My grandfather arrived on a boat from Poland when he was only six years old. There are still Durlaks (my maiden name) in Poland, although the family connection has been lost. Even though I’ve never been there, I’ve long cheered Polish heroes for democracy – it’s one of my “second home” countries after my country-love for the US. So it doubly pains me to see what’s happening there now.
Poland had their Trump election a year ago.
In the last year, under the “Law and Justice” party:
*education bill reduces science, increases “patriotism” lessons
*”anti-contraceptives” sex-ed (because “condoms increase cancer in women”)
*purge of journalists at the National Broadcaster channel (now featuring conspiracy theories and anti-vax pieces)
*gay-rights legislation is dead; gay rights group’s offices vandalized
*Legislation gives power to governors to limit protests
“I’m here marching because it may be the last time we’re allowed to,” says a museum researcher. “The government wants women to be mothers, to be housewives, but my daughter wants to be a writer, maybe a journalist. But what chance does she have here?”
The US is not Poland… we have a longer history of freedom and more progress on civil rights for everyone. Which only means we have more to lose.
“Normalization” and “cooperation” are so much easier than fighting the erosion of civil rights and progress. It’s easy to think there’s nothing you can do. I’ve been quiet on this lately, but trust me, I’m reading and thinking and acting on this… and trying to find the most effective ways to keep democracy from eroding in the US like it is in my second-home of Poland. There’s a hell of a lot going on in the world right now, and it’s easy to get overwhelmed. As I figure it out, I’ll share. And I’ll be watching your feeds for ideas as well.
Stay strong, my friends.