KPH Statement on President Kaczynski’s Address to the Nation on the Lisbon Treaty
25/03/2008
By
Tomasz Szypula
Warsaw, Poland
20 March 2008
KPH Statement on President Kaczynski’s Address to the Nation on the Lisbon Treaty
We, the Board and Members of Campaign Against Homophobia (KPH) wish to express our disappointment at President Lech Kaczynski’s televised address to the nation, which was aired on Monday, March 17, 2008.
The message and the choice of images used in the address is a clear sign of ignorance and overt homophobia. It is an embarrassment that an image of a foreign, happily married couple, who make a significant contribution to the society in the place they live, should be used to promote hatred and misconceptions in our country by the head of state.
We believe that the President is wrong both in his opposition to the Charter of Fundamental Rights and in the way he communicates it. In a democratic society the president should guard the liberty and equal rights of all citizens. Let us not forget that the quality of democracy is measured by the respect it has for minorities. It is inappropriate for the President of Poland, in an act of party politics, to encourage antagonism towards a segment of society which is solely seeking recognition of its basic rights. Furthermore, in light of Lech Kaczynski’s decision to ban the Equality Parade twice as Mayor of Warsaw, we worry that the President is consciously capitalizing on the fears of a certain part of Polish society towards lesbians and gays.
We urge Lech Kaczynski to refrain from such behavior in the future. It is offensive to the dignity of many citizens of Poland and compromises the Office of the President of Poland. Regardless of the President’s stance on the European Union or the Lisbon Treaty, he should bear in mind that he is the Head of State in which at least two million people are non-heterosexual. We sincerely hope that the President is able to overcome prejudice and lead a tolerant and open Polish Republic.
Sincerely,
Board of Campaign Against Homophobia
20 March 2008
KPH Statement on President Kaczynski’s Address to the Nation on the Lisbon Treaty
We, the Board and Members of Campaign Against Homophobia (KPH) wish to express our disappointment at President Lech Kaczynski’s televised address to the nation, which was aired on Monday, March 17, 2008.
The message and the choice of images used in the address is a clear sign of ignorance and overt homophobia. It is an embarrassment that an image of a foreign, happily married couple, who make a significant contribution to the society in the place they live, should be used to promote hatred and misconceptions in our country by the head of state.
We believe that the President is wrong both in his opposition to the Charter of Fundamental Rights and in the way he communicates it. In a democratic society the president should guard the liberty and equal rights of all citizens. Let us not forget that the quality of democracy is measured by the respect it has for minorities. It is inappropriate for the President of Poland, in an act of party politics, to encourage antagonism towards a segment of society which is solely seeking recognition of its basic rights. Furthermore, in light of Lech Kaczynski’s decision to ban the Equality Parade twice as Mayor of Warsaw, we worry that the President is consciously capitalizing on the fears of a certain part of Polish society towards lesbians and gays.
We urge Lech Kaczynski to refrain from such behavior in the future. It is offensive to the dignity of many citizens of Poland and compromises the Office of the President of Poland. Regardless of the President’s stance on the European Union or the Lisbon Treaty, he should bear in mind that he is the Head of State in which at least two million people are non-heterosexual. We sincerely hope that the President is able to overcome prejudice and lead a tolerant and open Polish Republic.
Sincerely,
Board of Campaign Against Homophobia
