Americans who call themselves Polish - how do you feel about that?

Quoting: Eurola

Even kids born here to perfectly polish parents, they are only polish "on the paper". They go to a kindergarten, then to school, they have friends of variety of backgrounds..., and start being different from their parents, even though they are chowing down home made pierogi by polish mum. All my polish friends-mums, have the same issue. There is a big disconnect. It changes later in life for them, and/or for their children. It's very normal.

dannyboyThreads: 24 Posts: 298 Joined: Feb 15, 07	Jul 24, 07, 05:35 / #
How do you feel about Americanss who call themselves Polish even though they speak English with an american accent and know very little Polish, have lived in the US most of their life, practise US customs etc? Do you think that they are kidding themselves that they are Polish? Should they simply say they are americans?

slwkkThreads: 3 Posts: 249 Joined: Mar 31, 07	Jul 24, 07, 05:40 / #
Quoting: dannyboy How do you feel about Americanss who call themselves Polish even though they speak English with an american accent and know very little Polish, have lived in the US most of their life, practise US customs etc? They can call themself whatever they want... it's their right. Quoting: dannyboy Do you think that they are kidding themselves that they are Polish? Yes, they're Americans with Polish roots. Quoting: dannyboy Should they simply say they are americans? yes but this is only my opinion.

methatronThreads: - Posts: 10 Joined: Jul 22, 07	Jul 24, 07, 09:16 / #
In my opinion they're americans with polish roots. Nothing more. You can't say your polish if you haven't live here for some time.

ZgubionyThreads: 21 Posts: 2,037 Joined: Oct 20, 06	Jul 24, 07, 09:19 / #
In America it's just a way to describe your roots. It's not supposed to be taken in the literal sense. It's how we identify ourselves and our family name. If you're from Poland then you say just that. Quoting: methatron In my opinion they're americans with polish roots. Nothing more. It's understandable to think this way.

Lady in red	Jul 24, 07, 09:20 / #
Quoting: methatron You can't say your polish if you haven't live here for some time. rubbish ! and the polish government don't agree with you either........ so if you go and live abroad for say thirty years, you aint polish either ? Hmmmmm.

Lady in red	Jul 24, 07, 09:21 / #
if their parents were both polish, then they are polish........my view because i didn't clarify it in the previous post. Mind you I'm not from the US.

Osiedle_Ruda	Jul 24, 07, 10:16 / #
Nationality isn't the same as ethnicity, so they are Polish ethnically, but may be American culturally and in terms of citizenship.

BubbaWooThreads: 46 Posts: 4,438 Joined: Sep 26, 06	Jul 24, 07, 10:17 / #
good distinction OR

methatronThreads: - Posts: 10 Joined: Jul 22, 07	Jul 24, 07, 10:21 / #
Quoting: Lady in red if their parents were both polish, then they are polish according to polish law it's true Quoting: Lady in red so if you go and live abroad for say thirty years, you aint polish either ? No. I am still polish, but I have also become lets say british or american. If I live as americans do, follow their culture and so on why shouldn't I be considered american, as well as polish?

Patrycja19Threads: 79 Posts: 3,972 Joined: Oct 31, 06	Jul 24, 07, 11:13 / #
Quoting: dannyboy Do you think that they are kidding themselves that they are Polish? Should they simply say they are americans? Danny I find this a fruitless attempt .. whatever your reasons.. Quoting: Lady in red and the polish government don't agree with you either........ No they dont.. [quote=methatron] according to polish law it's true :))

helloThreads: 37 Posts: 1,104 Joined: Dec 5, 06	Jul 24, 07, 11:19 / #
10-20 years ago American with Polish root would never admit s/he was in part Polish.. Times change :).

RanjThreads: 27 Posts: 1,286 Joined: Sep 29, 06	Edited by: Ranj Jul 24, 07, 11:35 / #
Quoting: BubbaWoo i guess we could say that 10-20 years ago americans werent quite so desperate to disassociate themselves from their nationality... times change indeed... You are such a butt.......:D.....and yet you love us anyway;)

Patrycja19Threads: 79 Posts: 3,972 Joined: Oct 31, 06	Jul 24, 07, 11:35 / #
Quoting: hello 10-20 years ago American with Polish root would never admit s/he was in part Polish.. Times change ? says who?

Patrycja19Threads: 79 Posts: 3,972 Joined: Oct 31, 06	Jul 24, 07, 11:42 / #
[quote=hello] 10-20 years ago American with Polish root would never admit s/he was in part Polish.. Times change :). its funny how people say things, yet for eons, people have been enjoying all the ethnic foods from each festival.. whether it was Polish, Italian, hungarian, irish. etc.. Maybe 50-60 years ago and longer when times were rougher , people didnt wander far off their turf .. 10-20 years ago, people were going to rock concerts and wearing big hair and tight clothes and it was cool!! no one cared where you came from Pull up a chair and party.... DUDE.... ha

RanjThreads: 27 Posts: 1,286 Joined: Sep 29, 06	Jul 24, 07, 11:33 / #
Quoting: Osiedle_Ruda Nationality isn't the same as ethnicity, so they are Polish ethnically, but may be American culturally and in terms of citizenship. Best answer I have seen....which I think most Americans feel this way.....considering we are a country created by different ethnic backgrounds, and relatively we are a very young country, compared to our European friends...... Quoting: dannyboy Do you think that they are kidding themselves that they are Polish? I don't know any American with Polish Heritage who assumes the role of a Pole that actually was born and raised in Poland....many may practive certain traditions carried over from parents and grandparents, but I don't think they are that delusional......also, I see nothing wrong with someone of Polish heritage, Irish, Italian, German, Scottish, etc....wanting to carrying on old traditions as well as continue and create new ones. :)

BubbaWooThreads: 46 Posts: 4,438 Joined: Sep 26, 06	Jul 24, 07, 11:33 / #
i guess we could say that 10-20 years ago americans werent quite so desperate to disassociate themselves from their nationality... times change indeed...

BubbaWooThreads: 46 Posts: 4,438 Joined: Sep 26, 06	Edited by: BubbaWoo Jul 24, 07, 11:39 / #
- ha ha... fooled you all -

Patrycja19Threads: 79 Posts: 3,972 Joined: Oct 31, 06	Jul 24, 07, 11:44 / #
Quoting: BubbaWoo ha ha... fooled you all - was that you bubba!! Sheit!!!!

joepilsudskiThreads: 44 Posts: 2,529 Joined: Apr 27, 07	Jul 24, 07, 11:57 / #
Most Americans of Polish descent consider themselves Polish-Americans...the loyalty is first to America, but they try to keep in touch with their Polish roots...and there is some- thing of a revival of awareness of these Polish roots here, because we are getting an influx of young Poles here, many very intelligent & educated, who are stimulating an interest in these things...my mother, who was always very involved in Polish organizations of various kinds, tried to interest me in this when I was young, but it was the 1960's & there were a lot of other things going on i.e. the 'counter-culture'...as I matured, I started to get more interested in where my family came from.

truhleiThreads: 14 Posts: 612 Joined: Jul 15, 07	Jul 24, 07, 12:59 / #
Quoting: joepilsudski I started to get more interested in where my family came from. Are your ancestors from Litwa or from Crown? What is tne powiat?

dannyboyThreads: 24 Posts: 298 Joined: Feb 15, 07	Jul 24, 07, 17:26 / #
Quoting: Patrycja19 Quoting: dannyboy Do you think that they are kidding themselves that they are Polish? Should they simply say they are americans? Danny I find this a fruitless attempt .. whatever your reasons.. Patrycja, I don't understand what you mean, could you clarify that for me please? I'm taking a guess that your asking me why I would ask this question, the reason I ask is because there are many people in the United States who are ethnically Irish but claim to be fully Irish and tend to forget that they are Americans. Of course, when its someone incredible like JFK, nobody in Ireland willl mention he is american, he is Irish of course ;-)

regionpolskiThreads: 36 Posts: 164 Joined: Mar 13, 07	Jul 24, 07, 18:38 / #
Quoting: hello 10-20 years ago American with Polish root would never admit s/he was in part Polish.. Times change :). Quoting: BubbaWoo i guess we could say that 10-20 years ago americans werent quite so desperate to disassociate themselves from their nationality... times change indeed... I have always been proud of my Polish heritage. I took Polish jokes quite well. I believe that Americans are gradually developing a sense of self. For example, if a person is several generations removed from his immigrant ancestors, and has various European nationalities, would he consider himself 5% of this, 10% of that..etc., or simply realize he's an American? Eventually, the ties to the old country get tattered and torn with age. It's not a matter of denying one's roots, but after several generations they become lost in the mists of time.

smooth_jazzThreads: 12 Posts: 122 Joined: Jun 21, 07	Jul 24, 07, 19:18 / #
My family heritage is completely German on both my mother and father's side of the family. I always used to describe myself as being German, meaning that I am of German heritage, not that I am really German. Then I moved to Germany and I made the mistake once telling a German that I was German. I will never make that mistake again. I am definitely not a German, I am a Texan of German descent. Maybe these people are the same way I was, they say they're Polish meaning their family originated from Poland.

RanjThreads: 27 Posts: 1,286 Joined: Sep 29, 06	Edited by: Ranj Jul 24, 07, 21:00 / #
Quoting: regionpolski Eventually, the ties to the old country get tattered and torn with age. It's not a matter of denying one's roots, but after several generations they become lost in the mists of time. Kind of my point, RP....we are a young country.....many of us still have family or had someone close (grandparent) who came from "the old country" which is why we associate ourselves with these countries....over time and several generations, I think the heritage of ancestors will be less important for Americans because they won't have firsthand knowledge of the family members that came here.

ArturSzastakThreads: 6 Posts: 828 Joined: Feb 16, 07	Jul 24, 07, 21:43 / #
Quoting: dannyboy How do you feel about Americanss who call themselves Polish even though they speak English with an american accent and know very little Polish, have lived in the US most of their life, practise US customs etc? Ok, I might qualify for that, but I am forst generation American; live, breathe, eat, speak Polish and actually still have the Polish accent for a few words in English (so I'm told by my friends) I don't really practice American customs, whatever they might be, I'm all Polish, just happened to be born on my mom's visit here. I can carry out a conversation in Polish as long as the other Polak doesn't use very "sophistacated" words. My mom calls my Polish "house" Polish, so if that helps anybody to figure out my Polish vocab there you go :] I do hate people who find out I'm Polish and tell me they're one third Polish. really pisses me off :[

EurolaThreads: 6 Posts: 2,647 Joined: Dec 2, 06	Jul 24, 07, 21:47 / #
Americans are pretty happy to give you a list of their heritage. Very seldom I would hear...I'm not sure or I don't know, unless they go back to Mayflower. Even kids born here to perfectly polish parents, they are only polish "on the paper". They go to a kindergarten, then to school, they have friends of variety of backgrounds..., and start being different from their parents, even though they are chowing down home made pierogi by polish mum. All my polish friends-mums, have the same issue. There is a big disconnect. It changes later in life for them, and/or for their children. It's very normal. I'm surprised that someone said that nobody wanted to admit they were polish 10-20 years ago...more like a 100 be true. But then ,nobody wanted to be Irish or Italian either. People were readily admitting who they were almost 30 years ago. We called each other "names" just for fun. :) I had no problems myself then and I don't now. Yes, my family in Poland sees me different somewhat, but it is a given. Like it or not - you absorb the culture of the environment you're in or you live in a bubble. If I lived in Jordan, perhaps I'll be wearing burka now and it would be "normal"... :)

ArturSzastakThreads: 6 Posts: 828 Joined: Feb 16, 07	Jul 24, 07, 21:48 / #
Quoting: Eurola Even kids born here to perfectly polish parents, they are only polish "on the paper". They go to a kindergarten, then to school, they have friends of variety of backgrounds..., and start being different from their parents, even though they are chowing down home made pierogi by polish mum. All my polish friends-mums, have the same issue. There is a big disconnect. It changes later in life for them, and/or for their children. It's very normal. Definitely not me. Family comes first, then food, soccer, and then finally friends :]

ArturSzastakThreads: 6 Posts: 828 Joined: Feb 16, 07	Jul 24, 07, 21:49 / #
Quoting: ArturSzastak then food, soccer, and then finally friends :] Joke of course :]

ArturSzastakThreads: 6 Posts: 828 Joined: Feb 16, 07	Jul 24, 07, 21:51 / #
I was definitely raised the Polish way, and hopefully I can move to Poland, buy a nice house, and have my parents come live with me when they are older. No nursing homes for Polish familes. It's not what we do. How can you abandon those who raised you to become who you are? It's not right. They can live with me as long as they want, I don't mind. Try finding and American who'd say that. :]

MarzenaThreads: 2 Posts: 132 Joined: Jan 17, 06	Jul 24, 07, 21:55 / #
Quoting: ArturSzastak How can you abandon those who raised you to become who you are? It's not right. They can live with me as long as they want, I don't mind. Try finding and American who'd say that. :] That is definitely the Polish way, which I'm really proud of. Even though I wouldn't judge Americans by the same standards (they just perceive these things differently, even the elderly, it doesn't mean that they are vile people), by Polish standards, it's quite bad to leave your parents alone when it's our turn to take care of them.