Freedom is priceless, Walesa tells Poland

[T_i_B]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/08/30/walesa30.xml&sSheet=/portal/2005/08/30/ixportal.html

Lech Walesa celebrated the 25th anniversary of the birth of the Solidarity trade union yesterday by telling Poles that "freedom is priceless".

The union, which he helped to found, would go down in history for uniting the nation in one of its darkest hours, the electrician and Nobel prize winner said.

His speech to parliament was part of a series of events commemorating Solidarity's birth and its role in destroying communism and tearing down the Iron Curtain. Recognisable as ever by his walrus moustache, he said: "We hold our heads high, despite the price we have paid, because freedom is priceless."

The celebrations will culminate tomorrow with a Mass and concert outside the shipyard gates. John Prescott, the Deputy Prime Minister, will represent Britain, but Russia has reportedly failed to respond to its invitation.

[Judi Lynn]

1. Found two other versions which may be interesting:

Poland’s Walesa Warns Against Coercive Democratization of Post-Soviet Regimes
Created: 30.08.2005 13:17 MSK (GMT +3), Updated: 13:17 MSK, 2 hours 24 minutes ago

MosNews

The world needs Russia for it has huge resources, but the world wants to see it not as a hegemonic system but as a developed, democratic country, Lech Walesa said this week as he prepared to resign from Solidarity, the union he led to help shatter communism in Poland, the TimesOnline website reported.

In a statement made this week for the press, Walesa spoke of the development in Russia warning the West it should beware of Russia.

While Warsaw is filled with rumors about how the West and in particular Poland, should force the hand of President Lukashenko of Belarus, Lech Walesa said that Russia should not be provoked by an over-ambitious West keen to establish democratic governments on Russia’s borderlands, be it in Belarus or Moldova, or in Central Asia.

“Russia is at a crossroads,” he said. “Will Russia in future be a threat or a friend? That is the question. Russia is needed by every country — it has huge resources, but of course it is needed not as a hegemonic system but as a developed, democratic country.”
(snip/...)

http://www.mosnews.com/news/2005/08/30/walesawestwarning.shtml

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~August 30, 2005

Beware the Russian bear, Lech Walesa warns West
By Roger Boyes
While he welcomed the toppling of communism, Solidarity’s former leader is nervous about the future

LECH WALESA stepped down from the barricades yesterday and issued a warning to the West: beware of Russia! One of the world’s best-known revolutionaries was giving his swansong — he will resign this week from Solidarity, the union he led to help shatter communism — to journalists eager to know whether his revolution was ready to roll eastwards.

Warsaw is abuzz with rumours about how the West and in particular Poland, should force the hand of President Lukashenko of Belarus.

Mr Walesa sounded an unusually nervous note. The Russian bear, he said, should not be provoked by an over-ambitious West keen to establish democratic governments on Russia’s borderlands, be it in Belarus or Moldova, or in Central Asia. “Russia is at a crossroads,” he said with his customary quick-fire delivery. “Will Russia in future be a threat or a friend? That is the question. Russia is needed by every country — it has huge resources, but of course it is needed not as a hegemonic system but as a developed, democratic country.”

Mr Walesa was speaking as veteran Solidarity underground activists, erstwhile dissidents from across Eastern Europe and Western human rights campaigners met to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Solidarity. The union was born as the result of strikes led by Mr Walesa in August 1980.
(snip/...)

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-1755971,00.html

[wli]

2. TheUS is figuring that out now that we don't have it anymore. n/t

[Toots]

3. You mean it wasn't Reagan but the Unions that destroyed Communism?

I wonder what the Neocons think about this story. The Unionbs were the cause of the Berlin Wall coming down and not their Saint Ronnie..... Another reason to destroy the Unions as quickly as possible. The Unions have too much power and could do the same to their fascist government. If only we had a Union so bold.......:shrug:

[Igel]

6. Yep. All by themselves.

They protested in 1981--pulling their novel and insightful ideas and demands out of thin air. The various politburos assembled for the better part of the decade, mulled them all over, and that was that.

[Shadoobie]

7. Read this account

American Educator had this in their summer issue. It basically talks about the roll US Unions (AFL-CIO) had in supporting Solidarity. It is a good read.

--snip--
Remembering Solidarity

Twenty-five years ago, Polish shipyard workers launched a strike and established Solidarity, an independent union. After nine years of struggle, substantially aided by the AFL-CIO, the union movement toppled Poland’s Communist government—and soon, Communist governments across Europe and the Soviet Union collapsed as well. We celebrate this silver anniversary with three pieces.

--more--

http://www.aft.org/pubs-reports/american_educator/issues/summer2005/index.htm


Greg

[devilgrrl]

4. You mean anti-choice Lech Walesa????

Yeah, he's so for freedom and stuff... whatever.

[David__77]

5. Walesa is criminal.

Some "union leader," leading the way is destroying the social protections for working people. Not that the Polish "ex-communists" are any better. Solidarity union is a fig leaf for the employers. Ironical it is, that the Gdansk shipyard which was so associated with Solidarity is now shutterred, its workers left out in the cold.

[defiant1]

8. Well....

Freedom is a state of mind, and not a tangible entity.

So technically, it is priceless.