THE INCESSANTLY NOISY VITALITY OF WILLIAMSBURG, BROOKLYN

First time I have visited Williamsburg, then a very raw section of Brooklyn, in the summer of 1981. It was a time of Solidarity movement heyday in Poland, several months before the imposition of martial law by infamous general Jaruzelski. I was then a young student of Jagiellonian University in Cracow, who was lucky enough to have a good aunt in Williamsburg, who invited me for the summer to see New York City. I spent six weeks traversing the boroughs and sections of New York City; everything was so new to me, a student who got for the first time a peak of the United States through his own pair of eyes. Williamsburg of 1981 was quite a scary kind of place. Full of dilapidated factories, with the areas of Kent and Wythe Avenues between Domino Sugar Factories in the south and Greenpoint in north, occupied by vulgar prostitutes and drug pushers. Williamsburg in those bleak years, under the good mayor Koch, was so raw and bleak, that I gladly went back to my native Poland at the end of August of 1981, with hope that Poland rejoined the free world for good. But Jaruzelski was already preparing the implementation of his Martial Law plans. At the last year of my studies at Cracow's Jagiellonian University I was lucky enough to get a visa to the United States, and gladly took off for New York City again. Initially, I stayed with my aunt in Williamsburg again, but after a couple of months I got my own room in Woodside, then I went through other boroughs of New York City, including crossing Hudson and getting my own New Jersey inhabitant experience; I did not have to deal on a daily basis with the scary looking Williamsburg for the next three years. Eventually, I returned to Williamsburg in March, 1989, and since there I was a witness to its slow transformation from the raw, industrial neighborhood (occupied initially in its north side by Italian, Polish and Irish immigrants, and on the south side by Puerto Rican community, and further to the south, by Hasidic Jews), through invasion of artists and musicians in the early 1990, to the present gentrified hipsters capital of the world. I still remember the time when the entertainment in Williamsburg was limited to Johnny Gallagher Ship Mast (featured heavily in Nick Gomez's movie Laws of Gravity which was shot on $20,000 budget yet it went on to win Sundance Film Festival), Teddy's, Charleston and one spot of xxx entertainment. Slowly, during years of Mayor Giuliani, the prostitution disappeared from Kent and Wythe Avenues and from the bank of East River, the wild construction boom was started by all out conversion of the factories into lofts and artists studios, and then developers got their hands on more and more parcels of land, and soon new buildings started to appear like mushroom after summer rains, and obfuscate my view of Manhattan skyline; the Williamsburg I used to know was suddenly in the midst of its conversion into the hipster capital of the world. Now, to get a view of Manhattan skyline, I have to take stroll to the Northside Piers beyond Kent Avenue, on the banks of East River. On the other hand, the area around the Ferry Terminal at Northside Piers became so esthetically pleasing that I do not long much for the raw Williamsburg of early 1990-s. The amount of bars and nightclubs in Williamsburg, tempting the strollers, is staggering though. So good, that I have given up on the night life several years ago! Nowadays, I just wish that the amount of bars and nightclubs could somehow be limited, stopping the hordes from Manhattan and from other sections of Brooklyn, from disrupting our life night after night. And if someone could do something about those construction noise, I would be eternally grateful.

Janusz Andrzejewski is a New York City based attorney, writing on legal as well as other important community topics. You can contact him by telephone (212) 634-4250 or by e-mail: janusz@januszandrzejewski.com

FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION SHOULD APPLY TO US ALL, EVEN TO DEBBIE SCHLUSSEL

Debbie Schlussel, a free lance journalist and an attorney, known for her racist, anti-islamist and now anti-Polish views, encountered wrath of Polish surfers online for publishing on May 30, 2012, a post entitled: "Poles Were Complicit in Holocaust: Outrage over Obama 'Gaffe' is Fraudulent, Ignorant". She claimed in the post that president Obama should not apologize for his gaffe ("Polish death camp") . Incidentally, president Obama apologized, sort of, for the erroneous use of the phrase and acknowledged that there were no "Polish death camps", paid tribute to  Polish resistance and victims. Ms. Schlussel wrote that the Poles murdered majority of her family in Holocaust, that there were in fact Polish death camps in World War II, built and ran by the Poles, that Poland collaborated with nazi Germany, that Poles formed several SS divisions, etc. All of the above claims, except relating to her family (which I could not verify), were either outright lies or distortions. I have engaged into discourse with Ms. Schlussel's followers on her blog, and notwithstanding that I have admited anti-semitism of certain parts of Polish society in pre-World War II Poland and during German and Soviet occupation of Poland, and certain incidents of pogroms (like Jedwabne or Kielce), I have rejected the claims of Poland's collaboration with nazi Germany, of Polish death camps, of Polish SS divisions and of Polish complicity in Holocaust, and supported my rejections with quotes and citations from reputable historians. I have also supplied information about the scale of Polish sacrifices and of Polish resistance and fight against German nazis as well as about history of Jewish population in Poland from 14th century (when Polish king Casimir the Great granted them various privileges and refuge in Poland from pogroms in Spain, Portugal, England, France and German Roman Empire) until the partitions of Poland at the end of 18th century. Then, through 19th century when the Poles fought for independence until 1918, when they regained statehood, and through the Second Republic until World War II. Alas, none of my arguments changed the views of ardent followers of Ms. Schlussel. Then, certain Polish media online mentioned Ms. Schlussel's post and suddenly wave of Polish online surfers started to submit hundreds of comments to Ms. Schlussel's blog. I have published a post on my own blog, asking the Poles to disregard Ms. Schlussel's provocative claims as she was apparently selling more ads thanks to the sudden rush of visitors to her website. It appears that Ms. Schlussel's website has been overran by the Polish surfers approximately three days ago, most of them disputing her outrageous claims. However, there were also those who insulted her in reverse and made threats. Apparently, the freedom of expression as known in the United States, has certain limits in Poland. For example, Poland has strict laws against denying Holocaust and people doing so must be prosecuted by Polish authorities. A great number of Polish surfers even used the threat of reporting Ms. Schlussel to authorities for denying that German nazis were responsible for Holocaust. However, majority of the surfers were not familiar with American concept of freedom of expression which allows anybody to express freely their own views, particularly, if those views, or opinions, are based on colorable facts. Were the facts on which Ms. Schlussel based her opinions colorable? Majority of them, not. Particularly, that she utilized anti-semitic incidents, either to come to conclusion or imply that Poland was complicit in Holocaust, that Poland collaborated with nazi Germany, that Poland organized and ran death camps, that Poland formed several SS divisions. In truth, Poland was an occupied country, its population was to be in majority eliminated, its government fled to London, UK where it organized Polish armies in the West and resistance inside of occupied Poland, and there was no Polish collaboration except for the Volksdeutches (Polish citizens of German descent). Still, we cannot deny freedom of expression to anybody in the US, even to Debbie Schlussel while she spreads hatred, without a court order. Therefore, let her speak, but find other avenues of reaching the US audience and making that audience realize what Debbie Schlussel in fact does. And moreover, make the Americans realize that their history programs are not up to the world standards, particularly that they differ so much from state to state and tend to confuse people. Particularly, when various newspapers, or speach-writers for the president of the United States, themselves create confusion.

Janusz Andrzejewski
The author of this post is a New York based attorney and a publisher of his own blog on legal and various community subjects. You can reach him at (732-527-2195), or through his website: www.adwokatandrzejewski.com

CLAIMS OF "POLISH COMPLICITY IN HOLOCAUST" PLUS "POLISH DEATH CAMPS" PLUS DEBBIE SCHLUSSEL EQUALS WINNING FORMULA TO SELL ADDS

Debbie Schlussel, a blogging lawyer and self-styled free-lance journalist, known for her racist, anti-islamist and now also anti-Polish views, enjoys a sudden popularity among the Poles, whom she has insulted with her May 30, 2012 post: "Poles Were Complicit in Holocaust; Outrage Over Obama 'Gaffe' is Fraudulent, Ignorant".
 Ms. Schlussel claims in her post, among others, that the Poles murdered majority of her family during Holocaust, that Obama "Polish death camp" gaffe in fact is no gaffe as the Poles built and run the death camps for Jews, collaborated with German nazis and that they even formed several Polish SS divisions(?). All claims, except for those regarding her family (which I cannot verify), are outright lies. From the first day of the post being published, I have responded to the main "article" and various approving comments, placed by fringe fanatics and followers of Ms. Schlussel's racist blog. In my comments I have admitted certain anti-semitic incidents and difficult period in Polish politics after death of Jozef Pilsudski in 1935, and subsequent rise of National Democrat's power in Poland prior to World War II, I have admitted certain anti-semitic attitudes caused by catholic interpretation of Christ's teachings (discarded by Vatican only in 1960-s) and enhancing of those attitudes by manipulations and fomenting of religious and ethnic conflicts by Prussian, Russian and Austrian partitioners of Poland, which they used to control the Poles (always ready and quick to fight for their and other peoples' freedom), under their rule, in 19th century and then in the beginning of 20th century, until the end of World War I.  I have admitted our responsibility for Jedwabne (notwithstanding that I directed light on reprisals by Polish peasants against Jews for  conducted by NKVD and Jews repressions against Polish gentiles after September 17, 1939, when Poland, fighting Germany in the West, South and North, was invaded from the east by Soviet Union and many Poles were rounded up and murdered by NKVD) and for Kielce pogrom. However, I have rejected claims of complicity in Holocaust by Poland, of collaboration and of forming SS divisions, or of organizing industrial killing of the Jews and have quoted excerpts from reputable historians and their works in support.  But no matter what citations and quotes I have used, what form of discussion I have employed, the predominant line of little Debbie's fanatics was: unless you admit Polish complicity in Holocaust, your are either anti-semite or Polish apologist. After several days of my discourse with Ms. Schlussel's fanatic followers, I finally wrote a final comment asking the Poles to refrain from responding even to Ms. Schlussel's post for clearly she was not interested in any meritorious discourse and in any evolving of her views, instead she has been only interested in winning the battle financially. Each click or comment of emotional, insulted Polish gentiles, meant new adds and more money for Ms. Schlussel's racist, anti-islamist and now anti-Polish campaigns. The wave of insulted and emotional responses from the Poles surged on June 6, 2012, when onet.pl, and some other Polish media online, placed articles or news-briefs about Debbie Schussel's anti-polish blog. But, its not the way! Please, do not dignify Ms. Schlussel's bigoted blog by your responses and comments about Polish martyrology during World War II, about Poland's being the 4th biggest force among the allies fighting the nazis during World War II, about Poland paying the heaviest toll for resistance and fight against nazi Germany, about erazed Polish cities, towns and villages, about highest amount of the Poles among the righteous among the nations (for hiding or saving Jews from Holocaust), about Poland being the only country in occupied Europe which had penalty of death for hiding a Jew, about non-existence of  Polish collaborators (except for Volksdeutches - Polish citizens of German ancestry), about non-existence of SS divisions consisting of the Poles, about non-existence of industrialized killing of Jews by the Poles, about refuge granted to Jews in 14th century Poland by King Casimir the Great so they could have escaped the pogroms and murders perpetrated in Spain, Portugal, England, German Roman Empire and other countries of Europe, about privileges, economic opportunity and freedom from persecutions enjoyed by the Jews until the end of  Polish Kingdom in 1795 when, after 3rd partition by Prussia, Russia and Austria it ceased to exist. Please, do not click on Debbie Schlussel's blog. For whatever is holy or sacred to Ms. Schlussel, she obviosly does not care about the historical truth. She cares for those comments and responses only as far as they bring her higher and higher volume of clicks on her posts and blog, increasing her ad revenues which she can use to perpetuate her unending racial and bigoted campaigns. So, dear Poles, please do abstain from that click on little Debbie's blog, for each new click equals new ads and money to support little Debbie's campaign of hatred. Just say no (click) to Debbie Schlussel!

Janusz Andrzejewski (tel. 732-527-2195)

A HUGE BLOW TO CLAIMS THAT "POLES WERE COMPLICIT IN HOLOCAUST" AS PRESIDENT OBAMA PERSONALLY REGRETTS "POLISH DEATH CAMP" REMARK.

Notwithstanding ignorance of his speech-writers, president Obama corrected their mistake, and in the letter to Polish president, Bronislaw Komorowski, apologized, sort of, for the "polish death camp" remark. President Obama admitted that Medal of Freedom, granted posthumously to Polish underground hero and Georgetown University professor, Jan Karski, who alerted F.D.R. to the fate of  Jews in nazi- occupied Europe, in the middle of extermination process by the nazi Germany, was also an expression of acknowledgment of the sacrifices of Polish nation under German nazi occupation. President Obama stressed the bravery and heroism of the Poles, exhibited in their underground resistance to the nazis, and unequivocally stated that there were no "polish death camps". Also, he went on to acknowledge that many of the Poles sacrificed their own lives while saving Jews from the Holocaust. President Obama's letter regretting the "Polish death camp" remark, has been received as satisfactory by the president of the Republic of Poland. One only can hope, that various revisionist theories about "polish death camps" will finally be put to rest.

Janusz Andrzejewski (tel. 732-527-2195)