Michelle Goldberg: My name is Michelle Goldberg,
and I'm an opinion columnist for 'The New York Times.'
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I went to Warsaw,
and part of the reason is that I just really wanted to write about something
that was encouraging, instead of despairing and grim and the world being what it is.
Warsaw in January was the place that I was able to find that.
I was excited to write about the new government
that has displaced the right–wing, authoritarian Law and Justice Party,
both because it seemed to me to be a really encouraging sign for Europe,
but also because I thought it had lessons for other countries
that have grappled with authoritarian rule, including our own.
In 2015, Poland elected the Law and Justice Party.
Archived Recording: Poland's opposition conservatives have claimed a stunning victory in Sunday's parliamentary election, winning —
Michelle Goldberg: A right–wing, nationalist, very Catholic party, very anti–immigrant.
Archived Recording: For me, multicultural society,
it's not a value.
Michelle Goldberg: Very hostile to LGBT rights.
Archived Recording: The hallmark of the campaign has been the assertion
that LGBT people don't actually exist.