American administration.
Until now, right-wing Polish MP from Law and Justice party (PiS), Artur Gorski with his exotic political views was relatively harmless. „I always considered him as an harmless monarchist”, described him Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski. Unfortunately since Gorski decided to discredit Polish parliament describing new US President-Elect Barack Obama as a „black crypto-communist”, „the incoming catastrophe, the end of white man civilization”, he became extremely harmful.
Polish raison d’etat demands that Law and Justice – the biggest opposition party in Poland not only condemn these unacceptable words but also prove its commitment with firm actions. Our alliance with USA, not to mention basic principles of civilized societies can’t be compromised. Artur Gorski should be immediately expelled from Law and Justice. Otherwise one might suspect that his words, however widely criticized, are the element of party tactics to address most nationalistic groups in Poland that still cling to racist and anti-Semitic prejudices.
In recent days our country set an infamous record in alienating a new American administration. At first, Barack Obama was congratulated by Polish president Lech Kaczynski as a „President-Elect of the United States of North (sic!) America, then he was offended by racist remarks of Polish lawmaker, then, after a telephone conversation with US President-Elect, Polish president announced that Obama supports an anti-missile shield installation in Poland – only to deny these words the day after, because of American official contradiction.
There is no doubt that Poland thanks to such statements has not become a more reliable and convincing ally to the United States. Perhaps their only result is to make „Polish jokes” – American stereotypical jokes about Poles, harmless idiots, to be more convincing than ever.
Leszek Jazdzewski, „Liberté!” editor in chief