My thoughts about ONR
When i hear about ONR in TV channels and read about them in news papers, the picture that comes to my mind is, thousands of hooligans who stout face masks, raise slogans like ‘white power’, ‘Polska dla Polaków’ etc. Group that supports Neo-Nazist ideology and hates everything that is not Polish.
Recently Wall street journal and many other famous tabloids, published a piece where Polish hooligans honing the ONR flags, were raising slogans during the independence day parade in Warsaw. Almost all over the world, people were saying that Poland should stop these kind of groups who purport such ideologies. And all of this in the heart of Europe? How can we allows this to happen? Apparently many liberals around the world couldn’t digest it. I was worried why the government in not doing anything? IS it because Polish people don’t feel the need to explain why they support such groups? If You don’t like it, then nobody is forcing You to stay here. Maybe something along those lines?
I have a good friend who is an avid PIS supporter, and i asked him what he thinks about ONR. His reaction was that groups like ONR should exist and it is not a racist/ pro white group etc. I was shocked. He is a very liberal guy, who accepts other cultures, have friends like me, and people from other countries who are of different races. How can some one accept a group like ONR.
There are many normal Polish people, who have ties with foreigners, are very open minded to other cultures, but they still support ONR. I was very worried. Maybe my friends are just acting as if they like me, but instead they have far right ideologies? They cover it up because they don’t want to offend me? SO i had to do some research on what is it that makes ONR ‘normal’ in their eyes.
Let me tell You that after living 8 years in Poland, i have started looking at my own country through the eyes of a global citizen. When i was in India i was so used to what is happening around me, that i didn’t feel the need to analyse many things or come to any conclusion. Now i have the luxury of doing so. I have to do a small comparison to what is happening in India, so that i can explain why is it that groups like ONR exists in Poland. I was in India during December, and had a chance to see everything from an Indian’s perspective. Maybe this will help You.
In India there are two parties which come and go in Power. The congress and BJP. BJP is a party which supports Hinduism, which means ideologies based on Hinduism and Indian values. While Congress, headed by Indira Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi is more liberal. Indira Gandhi is Italian, and was the wife of Rajiv Gandhi(late).
Under the guidance of Narendra Modi, the Primie minister of India, BJP rose to power 3 years ago. We have a group in India called Shiva sena(meaning the fighters of Siva). Siva is a god in Hindu mythology, which many Hinduism practitioners adore. When BJP won, Shiva sena became more active. Pro Hindu groups started getting stronger in India. Since Shiva sena has now more powers, many muslims in India started facing problems. According to BJP, India is first and foremost a country with Hinduism ideologies, not muslim or christian ideologies. Many muslims who were caught with cow meat, were sometimes beaten to death in many parts of India. If they were caught with cow hide, villagers would time them up and beat them. Yoga, which is very close to our religion and medicine, was introduced into schools and colleges around India. Prime minister wanted to make sure that India retains its Hindusim based values. Some people started saying that Shiva sena has started to become a terrorist/ anti muslim group.
Now as a person born in a Hindu family, where my parents are avid practitioners of Hinduism(they visit temples almost every day), i want to be honest with You about something. Many Hindu people who i know are not happy with the rising power of Muslims(including my close relatives). People are becoming more and more agitated with muslim mosques being built near Indian temples, and women who dress up in Burqa etc. HIndu women don’t wear burqas. I have had many muslim friends in schools, and college. It was very hard for me to be friends with them. They all smile and talk with me, but after a certain point we cant get close. Muslim families were not happy inviting us to their homes or keeping close ties with a person from a Hindu family. There was always this barrier in between us. I was very sad that many families didn’t let us in their houses etc. Since i was living in India during up until my teenage years, i didn’t analyse this as a Hindu/ Muslim problem. I thought of it more as a problem with me. Why am i saying this? To blame Muslims? No, just stating the facts.
My theory is that, the world is now going into oppression against the ideology of globalisation. People have had enough of Multi-Culti. In Europe’s case, immigration crisis has made matters worse. Problems that are happening in France, Sweden, Germany, Italy where muslim people are unable to integrate into the society, and many suicide bombings that have happened lately has made it even harder for Polish people to accept the ideology of multiCulturalism. In the USA, Trump has had enough of Mexicans, and others taking the jobs of Americans. Now the motto is America for white Americans. In Poland Kaczyński is spearheading the battle for a free Poland, from immigrants and elements of globalisation. Viktor Orban in Hungary is making sure that Hungary stays safe from immigrants from Syria and other third world countries. In Czech republic, Sweden, and Germany far right parties have risen from opposition to fight against Globalisation.
Since i have seen what is happening in my own country, i have come to the realisation that groups like ONR have risen to power because of circumstances. I am not saying that groups like ONR, and Shiva Sena are OK or not. Maybe this is a phase. Maybe this is Yin & Yang. A coin has both sides right? Maybe this is good, maybe this is bad. But this will change. This will pass.