Poland's equality minister, Elzbieta Radziszewska, wants to ban 'fascist and totalitarian propaganda'. The ban would extend to images or symbols on clothing, posters etc and could include the iconic image of Che Guevara.
Offenders could be subject to a two year prison sentence.
This seems like an overreaction to a legacy of communist rule. Taking the Che image as a case in point - it has become more of a pop culture icon with meaning that goes beyond a purely pro-communist statement. The image reflects concerns about justice and rights, but it can be little more than a fashion statement. It has been adopted by hippies, anarchists, socialists and others who don't necessarily subscribe to Che's revolutionary outlook.
There is some question about the effectiveness of this type of ban. As the situation in Germany pretty much demonstrates, banning Nazi 'propaganda' in the form of symbols such as the swastika, the Hitler image and printed materials with a pro-Nazi message has unfortunately done little to prevent an increase in the numbers of young Germans attracted to the far right. In fact Germany has seen an alarming growth in neo-Nazi support as the turn out in Dresden this year demonstrated - and all of this despite the measures taken by the state to suppress Nazi propaganda.
In a free society banning a message and its symbols tends to have the effect of making the proscribed message and symbols more potent. It also galvanizes opposition and unites those who have been targeted who invariably tend to view themselves as "oppressed" and victimized.
In Germany some neo-Nazi sympathizers have resorted to using the clothing line of Thor Steiner to signal their far-right sympathies. Some have even been using car license plates to get out the message - using number combinations such as "88" (shorthand for Heil Hitler) to advertise political loyalties.
But maybe Radziszewska should widen the net. How about banning symbols associated with ultra-nationalist Polish Catholicism? Some of the most vile discrimination in Poland comes from conservative Catholics who have attacked the gay community and shown other evidences of intolerance and bigotry.
The Roman Catholic League of Polish Families and Polish Self-Defense Party are in the vanguard of these reactionary attitudes. Attacks on homosexuality, abortion and women's rights are part of an outlook that often includes anti-Jewish attitudes also. In common with conservative family values organizations in the US, League spokespersons have stated their opposition to evolution, in favor of the teaching of creationism.
Roman Giertych, was responsible for tabling a bill that was so anti-gay it created an international uproar and protests from human rights organizations. Included was the provision that any individual who reveals their homosexuality or "other sexual deviation" in scholastic establishments, should be subject to a fine, dismissal or imprisonment.
We heard more of the same from PM Kaczynski who proposed firing teachers for "homosexual propaganda". He even went so far as to say that it wasn't in the interests of society to have more gay people.
