Posted on 03/21/2007 11:31:07 AM PDT by JoAnka
In her article published in the large Spanish El Pais daily, Pilar Rahola, left-wing politician and journalist accused Poland of participation in the Holocaust. Poles are taken aback.
Poland is responsible for mass genocide of two-thirds of the European Jewish population, the current Polish government oppresses the people by making them come clean about their communist past and discrimination of all sorts flourishes in the heart of Europe, claims a radical leftist journalist and politician in a controversial article published in the Spanish El Pais daily. It's ridiculous, judgmental and totally at odds with facts, responds the Polish side.
Paweł Zalewski, head of the Parliamentary Committee for Foreign Affairs, suggests that the El Pais article author, Pilar Rahola might want to take an educational trip to Poland to see how absurd her accusations are:
'All the theses presented in the article are absurd. It's very difficult to discuss with them. The only reaction could be to invite the author of this article to Poland. I think that this lady has never been to our country. Probably visiting it personally she would realize that the actual situation here is totally different that what she described in her text.'
Polish MEP and history professor Wojciech Roszkowski shares Paweł Zalewski's reception of Rahola's claims:
'To quote some of the theses of Ms. Rahola would be enough to show what kind of quality of journalism she presents. She wrote that Poland played a key role in these operations that led to the extermination of 2/3 of the whole Jewish population in Europe and I ask her how could Poles exterminate Jews in Europe while they were occupied by the Nazis.'
One of the other issues in Rahola's article was the juxtaposition of the accusations of anti-semitism and the so-called 'homophobia'. Professor Roszkowski finds this intentional and symptomatic:
'It's very fashionable today to compare the so-called "homophobia" with anti-semitism. I strongly reject these accusations. Homophobia is a term invented by the gay and lesbian community to present this community as an oppressed community. And this is absurd. It's a result of a long series of promotion of the gay and lesbian style of life. It's already twenty years that this manifesto of the gay and lesbian movement was designed: first, to speak as often as possible about this community, to always present them as victims, and to present those who stick to the traditional values and traditional moral standards as oppressors, to present them in one line with the Nazis, with war criminals and so on. It's absolutely unacceptable.'
The article in El Pais also attacked Poland's recent vetting, or 'lustration' law. History Professor Wojciech Roszkowski was stunned at the level of what he evaluates as factual ignorance displayed in that accusation:
'Ms. Rahola presents our new vetting law as a violation of human rights. You know, she doesn't know what she's talking about. She hasn't read the law and she doesn't know at all what vetting is all about. And also, she has no idea whatsoever about what the former communist security apparatus was. So, I would prefer that she simply kept silent on things that she has no idea about whatsoever.'
Pilar Rahola is a former deputy for the Spanish parliament where she represented a radical left-wing party. She has also worked as a reporter and is just a contributor, not a full time employee of El Pais. But it's not the first time that El Pais gives voice to these kinds of radical attacks on Poland, says Professor Roszkowski:
'It has already been many times that El Pais published articles criticizing not only this or that Polish government but Poland as a nation, Poland en bloc. And now Ms. Rahola exceeded all limits of ignorance, bad will and prejudice. My conclusion is that although it's a daily of the largest circulation in Spain, the quality of journalism in this paper and the control of these articles by the editor in chief, puts it in one category with the worst tabloids.'
The El Pais daily defends the publication saying that the paper presents many opinions. It also promises to publish letters questioning Pilar Rahola's beliefs.
ping?
Gee, and here, all along I thought it was the Nazi's to blame....who knew?
No? That's because it was so effective.
According to this dumb lefty the Poles were apparently complicit in killing off 1/5 of their own population. Crazy left-wing stupidity.
El País is the New York Times in Spanish.
Don't be surprised by anything they say, and don't believe it either.
I know. In Poland we have 'Gazeta Wyborcza'. Same type of rag.
Stupidity? I doubt. To me, it's obviously intended and premeditated bad will.
It's amazing how they get around. Actually, check into the Gazeta - I know that El País has actually got some sort of agreement with the NYT, and they publish and distribute things jointly. I bet the Gazeta does too.
The NYT is obviously attempting to form a world-wide left-wing (but not admitting it) media group.
I have no proof of official connections, but from what we can read this is definitely the same thing. The news themes also coincide in time. And 'authorities' quoted tend to be parallel. Twin papers, that's evident.
Only in the mind of a Leftist is "homophobia" and vetting of Communist sympathizers (Communism being the most murderous ideaology in the 20th century, far surpassing Nazi Germany) comparable to the Holocaust. Even more laughable is the notion that the Poles would willingly participate in an attempt to slaughter their entire nation and race. And I would hate to pound her fantasy of history flat, but 2 million dead Poles would disagree with her.
I can't disagree - I just think that there is every chance that this spaniard doesn't actually know - or care - what happened to Poland in the war. The left are ignorant and spiteful in equal measure.
I am liking it more and more everytime I read an article on Poland. If I ever have to move from the US, Poland is now in my top 2 places to move. The only thing I may not like about Poland is the weather. :-)
Agreed.
What is the other considered destination?
You must have been misinformed about the weather in Poland. We don't really have polar bears on the streets, you know. The weather is much more moderate than in NY, for example. You won't find it much worse than most of the US. That is, unless you live in Texas. Then Poland will feel like the North Pole to you ;)
PING
The other was Australia, I live in South Carolina so the weather can get quite warm here. I have been to eastern Europe before, Austria and Hungary, but I keep kicking myself that I did not visit Poland. I fully intend to get back there and hopefully to spend quite some time in your country.
Looks, like Poland is something like a sort of a "collective George Bush" for the leftist western European "elites"
Conservative, religious, patriotic - simply a perfect object for bashing.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.