thou shall not parade

Neither Putt-Putt, nor Tinky-Winky will join the parade in Poland anymore. Unless, of course, they want to demonstrate zealously their commitment to the nation, catholic or family (only heterosexual) values. Why?

The Ministry of Culture has prepared a new bill project, which will enable the authorities to ban gatherings. The voivode will evaluate whether, for example, a feminist demonstration against abortion prohibition or a demonstration of sexual minorities against discrimination have the right to pass next to crosses, monuments etc.
http://wiadomosci.onet.pl/1545143,11,item.html

Given the amount of churches and monuments in Poland, this means that the new law is applicable virtually all over most major cities. And I've never yet seen a feminist demonstration in the middle of a wheat field. But why, you might ask, would some places be so special that one couldn't organize a demonstration there? And who is to decide which demonstrations are OK, and which not? Maybe not only LGBT and feminist, maybe also the annual Corpus Christi processions are banned from the cities as well? Here are all the answers:

At the moment the authorities can ban a [public] gathering only if it was against the law or could threaten the life or health of people or "excessively endanger the premises". The ministry wants to add to that "maintain the solemnity or the character of the site of commemoration"
http://wiadomosci.onet.pl/1545143,11,item.html

This could be traced back to the perplexing bill which protects "religious feelings" and places of worship. As if any other feelings or feelings of atheists (or, implicitly, people of other religion than Catholicism) are not as worthy of protecting. This time they want to go grand - whatever opinion one wants to present in public, he cannot do so, unless in a place designated by the "moral majority" or unless its the correct opinion.

What is worst about the newly proposed law, is its very subjective character:

The community authorities will designate the "sites of commemoration" and if
anyone would want to make a demonstration in the vicinity of such a place, then
the voivode could exercise his law to ban it on the ground that "the goal or the
course of the gathering may severely threaten maintaining the solemnity or the
character of the site of commemoration"
http://wiadomosci.onet.pl/1545143,11,item.html

Which basically means that the ban depends on the personal decision of someone not necessarily resistant to bias or political influence.

Is there still hope if Tinky changes his queer purple to papist yellow-and-white?

just you wait

I wanted to write something, anything, to post here for long. My motivation, basically, was that people from abroad, when I tell him what is happening here in Poland, simply don't believe me and usually I have no time to translate in real-time the news form Polish portals. Also, because the contemporary Polish issues are so out of this world for most, that I need not only to translate the news itself but also provide elaborate background.

Recently the topic of gay Teletubbies exploded. To make a long story short: the children's rights' spokesman found out (7 years after the civilized world gave up on the ridicule) that some people suggest Tinky-Winky might be gay. Almost everyone considered it a joke, but our government took the matter seriously, and commissioned professional psychological opinion on whether Teletubbies are appropriate for children. You can read about it here.

But never mind that - it's so last Tuesday. As I commented on Evans blog, we're bound to have some news to laugh at (or cry at, if you will) any moment. And I was not mistaken:

Polish National Television (TVP) finally cought up on what they've actually been airing for the past few weeks - the abominable Little Britain. Everyone who at least heard of Little Britain wondered how long it will take TVP to realize how much this show is against our government's declared Moral Revolution (mind you: TVP is virtually 100% government controlled). Here's what's just happened:

The controversial comedy scene is set in a village market, where the only town gay has his little stand . The stand raises interest of an elderly lady and companying priest. The seller accuses the two of bad intentions. In the version aired by the Polish broadcaster it ends with the Priest declaring tolerance for people of different [sexual] orientation.

BBC and other viewers could watch a different ending of this scene. In the original version the priest is joined by his homosexual partner who is interested in buying some of the erotic accessories. We also hear the lady's kinky declarations.

TVP justifies the modification with care for its viewers - When we decided to air
"Little Britain" we had in mind the differences between the sensitivity of Polish and British viewers. What is acceptable even in British public television, may offend Polish viewers - Katarzyna Twardowska from TVP explains to wirtualnemedia.pl

source

So all those who waited for TVP to begin censoring foreign shows (our own productions, which are produced recently, are pro-catholic and anti-left anyway, so no need to censor anything) were not disappointed. It's actually quite surprising it took them so long.

Right now the national television tells us who's the enemy (anyone not condemning the Poland from before Kaczynski were elected to hell, homosexuals, feminists), what's the only moral way to live (catholic) - just like big Brother in Orwell's 1984. I wonder what will come next. Luckily enough we can still change the channel or switch the tv off.

I bet that if "Nigella Bites" was on national TVP, and not on private TNV Style as it is now, they'd drop it - after all Lawson is Jewish, isn't' she? And even if she's not, it would be highly unpatriotic to let people cook fusion instead of traditional pierogi.