Black American Living In Poland

Quoting: Maati, Post #18

Epicurus, I don't know if you noticed- James is not a gangsta drug dealer, but office manager in U.S. Army. Whatever you think about American politics and military, you should respect army members, as long as you live in the US (Florida). I am telling you this being against war in Iraq and against keeping US military everywhere in this Planet.

Yesterday one of my students asked me, if Polish folks steal alot. He was scared of conversating in English with me walking through Nowy Świat. That's the opinion some German folks have about Polish people. Didn't you think that what you are saying here is bunch of stereotypes?

Jamessmith	Oct 25, 06, 06:39 / #
Hello everyone I am a Black American man living and working for the US Army in Germany. I met a very beautiful, loving, sincere, trustworthy Polish woman in Germany. we have been together for three years. We plan to get marry next year in the spring of 2007. She has express her strong desire to return to Poland and buy a home together. I have some visited western Poland several times, but I'm a little unsure and have some fear about making this move. Could someone provide any or comments or helpful information to me about living in Poland? Are there many black people living in the larger cities in Poland? Thank you. James

glowaThreads: 1 Posts: 305 Joined: Apr 6, 06	Edited by: glowa Oct 25, 06, 06:53 / #
there are some in bigger cities, mainly around universities, I wouldn't say there are many, though. but I think since so many left to England to work there are much more now visiting friends, girl/boy-friends and so on. in big cities it's always easier. to my opinion, you've got good reasons to heave fear about it, but on the other hand I wouldn't exagerate here. there's some rasizm, or rather fear from the different. for most people you'd meet you'd probably be the first ever black person met. i'd say, expect some time for yourself to accomodate the attitudes and for them to accomodate you. you'll just have to say to yourself that for many you're something (if I can say so) they've never encountered before. but at the end of the day it would all turn to just getting to know a new person. the risk is always there, but then again, you'll never know for sure if you don't try, right? I say, you'll be fine. Poland still learns to accept diversity. We've already got quite some Turks here and there and from what I hear they feel fine. So, don't worry! Which city are yo considering? How's your Polish?

Jamessmith	Oct 25, 06, 07:01 / #
Glowa, hello and thank you very much for your comments andquick repsonse. I am a postivie thinking person and I can get along with everyone, race, reglion, culutre it does not matter to me. What is important is that we can work and living together in harmony. For that to happen will must be willing to commuicate, I do have some fear, but it won't stop me from trying. There stupid, uneducated and single minded thinking in every part of the world. We plan to move to the city of Wroclaw. James

glowaThreads: 1 Posts: 305 Joined: Apr 6, 06	Oct 25, 06, 07:03 / #
Very cool city.

krysiaThreads: 26 Posts: 3,604 Joined: Aug 10, 06	Oct 25, 06, 08:15 / #
Wrocław. That's where our friend "Wrocław" is from. He's around here somewhere and he would know what's going on in his city. I was visiting Poland last month and I saw several interracial couples. Mostly black guys with white women and nobody was staring at them. The black guys behaved very cultural and polite and they seemed well accepted within the Polish community. As long as nobody causes trouble, Poland is slowly getting used to people with different color skin. Black people are not as common in Poland as in America but like glowa said, Poland is learning to accept diversity. You'll be fine.

Jamessmith	Oct 25, 06, 08:46 / #
Thank you Krysia for your comments they are reassuring. I'm also a very respectful indivual and I will adapt myself to my surrounds and conduct myself in a very professional, obident postive manner. I'm sure I will be okay and thanks a gain and have a nice day. James

BartolomeThreads: 2 Posts: 1,348 Joined: Sep 14, 06	Oct 25, 06, 18:01 / #
And if you want to learn Polish, you need to be harder than Rambo & terminator put together

Phil	Feb 3, 07, 08:10 / #
I live in Wroclaw and there aren't that many black people around here. I have never seen anyone having problems but racism is more obvious here than say in the U.K. where I'm from. For example the problem of the word n::::::, I'm sure you know the one, I'm an English teacher and so many of my students use it, primarily because they hear it in rap videos and the like and do not realise the connotations of it. I also recall there being a KKK type march in the main square here last year and no one seemed to bat an eyelid. On a similar vein they had a gay protest march here late last year. I think it is a very minority view, amongst ill-educated people in the main but depending on where you live it could be a challenge shall we say. It is hard for me to put myself in your shoes but I don't think it will be enough of a worry to deter from living in this wonderful city.

Grzegorz_Threads: 81 Posts: 6,204 Joined: Nov 16, 06	Feb 3, 07, 08:16 / #
Quoting: Phil, Post #8 On a similar vein they had a gay protest march here late last year. And what homos has to do with racism ?

BubbaWooThreads: 46 Posts: 4,438 Joined: Sep 26, 06	Feb 3, 07, 12:12 / #
Quoting: Grzegorz_, Post #9 And what homos has to do with racism bigoted prejudice could be a common denominator... or ignorance... but thats just a guess...

EpicurusThreads: - Posts: 45 Joined: Feb 4, 07	Feb 4, 07, 02:40 / #
I'm Polish and a racist. I have no qualms or reservations about being a racist. I would not wish for you to live in my homeland nor have relationships with Polish woman. You will meet many Poles who share these views. You will also meet many who reflect the egalitarian viewpoints espoused on this forum. Most are naive to the reality of race and the dangers of multiracialism within Poland. When a foreign race begins trickling into the communities of another race in very small numbers it becomes a novelty at first. The problems that come with an increase of blacks in white populations are not noticed until it's too late. If Poland begins accepting large numbers of your people it is 100% guaranteed crimes will go up. Murders, rapes, robberies...etc. When your people begin to increase in proportion it will embolden them and the genetic tendencies for behavior in your race will begin to be unleashed from the suppression that comes when you are few and far between. It will be the same as in England, the USA, and in every white demographic area worldwide that has accepted a large influx of blacks. It's all fun and games until the influx becomes to great. I do not want you in Poland. For all those who wish to call me ignorant you will have to explain exactly what knowledge it is that I do not have that will change my viewpoint. Then you will have to provide this knowledge. Otherwise, you're pissing into the wind.

EpicurusThreads: - Posts: 45 Joined: Feb 4, 07	Feb 4, 07, 02:55 / #
What's the holdup ? Did your keyboard jam right before you where going to explain in detail which part of my post is hypocritical and which part is evidence for my idiocy ?

josecitomadera	Feb 4, 07, 07:52 / #
Quoting: Grzegorz_, Post #20 I'm against massive import of non-Europeans just because of rational reasons. .....and waht are these rational reasons, Doctor.

Grzegorz_Threads: 81 Posts: 6,204 Joined: Nov 16, 06	Feb 4, 07, 07:57 / #
Quoting: josecitomadera, Post #22 .....and waht are these rational reasons, Doctor. In case of Africa let's say: low level of education, very different culture and language, which makes assimilation very difficult, huge number of people with HIV and probably a several other reasons. Happy now ?

matek1	Feb 3, 07, 16:16 / #
Quoting: BubbaWoo, Post #10 bigoted prejudice could be a common denominator... or ignorance... but thats just a guess... Ignorant to what? homo's are not a race they are sick. A disease if you will. Mentally ill.

BubbaWooThreads: 46 Posts: 4,438 Joined: Sep 26, 06	Feb 3, 07, 16:28 / #
whatever

marek_USA	Feb 3, 07, 17:37 / #
Quoting: Phil, Post #8 For example the problem of the word n::::::, I'm sure you know the one, I'm an English teacher and so many of my students use it, primarily because they hear it in rap videos and the like and do not realise the connotations of it that's brutal, and i can definately see them missing the point if a rap video is all they have seen.........imagine they travelled to the usa and used it in regular speech......

BubbaWooThreads: 46 Posts: 4,438 Joined: Sep 26, 06	Feb 4, 07, 02:43 / #
not going to call you ignorant, mate... but you do strike me as a bit of a hypocritical pillock...

BubbaWooThreads: 46 Posts: 4,438 Joined: Sep 26, 06	Feb 4, 07, 03:03 / #
Quoting: Epicurus, Post #14 It's all fun and games until the influx becomes to great. I do not want you in Poland. get on the blower and tell your million compats in england to come home... then we can talk about people coming to your country...

MaatiThreads: 1 Posts: 207 Joined: Nov 4, 06	Feb 4, 07, 07:01 / #
Epicurus, I don't know if you noticed- James is not a gangsta drug dealer, but office manager in U.S. Army. Whatever you think about American politics and military, you should respect army members, as long as you live in the US (Florida). I am telling you this being against war in Iraq and against keeping US military everywhere in this Planet. Yesterday one of my students asked me, if Polish folks steal alot. He was scared of conversating in English with me walking through Nowy Świat. That's the opinion some German folks have about Polish people. Didn't you think that what you are saying here is bunch of stereotypes?

josecitomadera	Feb 4, 07, 07:17 / #
Quoting: Epicurus, Post #14 The problems that come with an increase of blacks in white populations are not noticed until it's too late. Why would a large number of blacks move to Poland? Most black people do NOT want to live around whites. That's why you have black-only neighborhoods. So this is a stupid notion.

Grzegorz_Threads: 81 Posts: 6,204 Joined: Nov 16, 06	Edited by: Grzegorz_ Feb 4, 07, 07:34 / #
Quoting: josecitomadera, Post #19 Most black people do NOT want to live around whites. So they are racists. I would suggest rather more rational attitude than "ni*ers suck" or on the other hand "white busterds are to blame for all evil in the world". In case of immigration to Poland I'm against massive import of non-Europeans just because of rational reasons.

Kochana_BabciaThreads: 2 Posts: 73 Joined: Dec 6, 06	Feb 4, 07, 07:48 / #
Quoting: josecitomadera, Post #19 Most black people do NOT want to live around whites I'm sorry but I don't agree with this statement. Black people can live anywhere they want, just as white people or whatever race can live anywhere. The thing is the income of families..be it white, black, latino..income keeps certain people in certain areas. If income is low, they tend to live in the same area..if income is high they also tend to live in the same area..no matter the race. In the area that I live in the new homes sales start at about $500,000, (We don't own such a home) but the people who live here are from India, Pakistan, Mexico, Korea, Blacks and Whites. My daughter and her family live about 30 miles away from me, in a new subdivision. Last summer they had a subdivision party to get to know each other and for the children to get to know each other. I was at the party and I must say that everyone was fantastic and it looked like The United Nation, every color and nationality.

josecitomadera	Feb 4, 07, 08:52 / #
Quoting: matek1, Post #11 Ignorant to what? homo's are not a race they are sick. A disease if you will. Mentally ill. What is sick is your pernicious obsession with race!

josecitomadera	Edited by: josecitomadera Feb 4, 07, 08:52 / #
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iwonaThreads: 13 Posts: 639 Joined: Aug 6, 06	Feb 4, 07, 12:09 / #
I think that Kochana Babcia is right. It depends on people income where they live. Place where I live now is nice new estate with good schools and I can see any people living here eatern european, Black, Asian......I know that most families are attracted by good schools. I would say that people are more divided by social status than race.

EpicurusThreads: - Posts: 45 Joined: Feb 4, 07	Edited by: Epicurus Feb 4, 07, 13:02 / #
Quoting: Maati, Post #18 Epicurus, I don't know if you noticed- James is not a gangsta drug dealer, but office manager in U.S. Army. Whatever you think about American politics and military, you should respect army members, as long as you live in the US (Florida). I am telling you this being against war in Iraq and against keeping US military everywhere in this Planet. Yesterday one of my students asked me, if Polish folks steal alot. He was scared of conversating in English with me walking through Nowy Świat. That's the opinion some German folks have about Polish people. Didn't you think that what you are saying here is bunch of stereotypes? James's social or economic status in the US does not change the reasons for my views. As for overriding my racial beliefs and loyalties to Poland, no status or military rank will do that. Simply because I live in the US does not require I forgo my loyalties to Poland, nor would I want to do so. I am not a US citizen and I have made no oaths to the US. Citizenship is becoming more and more meaningless by the day. I am tied to this country for the next 2 years but I am making plans to leave and return to Poland. The next amnesty bill will be the final stab in the back for any respect due a person of US citizenship. Ironically, the foundation of this destruction of US citizenship is multiracialism. Just because James, on the individual level, may not adversely affect a community he immigrates to does not invalidate the overall adverse affect of his race upon a community. Once immigration is accepted as the norm and the government increases the numbers then you have an increase in the randomness of those brought in. In addition, there is also a bias toward the lower ends of the races bell curve since this segment provides a suitable supply of cheap labor. To have James come in is even worse because he is a Trojan Horse. He looks harmless enough, but on his coattails are masses of others whose presence will have the opposite effect that James may have. There is one other reason I am against it. I do not wish for Polish woman to miscegenate. As for your student spouting stereotypes, that is what he was doing. But what is your point? Stereotypes are called stereotypes for a reason. Once a characteristic of a particular group of people is elevated culturally to a stereotype the probability of it being correct is almost 100%. Therefore, the reason there is a stereotype that Poles steal is because Poles do steal just slightly more often enough to trigger the innate ability of humans to recognize patterns of behavior in other humans. Let’s say you have 10,000 randomly selected native white Germans and 10,000 randomly selected native white Poles. The stereotype is that Germans steal less, Poles steal more. The stereotype claims that we will find more thieves among the Polish group then the German. I believe that is correct. The numbers aren't that great. It's not like 1000 of the Germans fit the stereotype and 4000 of the Poles. The numbers are small, but recognizable in the minds of individuals who come in contact with that population. It could be that 200 of the Germans are thieves vs 500 of the Poles. And hence, a stereotype is born. Stereotypes are stereotypes because they are born out of truth. This is why people are hurt emotionally by them.

EpicurusThreads: - Posts: 45 Joined: Feb 4, 07	Edited by: Epicurus Feb 4, 07, 14:17 / #
Quoting: iwona, Post #27 I think that Kochana Babcia is right. It depends on people income where they live. Place where I live now is nice new estate with good schools and I can see any people living here eatern european, Black, Asian......I know that most families are attracted by good schools. I would say that people are more divided by social status than race. Social status and race are two rams butting heads. When put to the test race will always have the higher probability of being the decisive factor. When people of different races intermingle, be it due to free will or being forced, the race factor becomes slightly passive. Social status immediately has no other choice but to come to the forefront. But social status is one of an unstable nature, it is allowed to exert its force at the whim of race. Race remains underneath, like a snoozing oversear. I'm sure you know what a bear trap is. You can put your hand inside one and you will be fine as long you don't hit the trigger and close the trap. Social status is like that hand in the bear trap. As long as you tiptoe around and be careful, the trap is harmless. But one wrong move and the power of the trap (race) will quickly let you know who's boss. This is exemplified in how easily a person's repuation and social status can be destroyed when that trap shuts. Recent example include politicians and comedians: 1) Former U.S. Senator George Allen points to a Webb aide, referring to him as "Macaca". 2) Kramer (Micheal Richards) from Seinfeld went on a race laden tirade in a public venue. In both cases race immediately, like a 500 pound gorilla, overtook the little mouse that is social status. You can't escape race. You can't run from it, hide from it, or avoid it. When I say race I also include ethnicities/blood. As for religion, it is the monkey wrench in the whole equation.

josecitomadera	Feb 4, 07, 14:43 / #
Quoting: Epicurus, Post #28 The next amnesty bill will be the final stab in the back for any respect due a person of US citizenship. Ironically, the foundation of this destruction of US citizenship is multiracialism. Where do these people get these ideas from? I feel sorry for any Poles who aren't visually white enough to pass this test. As a hispanic, I'm happy we as a group don't have to deal with this racial garbage. The obsession with race I have seen on this site, I have never witnessed anywhere else. Quoting: Epicurus, Post #29 When I say race I also include ethnicities/blood. As for religion, it is the monkey wrench in the whole equation. You might be right in the Polish community but in the hispanic community you are wrong. Thank God we don't have those problems. Quoting: Epicurus, Post #28 Stereotypes are called stereotypes for a reason. There called such because fools ascribe to an entire ethnic group the misfortunes of a few. That is a stereotype. I wish the administration would ban all these racist commentaries. It doesn't do a country like Poland any good.