Conservative Poland Roils European Union

The New York Times ^ | December 4, 2005 | GRAHAM BOWLEY

[lizol]

Conservative Poland Roils European Union

International Herald Tribune Published: December 4, 2005 By GRAHAM BOWLEY

BRUSSELS - When Polish members of the European Parliament placed an anti-abortion display in a parliamentary corridor in Strasbourg, France, recently, Ana Gomes, a Socialist legislator from Portugal, felt compelled to act, she said.

The display showed children in a concentration camp, linking abortion and Nazi crimes. "We found this deeply offensive," Ms. Gomes said. "We tried to remove it." A loud scuffle ensued as she and the Poles traded insults before the display was bundled away by Parliament guards.

But the matter does not end there. It was the latest skirmish in what some here see as an incipient culture war in the heart of Europe, a clash of values that has intensified since countries from Central and Eastern Europe that are experiencing an increase in the influence of the Roman Catholic Church joined the European Union last year.

In the 732-seat European Parliament, and more widely in the European Union, the clash extends beyond abortion to issues like women's rights and homosexuality.

"New groups have come in from Poland, the Czech Republic, Latvia, and Catholicism is certainly becoming a very angry voice against what it sees as a liberal E.U.," said Michael Cashman, 54, a European Parliament member from Britain who has campaigned for gay rights. "On women's rights and gay equality, we are fighting battles that we thought we had won years ago."

With a population of 40 million, Poland is the biggest of the 10 states that joined the European Union last year. It is still uncertain, 19 months later, how Poland, a formerly Communist and overwhelmingly Catholic nation, will fit in with the other members on issues from foreign policy to economic management.

[Grzegorz 246]

And here is another one excellent product made in Poland, just ask your girlfriend :P

[Grzegorz 246]

Our whole gang have been spreding here our "Russophobic" agenda since almost two years and you didn't even notice :( ?

[Lukasz]

Czech Republic is hardly Catholic as well, this guy is so ignorant...

[fotw]

NOBODY should be desperate enough to try Polish wine

[GSlob]

Well, at least Czech lands historically used to be Catholic. On that one I could cut him some slack.

[eleni121]

EUnuchs (great term) can laugh all they want but the "new" Europe with time and the free market will re establish the ancient arts for which they are famous, for example glass, jewelry, fabrics, etc. I wish the same success for Russia.

It's only been a few years since the commie comissars have gone...and they still lurk in the wings.

[GSlob]

When an egg will produce its own hen. Using Huntington's terminology, you are speaking about two different civilizations here. Thus compatibility would be limited even in the best of times. Add to it a very long and unpleasant past history, and compatibility shrinks to nothing.

[khnyny]

That is Pope Benedict's dream - to unite the Orthodox and Roman churches.

[kaiser80]

SABENA - Such A Bloody Experience Never Again ;)

As to Vodka. I can recommend you the best I've ever drunk - Siwucha

link 1

link 2

[eleni121]

That is Pope Benedict's dream - to unite the Orthodox and Roman churches.

---

I think most Christians of the Eastern and Latin rites would agree. This rift is senseless as it stands today and should be negotiated ASAP in these times of aggression from Mohameddans.

[eleni121]

Thanks for expressing your narrow point of view.

[khnyny]

Can't agree with you more. There is also the danger of an ever increasing secular world which seems to be intent on eliminating all reference to Christianity and its values. Judeo/Christian values were/are the cornerstone of Western society.

[GSlob]

Well, when Greece and Turkey -[NATO allies, no less] would stop hissing at one another, then your hope could be closer to realization. Poland/Russia cleavage is at least that deep.

[lizol]

I went to a shop on my way back home today to check out the price of Chopin vodka.

Unfortunately - they didn't have it, but a 0,75 litre bottle of a comparable vodka was about 50 zloty.

[eleni121]

Russia and Poland are both Christian nations (apart from their sordid escapades into Marxist Leninism) and need to put aside their historic animosities because they share so much history and culture.

Greece is a Christian nation too, but Turkey is a mohameddan parastate. Has always been so. The relationship was one of enslaved people (Greece) and enslavers (Muslim Turkey).

Huge difference.

[GSlob]

For the purposes of civilization [i.e. way of life]comparison the Orthodox could just as well be heathens. One is not looking at doctrinal differences here - that's why the Protestant Christians are a part of [originally Catholic] West and Orthodox aren't.

[lizol]

This may be a bit difficult.

It's like being a friend of 2 guys, who are in permanent conflict with each other.

Not a very convenient situation :-)

[fotw]

Cute - "siwucha" is what peasants home-brewed. Good marketing strategy, appropriating the word for brand name.
Never tried it, never heard of it until I read your post & saw the pic, thanks for the info. Will try some.
P.S. - TWA - Travel With Angels (somewhat obsolete, airline gone out of business)

[Lukasz]

Well, at least Czech lands historically used to be Catholic. On that one I could cut him some slack.

His statement wasn’t motivated by history but radical leftist ideology. He hates Catholicism so much, that he see Catholics everywhere.

[Lukasz]

Russia and Poland are both Christian nations (apart from their sordid escapades into Marxist Leninism)

Sorry but the Polish nation hadn’t any “escapades into Maxist Leninism”. There was no communist revolution in Poland cause there was few communists in this country. Communism was installed from the outside, thanks to Soviet Union. The Poles were also the first who came out of Soviet sphere of influence.