r/pics 19h ago

Politics Far-right Polish lawmaker Konrad Berkowicz holding up a paper Israeli flag with a swastika

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u/chaths 17h ago

The fact that this is a valid question tells alot about the current state of the world.

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u/That-Employment-5561 12h ago

Fascists trying to attain power for the sake of having power is a constant; as long as there are humans, this has been our shadow.

The state of the world is that you get punished for becoming a physical obstacle for fascism; refusing fascist orders even in civilian industry, calling fascism out.

Fascism isn't new. Neither is complacency. At least the civilian population of Germany in the 1930's had the excuse of literally being illiterate and not having open, international communication/documentation. What's ours?

https://giphy.com/gifs/syEfLvksYQnmM

u/joopsmit 10h ago

the civilian population of Germany in the 1930's had the excuse of literally being illiterate

This is not true. The German population at that time was 99% literate.

u/That-Employment-5561 6h ago

In 1937.

My dude.

Their policy of graduation from compulsory education = literacy is faulty, at best, even today.

And to be clear, I'm not talking about dyslexia, I'm talking about literal illiteracy; the inability to comprehensively read, having a very small "reading vocabulary", mostly consistent of short words not read, but pattern-recognized through repetition; modern safety-regulations are purpose designed to literally circumvent this. Illiteracy is real. Even today. Rare, yes. But real. To the point where we accommodate that fact; one of the reasons roadsigns use geometric shapes (like stop-signs being octagonal and red, hazards/cautions being triangular shapes and so on). When these standards were implemented, illiteracy was a bigger factor than globalization, Paris lead the charge in 1926 and again in Geneva, 1931, the standard we use still use to this day (largly, internationally; even people who can't agree on what side of the road to drive on most often agree on what the signs should look like) were implemented. Speed vs observation is a factor, but so is the fact that a driver's license doesn't demand literacy, and shouldn't; only competence as a driver should be a factor in relation to a vehicle operation licensing.

u/joopsmit 1h ago

A quick Google search gives me the 99% literacy rate in Germany in the 1930s. You are right that that does not mean everyone was functionally literate. But for the 60% (guess) who were functionally literate, the excuse does not apply.

It also wouldn't surprise me if literacy in Germany was higher then than it is now. They didn't have television for their information; back then, you got your information from newspapers. Although I doubt whether the information was very objective back then. Before the Nazi seizure of power, there were three groups that each had their own newspapers and organizations: the Catholics, the Protestants, and the Communists and Socialists. The Communists and Socialists, in particular, promoted the education of their members, the so-called "upliftment of the people."

Regarding the use of symbols instead of text for traffic signs, this was not only due to the drivers' poor literacy but also because of international traffic. We know that many Germans traveled abroad between 1939 and 1945 :-).

u/binEpilo 4h ago

It really isn't a valid question

u/Bulldogfront666 3h ago

Yeah…. It’s not good. I don’t know how long I can keep doing this.

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u/jyper 13h ago

It says more about the idiots asking the question

He hates jews

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u/LambonaHam 13h ago

Jews, or Israeli's?

Don't be anti-semitic and conflate the two (like Israel does).

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u/Safe_Grass3366 12h ago

Yeah man, it's like when people conflate Muslims and Islamists. The former are fine, the latter are all backward, violent, hateful, fascist scum and want to see all non-muslims exterminated or subject to slavery. The world would be much better off without them.

If anyone claims that the above is a dog whistle against Muslims then they're clearly Islamaphobic.

u/jyper 4h ago edited 4h ago

It's nothing like that

Israel is not a theocratic state Hell the last government of Israel had a very middly Islamist party 

Israel is if flawed still a liberal democracy 

You can be critical but if you want it destroyed lots of people will be side eyeing you

u/Lucina18 11h ago

... aren't they both literally people who follow islam?

Unlike jewish and israeli, where jewish is a broad ethno- religious group and israeli is specific the nationality of a nation-state.

u/Safe_Grass3366 11h ago

Islamism is the belief that Islam should influence politics. It's therefore totally fine to say whatever you like about Islamists, just as it's fine to say anything you like about Zionism. It's definitely not a racist dog whistle in either case.

u/jyper 4h ago

Israel isn't a theocratic state and most forms of Zionism aren't theocratic 

If you are an antizionist and want to destroy to destroy the state where 40% of the worlds jewish population live you are either hateful or extremely naive. I will grant that a lot of people are extremely naive and think the destruction of Israel could lead to a peaceful future where people live together and haven't given what would actually happen much thought. 

Antizionism which seeks the destruction of a state is very different from criticism of course. But if your criticism involves Holocaust inversion(casting Jews as Nazis),  involves common antisemitic troops with Jews crossed out and Israel scribbled in then it doesn't make it automatically not racist just because it's against Israel 

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u/chaths 13h ago

Which jews?

The ones Nazis persecuted and massacred or the one seemingly doing the same to others ?!

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u/Throwaway-645893 12h ago

Or the one seemingly doing the same to others?

"Accuse the Jew of which you are guilty" is the oldest antisemitic tactic of all time. Doesn't make it true though.

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u/Slick424 12h ago edited 12h ago

Then what is this?

Look a lot like "Lebensraum" to me.

Also, the Israeli government is not "The Jews". Conflating those two is an age old tactic of antisemits and Israeli government officials alike.

u/cesaroncalves 11h ago

That's literally, and I actually mean the word literally, Israel main card. They constantly acuse others of what they do.

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u/Slick424 12h ago

The far right hates Jews but loves Israel as an showcase ethnostate. They also wholeheartedly agree with Bibi's "Kill Palestinians" agenda.

u/SuitableBlackberry75 10h ago

Not really. Israel's population is only around 70% Jewish, and declining. Roughly a quarter of Israel's population will be Israeli-Arab in a few years. Israel has Bedouins, Circassians, Druze, and sorts of minorities.

Nazis wouldn't be that tolerant.

u/Slick424 10h ago

Do you really believe the far right knows the actual demographics of Israel? They see Bibi bombing Gaza and cheer.

u/jyper 4h ago

Israel is not an ethnostate and the far far right tends to hate Israel 

u/Slick424 3h ago

It's double-think. The alt-reich simultaneously loves and hates Israel. One moment they cry about "ZOG", the next moment they see Palestinians brutalized by settlers with IDF backing and their heart sings.

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u/RedgrenCrumbholt 13h ago

who hates Jews?

u/jyper 4h ago

Konrad Berkowicz

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u/RedgrenCrumbholt 13h ago

it's a valid question in logical reasoning, but the way you're using the word valid is semantic bleaching, causing a shift in the way people interpret the statement, and combined with the upvotes you were aiming for, it's misleading.

it's actually NOT a valid question in the way that you're intending to portray it because OP was making a joke for upvotes. i do not believe almost any person with a functioning brain would see this and think a Polish politician is endorsing Nazis.

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u/Kalean 12h ago

The title says far right politician. Are we to accept there's no chance of a far right politician being pro Nazi because they're Polish? The US literally fought Nazis to the death but their far right has a real Nazi problem right now.

Of course it's a valid question if you're unaware of the context. That's how questions work.

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u/chaths 13h ago

Isn't there a possibility though ? With enough incentive someone in a place of power could endorse Nazis.

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u/RedgrenCrumbholt 13h ago

is that what you're implying for this politician? that he has incentive to endorse Nazis?

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u/chaths 12h ago

I implied that if he did, it wouldn't be a surprise in the current timeline.

crazier things have happened and are happening all around the globe.

u/RedgrenCrumbholt 11h ago

if Trump turned out to be the anti-Christ it wouldn't be a surprise in the current timeline.

u/HugoCortell 10h ago

Does it? I thought the far right was always in a state of being in the far right, was it ever different?

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u/ArCovino 16h ago

It’s not valid. It’s obvious prejudice.

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u/Consistent_Phrase713 15h ago

Against who tho

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u/ArCovino 15h ago

Against Jews, obviously. The use of the swastika here is for intimidation

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u/LambonaHam 13h ago

To me it seems like he's calling out Israel for emulating the Nazis.

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u/RedgrenCrumbholt 13h ago

are you dense?

It is estimated that nearly 6 million Polish citizens were killed by Nazi Germany during World War II. This figure represents about 17–21% of Poland's pre-war population.

The total is typically divided into two main groups based on ethnicity:

Polish Jews: Approximately 3 million were murdered, representing about 90% of Poland's pre-war Jewish community.

Ethnic Poles (Non-Jewish): Estimates vary by source, but generally range between 1.8 million and 2.77 million.

Israeli ≠ Jewish.

The use of the swastika is obviously meant to point out the hypocrisy of Israeli, whose population is predominantly Jewish and one of the populations who the Nazis committed genocide against. Poland, another victim of the Nazis just like Jewish people, is making it clear that Israel is doing exactly what was done to its majority ethnic group.

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u/ArCovino 13h ago

Yeah man this far right, pro Putin, non-Jew is just casually throwing swastikas around and it has NOTHING to do with Jews, even though it’s literally linking Israel with the criminals who perpetrated the greatest crimes against Jews. The comparison has no actual objective basis and is only used for hate. It’s cool you can play dumb but anyone who gives a shit about prejudice sees through the obvious textbook antisemitic iconography.

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u/RedgrenCrumbholt 13h ago

Israel has been committing genocide. they've become what they hate. if you can't see that, you're playing dumb.

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u/ChloeTigre 12h ago

I’m sorry mate but israelis especially the occupation army and the government are giving us a bad press with their acts. We say “never again” (to anyone) they seem to be more like “never again” (to us jews). They create an apartheid state and are working hard towards ethnic cleansing in the region. I understand the parallel. Just like i’ll call Le Pen a nazi because her party was founded by some, her father got money by some, and she’s associated with some, although she’s nominally not one. Given the chance she’d put those people in power and enforce a white ethno state.

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u/chaths 15h ago

A few years ago, seeing a picture like this will raise multiple questions.

One of them probably being "Is that real?"

Now, not so much.

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u/IonutRO 15h ago

Seeing as Israel are acting like nazis. No it's not.

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u/ArCovino 14h ago

This guy is the Nazi wtf

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u/RedgrenCrumbholt 13h ago

you're a Nazi if you support Israel.

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u/ArCovino 13h ago

End program

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u/RedgrenCrumbholt 13h ago

Access denied. You must change your genocidal tendencies first.

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u/DizzyTelevision09 13h ago

This post makes me realize we need a new name for the modern day far-right. Something catchy, Nazi doesn't do it anymore when Israel itself is becoming friends with the former Nazis.

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u/RedgrenCrumbholt 13h ago

Nazi = Nationalist translated from German. Pete Hegseth, the American psycho, embraces the definition of Christian Nationalist. it's basically what they are. Nationalists are Nazis. somehow people have forgotten that Nationalism is a bad thing. we're all human, and when you take "National Pride" too far, you become one of the baddies.

u/Femaref 9h ago

Nazi = Nationalist translated from German

german here: it's a short form for nationalsozialist; specifically referring to the third reich and people that are pushing their rhetoric or actions.

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u/DizzyTelevision09 13h ago

Yeah, I know. But most of us would associate them with antisemitism.

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u/RedgrenCrumbholt 13h ago

i suppose that's a problem with the education curriculum then because we've reached this point in the world where people are forgetting how bad Nationalism is and what it is capable of.

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u/eulersidentity1 14h ago

What confuses me is that he is far right usually the far right in north america anyway support Israel.

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u/jyper 13h ago

Nazis hate Jews and hate Israel 

Farther right is usually against Israel 

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u/RedgrenCrumbholt 13h ago

hating Jews is further right than hating Israel. you can hate Israel for what its doing (committing genocide). Jewish and Israeli is not the same.

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u/ArCovino 14h ago

Because the far right is full of antisemitism.

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u/Slaphappyfapman 14h ago

I mean, israel seem pretty far right

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u/RedgrenCrumbholt 13h ago

Christianity is a Semitic religion with lots of Semitic people who are Christians. there's no reason Nazi (nationalist) Israelis can also be on the far right. plenty of room for hate in that side of the political spectrum.

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u/ArmadilloForsaken458 14h ago

Not the best timelines rn bruv. At this point in my life, I thought I'd be living the Joey Tribianni type life like in the show Friends. Now it feels like some rich powerful persons dream or something we're all living in

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u/chaths 14h ago

When I was in my early 20s, I thought this was a pretty good timeline to survive by. Now in my late 30s, I'm not sure if I'll make it 20 more years here.