Battle of the Cross

A few months ago there was an awful plane crash in Russia that killed Poland's President and close to 90 people, most of those people were also involved with the Polish government. After the crash, a group of scouts in Warsaw made a simple wooden cross and placed it temporarily outside of the Presidential Palace with the plan of moving it permanently to a church not far from the palace at a later date.

Well, the later date for moving the cross has come...and gone. And the cross still remains in front of the Presidential Palace. Now, along with the cross, are several hundred people, perhaps thousands at times gathered outside of the Presidential Palace (the newly elected President just moved in last week). Why didn't it move you ask? Well, a group of people (mostly older people) gathered around the cross and demanded that it stay where it is. Due to their protest, several people came and joined them in their feat to have the cross remain where it is and another group formed which demands that the cross be moved to the church. These protests have been going on for over a week and have been all over the news.

So, of course, since we were in Warsaw, we had to go and see what all the fuss was about. Well, I can tell you where Polish people's tax dollars are going at the moment... There were so many police officers and city guards lined up in front of the cross. I cannot even begin to tell you how many people were gathered there. In one section, you had a bunch of older people who appeared to be religious fanatics singing church songs into a megaphone and chanting that cross should stay. I must admit, that group scared me a little bit. They were very intent, serious and angry. A few meters away, there was a group of younger people dancing, singing and chanting to move the cross. There were beach balls being tapped around, people showing off dance moves, petitions being signed to move the cross and apples being thrown at these people from “cross lovers”. Our friend, who was just taking everything in, was hit in the stomach by an apple thrown from someone singing Christian songs.

As I was standing there, trying to take all of this in, I realized that I was more confused in those few moments that I have been all summer. Oh, and I forgot to mention that the cross is quite small in person compared to the way it has been portrayed on TV. It is maybe all of 10-12 feet tall and you can't really get a good glimpse of it with all the crowds and guards.

People have been protesting for over a week now. Here is my humble opinion: it's a cross. It's not going to bring back dead people. Moving it to the church does not mean that everyone is going to forget about the awful tragedy that took too many lives. There was also a memorial plaque placed on the wall of the Presidential Palace this week in memory of all those who perished. I just don't understand it. Aren't there more important things to be spending your time and energy on? Like world peace or hunger? Or, what about helping the areas of Poland that were severely flooded last week? I usually admire people who are passionate about something, but I hard time thinking that this situation was anything but ridiculous.

It had been a really hot day in Warsaw and the night sky was lit up by heat lightening. I remember thinking how awesome it would be if lightening struck the cross and put an end to all the protests. But, that didn't happen.

After attempting to take in all of those shenanigans, I was in desperate need of a shot of vodka. Thank goodness there was a place well known for their vodka right across the street from the Presidential Palace. Oh, and while having a shot of vodka, we ran into a guy my husband knows from Cornell. Such a small world!