Remembrance

Fr. IRENEUSZ SKUBIŚ

We are shocked. Suddenly, some guards appeared outside the Presidential Palace and carried the cross to the chapel in the Palace. Apparently nothing wrong happened because the cross was not desecrated. But was people’s remembrance not profaned? Considering the whole affair we should remember about the families who lost their dearest ones in the plane crash at Smolensk. Seemingly, much compassion was shown but at the same time the question about the fate of the cross, which assumed an extraordinary meaning, remains. What are these families thinking about? How do they interpret the stubborn intentions of some people to blur the memory of the crash? And we should remember that it was a personal tragedy of the families. And we should also remember that it was a tragedy affecting the whole nation: the President of the Republic of Poland, wonderful politicians and social activists, generals and many officials who were on duty lost their lives. The thesis that it was the biggest crash after 1945 in Poland was formulated deliberately. The whole world did not experience such an accident. The head of the state and numerous wonderful people were killed and a huge gap remained. Therefore, we are waiting for one answer: can the government manage to commemorate the victims in a worthy way? Although the cross disappeared from the square outside the Presidential Palace the question remains.
Looking at the whole situation one can wonder at the attitude of the authorities who from the very beginning wanted to waive the tragedy aside. One is surprised at hearing the reprimands directed towards the brother of the late President as if he had no right to express his pain and tears, to experience mourning or disaster. Especially during the presidential campaign we dealt with pressure exerted on Jaroslaw Kaczynski to behave as if in a supernatural way. If he were a politician – they tried to argue – let him forget to have a brother, sister-in-law and friends. It was a big mistake to allow another state to investigate the crash and at the same time there were paeans about the alleged friendship and kindness.
We all still remember that during the campaign all possible efforts were made not to let Jaroslaw Kaczynski win, Kaczynski who trusted his colleagues and friends belonging to his party, which he had the right to do so. But during the campaign some of his collaborators wanted him to speak about the truth more loudly. Those who shouted not to be profuse in the tragedy had their elaborate plan. And that’s why Jaroslaw Kaczynski lost in the election getting slightly fewer votes. In normal conditions the winner should not ignore his opponent: if the difference is not huge one should respect those who voted differently, especially that there were millions of them. But in Poland there is a ruthless principle: if you lose you must be silent! Fortunately, this situation begins worrying the nation and in no way can a strange polling methodology, showing a constant increase of one party and a decrease in popularity of the other parties, change it. Neither can the media for which everything what PiS Chairman Kaczynski says is hypocrisy, untruth or distortion.
Á propos lies. Let us recollect the second debate of the presidential candidates when Jaroslaw Kaczynski spoke about the particular attitudes of his opponent assumed during the voting in the Parliament. He was enumerating them and the response of his opponent was the following: it is a lie. But as it turned out it was not a lie. Kaczynski spoke the truth. That’s why we are sad because if someone wants to have the highest state authority he cannot resort to the method called lying. It is time to remind the nation of the pre-election promises. Poland was to abound in wealth after the presidential election. And we have a new reality, unfortunately, much dangerous for the budgets of our families.
Recently there has been a debate with the representatives of the Polish Peasant Party, the Civic Platform and the Democratic Left Alliance. How much did they dislike Mr Kaczynski! The debate was twisted and unpleasant, with some attacks on the Church and bishops, mainly from the side of the Democratic Left Alliance. I do not know where the Polish soul takes so much hatred from. One can have the irresistible impression that it was the same emotion that was revealed towards believers or Jews once. Today the option of atheists, the heirs of the Polish United Workers’ Party, greedy of power, is prevailing. One should fear this option. Only the truth and reliability can save us. Do not invent facts. Let them not make us believe that commemorating the crash at Smolensk is only a matter of the mournful families. It is a matter of the whole Homeland. A monument to the late President and the remaining victims of the crash is a matter of the whole Polish nation, those living here and those living abroad where such monuments have already been erected, and in some cases the representatives of our embassies did not come to respect the love for Poland shown by foreign citizens.
Let us remember that only a solid and fully sincere attitude can save our Homeland and great Polish nation.

"Niedziela" 39/2010

Editor: Tygodnik Katolicki "Niedziela", ul. 3 Maja 12, 42-200 Czestochowa, Polska
Editor-in-chief: Fr Jaroslaw Grabowski • E-mail: redakcja@niedziela.pl