Recently I received an email from a fellow Arizonian and it promoted me to respond publicly by writing this today. This past summer a dramatic change occurred and forced me into self imposed hiatus. In all honesty there wasn't anything earth shattering to report further on this DailyKos journal. This week it is my sincere hope and aspiration to update this dairy with information.
to:lgbtpress@gmail.com
date: Sun, Sep 20, 2009 at 2:53 AM
subject:April 23 article in Daily Kos
Hello,
I just read your article of April 23 in the Daily Kos about the Polish organizations being investigated and the role of Szymon Niemiec. I was in Poland in May, and when I returned, I wanted to help Polish gays; when I started researching which organization to send donations to, I became aware of the controversy. Have you followed up on this story? I have been searching the Internet this afternoon, and I cannot find anything newer than posts from last spring.
Thanks.
Tim
Tucson, Arizona
In 2006 when I was asked to assist Szymon Niemiec expose those associations and persons involved in what I maintain to be fraudulent opportunism --- demanding equality for the LGBT all the while oppressing those who were weaker or disagreed within it's own ranks. Szymon expressed to me that he did not believe the west would care about the story but I pushed him and myself to continue writing letters to peers and colleagues in the LGBT and mainstream media and leaders of global organizations. It was difficult maintaining operations because our funds were limited having borrowed an enormous amount and exhausting our private money to maintain the association's upkeep (ILGCN Polska which Szymon established in 2000.) There were expenses for the thousands of poste, faxes, web servers, information telephone lines, mobile phones for LGBT activities, and of course to sustain our basic creature comforts of living.
I recall Szymon expressing and saying ,"Nice letters with nice words from these people did not or will not help in the conclusion of this problem."
The experiences which I shared with Szymon and the 'tough love' I gave as I pushed him (perhaps beyond his cultural comprehension and appreciation) to continue to confront and expose the fraud by some LGBT activists. In hindsight it would have perhaps benfited if I had knowledge of Polish history especially their disappointments in outsiders, particularly westerners dating as far back as to
Napoleon,
Churchill,
Roosevelt and as recently as President
Obama's with his disengagement of the missiles shields program proposed by former president Bush (Although the majority of Poles disagreed with it, for the government it was a not a cash-cow but an in your face to their former Russian occupiers.)
During the course of the dramatic situation including the intimidation, death threats, and anemic funding as we solicited outside assistance, especially strong voices, I needed not for people to agree with these insertions but to merely take a pause and ask hard questions. If one was to refer back in
these archives and note the alleged inadequacies it is unfathomable that anyone could disagree with the assessments. Yet to explain to my Polish friends the negative comments on the posts here and lack of inteterest by the western media and other LGBT associations was difficult although I dismissed all of them as apathy my Polish peers did not -- it was taken personally.
In the next few days I will share in my posts capsules of a journey and adventure which
Szymon Niemiec and I shared from May 2006 until May 2009. This will include private emails from international LGBT activist, politicians, celebrities and news media both mainstream and gay. It goes without saying that I was disappointed in many as I solicited their attention and worked for publicity to expose this matter.
In my native culture when citizens seek redress it is common to contact elected officials and the media -- we do so determined to gain intervention where we alone with individual efforts cannot correct something that we deem worthy of attention.
In Poland, because of its history this is not the case nor can the grasp the concept, eventually they shall, they are a young republic. I don't know but as an American from a political family with three generations of public service I have never felt as helpless or hopeless as I did while working in Poland. First there was the conservative society with its elements of government corruption -- some services which are free one must 'juice' the public servants to receive the services which they themselves are suppose to perform freely. Then there's the history and mindset of everyone over twenty-one - these people are survivors of the Communist era and in charge. Although they profess and expose disdain for their former oppresses the Russians they are nonetheless mentally bound by the scars and suffrage of the sixty years under the Communist regime. Invariably they too have some traits of the Communist mentalities such as a pessimistic outlook as it relates to expectations of their new democratic government.
The Polish LGBT were a learning experience which I do not regret even today although it was difficult it was a learning experience. The mission is far from being complete and the journey is far from over.
Szymon and me wanted to go to court against the perpetrators of this fraud however we lacked funds and the ability to raise. Our pleas and getting the message out to the west became cumbersome and we met many in international nonprofits who did not want to open this chapter of corruption and misdeeds within the LGBT tribe -- they instead prefered the staus quo which is wrong.
Some might suggest or ask why we did not pursue civil litigation -- that answer is easy. In Poland for our case we needed about $50,000 and $30,000 of which is a deposit in court held until outcome of the trail. We simply did not have this mass amount of money nor the ability to raise it -- believe me every attempt was exhausted to do so and there were many set backs. Last year I convinced the Polish government to investigate the allegations surrounding Equality Foundation which they did and concluded after 9 months that 'irregularities' did in fact exists. The governments next phase was to send the matter before a Polish judge to get his court's legal opinion -- to date we still await this determination. If we are fortunate to receive a positive judgement then we can pursue the matter in civil court. It is my hope to file litigation seeking damages of no less than $1 million dollars from all parties involved. What these persons did is unacceptable by any decent standards within any democratic society who cherishes rule of law. They broke the laws according to their own admission and the governments investigators.
What I want to see is a leveled playing field and the opportunist removed from it so that the next generation of Poland's gay and human rights activist can emerge and lead the communities to equality by example not by excluding or oppressing members within the tribe itself. I am still of the belief that if we (westerners) to do not reach down and lift up this younger generation than we have failed even our own local communities.
This isn't about showmanship or a battle of personalities, it's about doing what is right and noble. To do anything less is unacceptable.
Although Szymon Niemiec has taken a passive backseat in this quest the journey that began truly as an Eastern friend asking a Western friend to rendered aide is not complete, our journey is not over. In fact I am optimistic that it has only just begun and the resolution will exceed expectations. After all, Arizonians aren't big on quitting.
You may still help our Polish friends as they seek to build their future and our friendships. Surf ILGCN Polska's website or make a tax deductible donation and or purchase from any item on the store located at "Cafepress" that features Szymon Niemiec's autobiography (Now available in English.)
We're building a community outreach center for all Poland's minorities and your patronage is greatly appreciated( more about that in a later post.)
Stay Tuned