In my column from the end of April, “Un-righteous Poles of all persuasions—unite”, I responded to a fragment of Jarosław Kaczyński’s statement calling on all righteous Poles to support him in the upcoming presidential election. At the time, I used a convoluted rhetorical device and, pointing to my “innate” left-handedness, immediately placed myself among the “un-righteous.” Some internet users did not understand my text at all (that is their problem), but some—and a considerable number at that—let us add, those identifying with the political line represented by Jarosław K.—pounced on me like severely starved predators at the sight of some unsuspecting, still-living “food” brazenly parading before their eyes. I do not want to dwell here on the level of some of the posts. By deciding to write under my own name, I had to take into account the possibility of ugly attacks against me. The truth is that when people have no arguments, they resort to insults and try to offend their opponent. Especially since this most often has nothing to do with the subject of the column.
I thought to myself: “let them have their say”—after all, their words primarily testify to who they are themselves. Only one small detail: let us be honest in this war of words. I would accept a malicious remark or even an epithet directed at me on one condition: if my adversary were willing to sign their views with their first and last name. Then it would be “fair.”
But let us return to the point.
I voluntarily and without anyone’s orders placed myself, according to Jarosław Kaczyński’s criteria, among the “un-righteous” citizens of this country. And now, quite seriously, without any more stories about left-handedness, I want to write why I answer “no” to the PiS chairman’s offer.
I have observed Kaczyński’s political career for many years, since the time of the first “Solidarity,” then his brief episode in President Lech Wałęsa’s office (he also played his part there, of course—but that is an entirely different subject). Then came Porozumienie Centrum and finally PiS. There is no doubt here: this formation owes its existence to him—it is Jarosław Kaczyński’s child from beginning to end. From a certain point of view, looking at everything he has accomplished, I must honestly admit that Jarosław Kaczyński is an outstanding politician. So why do I say “no” to him (consistently, for years now)?
I will put it, so as not to bore you (supposedly a characteristic of “old, stodgy teachers”), in three points:
- Wherever Jarosław Kaczyński appeared in politics, discord soon appeared, divisions emerged, and arguments, conflicts and rows followed. That is simply how he is. A professional “fighter” (Lepper is small beer compared with him). Here is the first example that comes to mind. Before the 1990 election, he became the closest adviser to Lech Wałęsa, who was then still a presidential candidate. And what came of it? The so-called “war at the top”—the first serious rift in the post-Solidarity camp, which has unfortunately grown to the size of the Colorado Canyon by now. I have no doubt who stood behind that “war”… Soon afterward, the Kaczyński brothers fell out with their boss and—when he simply threw them out of the Presidential Chancellery—very quickly proclaimed him a “traitor.” And so on and so forth, right up to the present…
- From the time PiS was established (or perhaps earlier), Jarosław Kaczyński began dividing and ultimately divided our nation extremely effectively. Into the righteous and the un-righteous, true and false patriots and Poles, those who stand here and those who stand there… This division has recently faded somewhat and quietened down, but now—I fear—it will erupt again with full force during the election. The seed has, after all, been sown…
In this division of the nation, Kaczyński was—and still is—“bravely” assisted by an entire army of ideological fanatics and fanatical ideologues, including a certain Redemptorist “father” and his “loud” radio station. In the context of recent events (which will be discussed at the end), one can say today that, in a sense, the situation has slipped out of the leader’s control and that some pupils are very decidedly “surpassing” the master—something that is hardly in his interest now… - Jarosław Kaczyński and his entire camp have, in a strange way—one I find unacceptable—claimed an exclusive right to patriotism. Whoever is with us is a patriot. Whoever is against us is not. What is more, they automatically become our enemy. That is, an enemy of Poland. This is the entire philosophy of Kaczyński’s camp.
First of all, this is absolutely unacceptable in the democratic system in which, fortunately, we live. Speaking of democracy, Jarosław K. was not the only person who fought for it. Besides, I do not recall him being imprisoned during the “communist era”; by a strange coincidence, he was not among those interned during martial law either (unlike his brother). And secondly—the fundamental question: Who gave Jarosław Kaczyński and his supporters the right to decide who is a patriot and who is not? I ask: who?!
This aspect of Kaczyński’s public activity, and of everyone who helps him in it (which unfortunately also includes many members of the clergy), is ultimately dangerous. Because the division into patriots and non-patriots is not far removed from dividing Poles into better and worse ones, into those who “have the right to…” and those who “do not have the right to…”
Some older internet users still remember how, not so long ago, a certain fairly large group of Polish citizens was asked to leave our country… That was done by the communists, but some current actions by certain political circles in Poland (let us be fair: this is not only about Kaczyński himself) strongly resemble those from 40 years ago…
Finally, I will quote a sentence—a well-known maxim: “Those who sow the wind reap the whirlwind.” I quote it for consideration, to encourage reflection, while it is not yet too late, while we are still one nation…
And nothing here will be changed by the remarkable image makeover of the PiS leader, who is now hypocritically calling for an end to the “Polish-Polish war.” At this moment one would like to shout: Look who’s talking!
And if Kaczyński the “hawk” has become Kaczyński the “dove of peace” (which is, after all, theoretically always possible), then something is missing for me. What? A proper beating of the breast and the recitation of the formula known to us all from every Sunday Mass: “Through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault…”
P.S. I wrote this column exactly one month ago. Naturally, with the exception of the final passage, the one about J.K.’s image makeover. I waited a month, listened and watched carefully—and now I know. I know that in reality nothing has changed here. Despite the very cleverly created appearances… In keeping with the famous theory of a certain Jacek Kurski (incidentally: where did he disappear to?) that “the dark masses will buy it.”
Robert Rosiński