Bem's Reaction to Havel's “Do not vote for ODS“ appeal

Pavel Bem wrote for Lidove noviny newspaper an article called ‘A wave of anger from Havel’. Bem states, that “…Havel in his Article only warns, alleges, laughs at, gingers up, on purpose. In the name of some ‘higher principle’, with no respect to the others, without respect to truth, only with respect that he is the chosen bearer of light and universal truth.”

“The ex-president complains there are shopping centres growing, destroying local ways, complains about the way how modern buildings look like, even when their owners want them to look like that, about the ‘Businessmen Baroque’ of satellites growing without shops, schools, or civilian life. But, such is the reality and free will of people.” Wrote the Prague Mayor Bem

The center point of Bem’s essay is the fact, Havel was against the ODS project of the tunnel below Letna, and that Havel supports the theatres ODS want to cut off grants. Those two articles cannot be judged objectively, because both represent completely different point of views. If we simplify both presentations, it would look like this:

Theatre matter: ODS: Prague theatres are getting enough and they should be able to make money by themselves. Havel: If we let theatres without support, they will have to reduce their staff and to play only commercial pieces.

Letna tunnel matter: Havel: There are places with higher need of a by-pass, and much much cheaper. ODS: It is expensive, but needed.

Blob matter: ODS: Klaus doesn’t like it, we cannot go against our founding father. Havel: The international contest has a higher value that one man’s opinion, even when he is the president.

Suburbs matter: Havel: To build without a long-term plan devastates the countryside, and doesn’t care about the locals. ODS: The state needs money, and supranational companies bring them.

It can’t get clearer than this. Who is with the left wing, who is with the right wing?