Former Polish president Lech Walesa has been known around the world as an ardent fighter for human rights and democracy.
Apparently that fight doesn’t include the LGBT community.
In a television interview, the Nobel Peace Prize winner opined that gays shouldn’t serve in the Polish parliament, but if they must, they should be seated “behind a wall.”
“They have to know that they are a minority and must adjust to smaller things. And not rise to the greatest heights, the greatest hours, the greatest provocations, spoiling things for the others and taking from the majority,” Walesa told TVN. “A minority should not impose itself on the majority.”
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Jerzy Wenderlich of the Democratic Left Alliance called Walesa’s statement “appalling”: “It was the statement of a troglodyte—Now nobody in their right mind will invite Lech Walesa as a moral authority, knowing what he said.”
Poland has a reputation for being one of least welcoming European nations when it comes to the LGBT community, but recent elections have seen both a trans woman and an openly gay man join Parliament on the progressive Palikot’s Movement ballot.
A group opposing hate speech has filed a complaint with prosecutors accusing Walesa of promoting “propaganda of hate against a sexual minority.”
BritAus
“Adjust to smaller things”
Is he addressing the size-queens of the world ?
They should take the prize off him, and make him go back and lean a little about what ‘peace’ actually is.
ziemia
Just so you know, Lecha Wa??sa was the President of Poland, not the Prime Minister.
ziemia
*Walesa, I accidentaly used the Polish letters 🙂
Fidelio
Wow, this is so sad. He, apparently, hasn’t grasped the whole democracy thing he helped usher in back in the day. I used to admire him, tremendously, during my college years, but he has shown to be very much a product of his own region. C’est la vie.
niles
I got a pole he can lech.
Daniel-Reader
Last time I checked gay people on this planet far outnumber Polish people… so what does he want us to do exactly? Human rights are for everyone; they are not a popularity contest, otherwise government officials who violate human rights wouldn’t live long if he millions they harm simply resort to eye-for-an-eye, life-for-a-life tactics. He should be more civilized.
Cam
So according to Walensa NO minority should aspire to anything approaching full equality. I’m guessing he didn’t give that speech when he picked up his Nobel Peace Prize.
Chad Hunt
Wow, that was utterly appalling. I wonder if they have a protocol for revoking the Nobel.
1EqualityUSA
I bet he would have signed the NOM pledge.
Seth
Good night, old fool.
queerty1958
I would take back his Nobel Peace Prize!