My friends upset at Brits....

Kilkline:

The surprising thing is that there is so little about Poles in Britain in the media. A couple of documentaries and a few articles about builders, not much more. Surpising when you consider the numbers. In the past other immigrants have had their own season of films and documentaries on channel 4 to 'celebrate' their arrival though normally this happens after a significant amount of time has passed.

I cant say I'm looking forward to a season of Polish films though. Or music.

ArcticPaulThreads: 49 Posts: 245 Joined: Apr 7, 08	Oct 28, 08, 14:56 / #
I have a really good friend who takes things far more seriously than is good for him. He says I am the only English person who has behaved to him how he expected Brits to behave. He was raised to imagine Britain as a fair minded place with honest, decent people yet, since moving here 4 year ago he has had nothing but insults from strangers, unfair requests from bosses, employment agencies attempting to underpay him and anti-immigration (Polish) propoganda from our media...which is a disgrace. The latest needle in his ribs was a story in a red top tabloid with the headline "Polish Eat Swans". I think they may have gone too far with this one because we both came close wetting ourselves with laughter whilst discussing the story on Sunday night over a botttle of Zubrowka. Is anyone stupid enough to believe that some of the recent Polish immigrants to these lands are actually hunting swans to kill and cook for dinner?

Phil33101Threads: 4 Posts: 27 Joined: Oct 5, 08	Oct 28, 08, 15:13 / #
My understanding is that it is common practice across Eastern Europe to eat anything you catch, even fish that fishermens just throw back in the UK. If the culprits where from a Very Rural part of a country then it is believable, as again that could possibly be the norm. My local paper recently had a story about young English lads torturing swans for fun, and I know which is worse.

SeanBMThreads: 41 Posts: 8,726 Joined: Mar 10, 08	Oct 28, 08, 15:17 / #
Tabloids run the masses, unfortunately

Shawn_H	Oct 28, 08, 15:18 / #
ArcticPaul: Is anyone stupid enough to believe that some of the recent Polish immigrants to these lands are actually hunting swans to kill and cook for dinner? SeanBM: Tabloids run the masses, unfortunately Care to join the discussion in the propaganda thread?

osiolThreads: 59 Posts: 4,714 Joined: Jul 25, 07	Oct 28, 08, 15:36 / #
Shawn_H: propaganda When stories like this emerge, what you need to do is take a proper gander. That looks more like something to do with geese rather than elephants.

LondonChickThreads: 43 Posts: 1,261 Joined: Nov 19, 07	Oct 28, 08, 16:18 / #
osiol: proper gander. Love it!! Arctic Paul - does your mate realise that these Brits are kind of like the sub-human variant, and that some of us are actually quite lovely?

jonniThreads: 26 Posts: 4,181 Joined: Nov 27, 07	Edited by: jonni Oct 28, 08, 16:36 / #
I wonder if this Polish swan-eating thing has ever been proved. I've never heard of a case coming to court and the only people I know who've caught and eaten a swan in UK were actually from Canada. The swan tasted nice, rather like goose, but leaner meat...... As for ArcticPaul: He was raised to imagine Britain as a fair minded place with honest, decent people yet, since moving here 4 year ago he has had nothing but insults from strangers, unfair requests from bosses, employment agencies attempting to underpay him and anti-immigration (Polish) propoganda from our media...which is a disgrace. People can say the same anywhere. His experience, sadly, isn't unique. I hate it when people say it happens in UK. It shouldn't. And many immigrants to Poland would say it mirrors theirs. The 4 things mentioned have happened to me here in the past 10 years, insults from strangers, unfair requests from bosses, companies attempting to underpay me (ALWAYS get everything in writing here) and anti-immigration (British) propaganda in the media. The fate of the immigrant everywhere. The only thing to do is to rise above it, to avoid just becoming cynical.

southernThreads: 116 Posts: 10,948 Joined: May 17, 07	Oct 28, 08, 16:43 / #
It was widespread during communist times that people in Poland were constantly hugry and ate everything they found,so media like to reinforce this stereotype to satisfy the public which does not like their jobs taken by Poles. It is complicated how it works.

miranda	Oct 28, 08, 16:45 / #
southern: It was widespread during communist times that people in Poland were constantly hugry and ate everything they found,so media like to reinforce this stereotype to satisfy the public which does not like their jobs taken by Poles. It is complicated how it works. not really, you are spreading rumors.

wildroverThreads: 180 Posts: 8,188 Joined: Jun 7, 07	Oct 28, 08, 16:49 / #
People should realise tha newspapers are simply comics for adults...they should not be taken too seriously...most of what they write is total bollox....

McCoyThreads: 46 Posts: 1,756 Joined: Jul 3, 08	Oct 29, 08, 06:06 / #
Siegfried: I LOVE SWANS! The bigger swan the better! yummy

szarlotkaThreads: 14 Posts: 3,349 Joined: Feb 20, 07	Oct 29, 08, 06:09 / #
Siegfried: I LOVE SWANS! The bigger swan the better! Only HM the Queen has the right to kill swans over here. Mind you anglers used to kill loads of them before they banned lead weights.

SeanBMThreads: 41 Posts: 8,726 Joined: Mar 10, 08	Edited by: SeanBM Oct 29, 08, 06:21 / #
szarlotka: Only HM the Queen has the right to kill swans over here. England has some very funny laws, I mean why? I can just see the queen waking up and thrashing a few swans before breakfast? I was on the Shetland Island and there is some mad law about it being legal to shoot a Scot in a kilt on the beach on a Sunday with a crossbow, something along those lines, you will have to excuse me if it is not exact. It sounded like some Lord did this and then made it law, therefore getting awa with it? szarlotka: before they banned lead weights. Were the lead weights really do poisonous that they contaminated the water and got into the swan's food? Or did anglers just whak'em over the head with them?

szarlotkaThreads: 14 Posts: 3,349 Joined: Feb 20, 07	Oct 29, 08, 06:32 / #
SeanBM: Were the lead weights really do poisonous that they contaminated the water and got into the swan's food? It was the small ones (lead shot) that the swans swept up when sifting through gravel and weedbeds for food. Cumulative effects of lead poisoning as the lead didn't pass through their digestive system very easily apparently. SeanBM: Or did anglers just whak'em over the head with them? They can be vicious devils so most of us didn't attack them LOl SeanBM: England has some very funny laws, I mean why? Dunno. I mean why are certian people allowed to graze sheep in towns or lead them through towns? It's just a part of our rich history. Not sure if any of us have the right to parade Seanus through Market Harborough though

SiegfriedThreads: 2 Posts: 103 Joined: Aug 8, 08	Oct 28, 08, 16:52 / #
wildrover: newspapers are simply comics for adults... so what, comics are for children???? anyway, I LOVE SWANS! The bigger swan the better! lol

KilklineThreads: 3 Posts: 894 Joined: Jul 23, 07	Oct 29, 08, 05:30 / #
ArcticPaul: The latest needle in his ribs was a story in a red top tabloid with the headline "Polish Eat Swans". Wasnt that a couple of years ago? I'm not a fan of the red top tabloids but the truth is that they are quite pro-Polish. The Sun brought out a Polish version of there paper a few times, it even had a Polish page3 girl.:) The Daily Mail on the other hand hates everyone. It really is nothing personal. At the moment they're probably writing articles slagging off bankers.

isthatu2Threads: 13 Posts: 5,218 Joined: Apr 3, 08	Oct 29, 08, 07:12 / #
szarlotka: Only HM the Queen has the right to kill swans over here. MYTH. Its only one breed of Swan that old frau lizzie has domain over,the rest are "fair game",cept they are not due to wildlife protection laws and the fact that anyone hunting a Swan must be a sick retard......

BartolomeThreads: 2 Posts: 1,345 Joined: Sep 14, 06	Oct 29, 08, 07:15 / #
My workmates buy various tabloids except of Daily Mail (Scottish versions) and sometimes I browse through them trying to find something anti- pro- or just about Polish people and things but I can hardly ever spot anything. Apparently Scots don't have issues with Poles.

ShelleySThreads: 18 Posts: 3,647 Joined: Jun 26, 07	Edited by: ShelleyS Oct 29, 08, 07:35 / #
SeanBM: England has some very funny laws, I mean why? Some are very out-dated but can still be used our legal system has been around for quite a bit. SeanBM: I was on the Shetland Island and there is some mad law about it being legal to shoot a Scot in a kilt on the beach on a Sunday with a crossbow, something along those lines, you will have to excuse me if it is not exact. It sounded like some Lord did this and then made it law, therefore getting awa with it? Shetland Isles are independent btw - not really Brit or Scot :) I love this law

szarlotkaThreads: 14 Posts: 3,349 Joined: Feb 20, 07	Oct 29, 08, 07:38 / #
isthatu2: Its only one breed of Swan that old frau lizzie has domain over OK I suppose I should have said that mute swans that are unmarked in open water are owned by the Crown and that Lizzie only chooses to exercise her right to cull the bloody things on the Thames. But that would have involved a lot of typing and to be honest I don't suppose anybody really cares which begs the question as to why I mentioned it in the first place. Isthatu2 is 100% correct and I aoplogise unreservedly for misleading you all.

KilklineThreads: 3 Posts: 894 Joined: Jul 23, 07	Oct 29, 08, 07:39 / #
Bartolome: My workmates buy various tabloids except of Daily Mail (Scottish versions) and sometimes I browse through them trying to find something anti- pro- or just about Polish people and things but I can hardly ever spot anything. Apparently Scots don't have issues with Poles. The surprising thing is that there is so little about Poles in Britain in the media. A couple of documentaries and a few articles about builders, not much more. Surpising when you consider the numbers. In the past other immigrants have had their own season of films and documentaries on channel 4 to 'celebrate' their arrival though normally this happens after a significant amount of time has passed. I cant say I'm looking forward to a season of Polish films though. Or music.

SeanBMThreads: 41 Posts: 8,726 Joined: Mar 10, 08	Oct 29, 08, 07:39 / #
ShelleyS: :) I love this law ShelelyS, nothing there.

BartolomeThreads: 2 Posts: 1,345 Joined: Sep 14, 06	Edited by: Bartolome Oct 29, 08, 07:43 / #
Kilkline: The surprising thing is that there is so little about Poles in Britain in the media. A couple of documentaries and a few articles about builders, not much more. Surpising when you consider the numbers. In the past other immigrants have had their own season of films and documentaries on channel 4 to 'celebrate' their arrival though normally this happens after a significant amount of time has passed. I cant say I'm looking forward to a season of Polish films though. Or music. The less the better. It's somehow a good sign - that Poles perhaps are becoming a part of the community that doesn't (want to) stick out so significantly like some other minorities.

KilklineThreads: 3 Posts: 894 Joined: Jul 23, 07	Oct 29, 08, 07:57 / #
Bartolome: The less the better. It's somehow a good sign - that Poles perhaps are becoming a part of the community that doesn't (want to) stick out so significantly like some other minorities. Or its because you're white and therefore the media doesnt feel the need to celebrate your 'vibrancy' and tell everyone what a great contribution you're making. Its not as cool to say 'hey, some of my best friends are Polish and I luuurvve their food and music!'

BartolomeThreads: 2 Posts: 1,345 Joined: Sep 14, 06	Oct 29, 08, 08:35 / #
Kilkline: Or its because you're white and therefore the media doesnt feel the need to celebrate your 'vibrancy' and tell everyone what a great contribution you're making. Its not as cool to say 'hey, some of my best friends are Polish and I luuurvve their food and music!' Good. I don't like too much attention. Just want to be perceived 'normal', not 'Polish', if you get my drift.

SeanBMThreads: 41 Posts: 8,726 Joined: Mar 10, 08	Edited by: SeanBM Oct 29, 08, 08:36 / #
Kilkline: Its not as cool to say 'hey, some of my best friends are Polish and I luuurvve their food and music!' Is you a Rasta mon, fram Kingston? I-reyyyyy.... You a Ploish pan from Varsava? Dobraaaa...

ShelleySThreads: 18 Posts: 3,647 Joined: Jun 26, 07	Edited by: ShelleyS Oct 29, 08, 08:42 / #
SeanBM: Is you a Rasta mon, fram Kingston? I-reyyyyy.... Don't be silly you only have to look at his avatar to see he's a gentleman from a diserning part of our great capital! deerrrrr! ;-) Bartolome: Good. I don't like too much attention. Just want to be perceived 'normal', not 'Polish', if you get my drift. Don't wear a backpack and you will be almost undetectable as a Polish person :)

szarlotkaThreads: 14 Posts: 3,349 Joined: Feb 20, 07	Oct 29, 08, 08:44 / #
Bartolome: Good. I don't like too much attention. Just want to be perceived 'normal', not 'Polish', if you get my drift. Stop the pirate talk then LOL

SeanBMThreads: 41 Posts: 8,726 Joined: Mar 10, 08	Oct 29, 08, 09:02 / #
ShelleyS: Don't be silly you only have to look at his avatar to see he's a gentleman That may be, I changed my post, i was just commenting on his idea, although i see how I did not quote the right bit.

DaisyThreads: 16 Posts: 2,172 Joined: Apr 28, 07	Oct 29, 08, 09:09 / #
Bartolome: Just want to be perceived 'normal' mmmm...could be a problem living in Glasgow