Jacek Adler's article,"The Fight for GLBT Equality in Poland stopped many years ago," touched me, read it here. Jacek is straightforward as his editorial "calls-out" Poland’s GLBT associations for,"...years of laziness, inaction and a sin of omission." Adler is a Warsaw Law University Jurist Doctorate alumni and activist of equality in Polish laws. He too shares a nemesis in Robert Biedron, founder of "Campaign Against Homophobia." Jacek's investigative reporting since 2005 is recently churning inquiries. Several months ago in one op-ed he requested "Campaign Against Homophobia's"officers and Robert Biedron to proferer how an organization could receive $750, 000 dollars in the year 2008 and claim to have paid 70% towards administration fees? Recently Robert Biedron amidst allegations of money mismanagement, fraud and other charges filed litigation against Jacek for defamation.
The fight in Poland for equal rights for gays and lesbians stopped about 6 years ago, in 2003. So far, only Gaylife beats the alarm. Now we woke up the next portal, which puts the diagnosis. Still frequently and with impunity homophobes insult us in the media. The GLBT organizations do not challenge them to court.
There are three GLBT organization neither are engaged in the average Polish gays life.
We are only filling the proposals of workshops, training courses, conferences and film festivals. Around us the world has changed: in the Czech Republic, Hungary may include gay partnerships, marriages, even in Spain, Denmark - gays adopt children. As gay matters are concerned, there is stagnation. We have no partnerships. We have no ban on hate speech.
The world around them is moving - yet they are not. In a country where 97% are Roman Catholic and 75% of the population are farmers it's a rating bonanza for Fox News viewers.
We have GLBT organizations But that these organizations are doing just enough to receive money that is available (ie grants). And the money available is disbursed by politicians who do not want any radical changes in gender equality issues.
Poland has only three GLBT organizations and they all receive grants except for ILGCN Polska which only accept private donations. (details on that later.)
Professional group of gays and lesbians; These organizations, especially KPH (Campaign Against Homophobia) oftentimes have a small entourage of people who have no other income and live off money that is available for the projects. Taxpayers money (in English, of the EU or municipal) for organizing a conference, film festival or condom distribution to the clubs – to a small group of people making a permanent source of income; non-effective projects in terms of our fight.
Seems like the new boss is the old boss, that's the Communist way of doing things - wasn't it?
Campaign Against Homophobia is not responding to law, even the most aggressive forms of homophobia, such as summoning the priest Trytka to burn gays at the stake.
Father Trytka appeared on television decrying that homosexuals should all be burned at the stakes. Not one of the GLBT organizations challenged him, not one. (He's perhaps into S & M - video in Jacek's article.)
The international community should investigate the allegations against the "key players" mentioned in this and other editorials because the current situation is regrettable for Poles and the international gay movement. A gay activist suing a journalist/activist for asking legitimate questions seeking transparency. It is EU public tax money that is given to the NGO's and "everyone" gay or straight ought to demand to know where that money is going plus the results. Tomasz Baczkowski (President Equality Foundation) and Robert Biedron are partners in "alleged" crimes of fraud and should be investigated completely. They are also using similar tactics as the country's former oppressors to kill opposition - arrogance and silence.