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Black American Living In Poland


Jamessmith  
25 Oct 2006 /  #1
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
glowa 1 | 291  
25 Oct 2006 /  #2
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?
OP Jamessmith  
25 Oct 2006 /  #3
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
glowa 1 | 291  
25 Oct 2006 /  #4
Very cool city.
krysia 23 | 3,058  
25 Oct 2006 /  #5
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.
OP Jamessmith  
25 Oct 2006 /  #6
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
Bartolome 2 | 1,085  
25 Oct 2006 /  #7
And if you want to learn Polish, you need to be harder than Rambo & terminator put together :)
Phil  
3 Feb 2007 /  #8
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_ 51 | 6,148  
3 Feb 2007 /  #9
On a similar vein they had a gay protest march here late last year.

And what homos has to do with racism ?
BubbaWoo 33 | 3,506  
3 Feb 2007 /  #10
bigoted prejudice could be a common denominator... or ignorance... but thats just a guess...
matek1  
3 Feb 2007 /  #11
Ignorant to what? homo's are not a race they are sick. A disease if you will. Mentally ill.
marek_USA  
3 Feb 2007 /  #13
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......
Epicurus - | 30  
4 Feb 2007 /  #14
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.
BubbaWoo 33 | 3,506  
4 Feb 2007 /  #15
not going to call you ignorant, mate... but you do strike me as a bit of a hypocritical pillock...
Epicurus - | 30  
4 Feb 2007 /  #16
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 ?
BubbaWoo 33 | 3,506  
4 Feb 2007 /  #17
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...
Maati 1 | 178  
4 Feb 2007 /  #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?
josecitomadera  
4 Feb 2007 /  #19
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_ 51 | 6,148  
4 Feb 2007 /  #20
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_Babcia 2 | 70  
4 Feb 2007 /  #21
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  
4 Feb 2007 /  #22
I'm against massive import of non-Europeans just because of rational reasons.

.....and waht are these rational reasons, Doctor.
Grzegorz_ 51 | 6,148  
4 Feb 2007 /  #23
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 ?
josecitomadera  
4 Feb 2007 /  #24
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!

ERROR

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. Your disgusting labelling of people according to color, ethnicity and IQ. One or two black men (Superman, Scared Black Man, etc) want to live in Poland and you nazis go berserk. Believe me that the majority of black people don't care to live in Poland or know where Poland is or could probably even spell Poland. So what is your problem?

Yes, there are plenty of black people who are racist, Greg. There are plenty of black racist hateful people as there are nice ones. The same goes with whites.

I am embarassed by some of my posts where I unduly push race mixing. I honestly don't care if people mix or not. If you want to mix, fine. If you want to remain as pale as milk, fine. Do what makes you happy. Just don't opine about other people's lives.

If the half the Polish women want to marry the blackest African men, as black as coal, what are you nazis going to do about it? Its their life not yours.
iwona 12 | 542  
4 Feb 2007 /  #25
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.
Epicurus - | 30  
4 Feb 2007 /  #26
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.

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  
4 Feb 2007 /  #27
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.

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.

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.

Race mixing is good. Just look at Jennifer Lopez a--
Epicurus - | 30  
4 Feb 2007 /  #28
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.

So here you are saying that you have no idea where I "get" my ideas. If you have no idea where I get them from how can you wholly give an informed opinion of my ideas. I would respect someone much more if they could explain why I believe certain things and why I am wrong then what you have to offer, which isn't much.

Your reply really makes no point about my US citizenship claim that it is being eroded due to multiracialism. The fact that you may be happy with your "group", or that people on this forum may be obsessed with race has nothing to do with my claim.

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.

You are partly right, depending on the situation. If the German runs into a random Pole and immediately believes the Pole is a thief then that would be foolish and an incorrect use of a stereotype. If the German says to himself "this Pole is more likely to be a thief then another German and I should be more on guard", then that would be correct use of a stereotype. More on guard does not mean he should not trust the Pole. It means the burden of proof for trustworthiness rests on the Pole. This does not unduly burden either party. It actually benefits both parties as the German minimizes his risk and the Pole who is indeed trustworthy does not have to alter his behavior much, since he is indeed trustworthy.

If the German government were to use a the stereotype to stop all Polish immigration in an effort to lower robberies, then this would not be foolish in as much as we are talking about the rate of robberies. Robberies per capita would drop. In the process the benefits of trustworthy Poles would be lost but the goal of lowering robbery rates was achieved.

It depends on the application of the stereotype whether it is a foolish or not.

I wish the administration would ban all these racist commentaries. It doesn't do a country like Poland any good.

So here you are proving my point about the danger of race. You are a Hispanic calling for the banning of a Polish person on a Polish forum. You are also saying you know what is better for a country that you have no racial or ethnic ties to. Immediately we see the conflict that arises from race and real consequences as a result.

It is easy to call for me to banned isn't it? You have no real constructive responses or refutations of my arguments so you use a few ad hominem attacks and try and sweep the issue under the rug.
josecitomadera  
4 Feb 2007 /  #29
You are a Hispanic calling for the banning of a Polish person on a Polish forum.

You're right. This is your forum. I'm just a subhuman intruder. Sorry for that. Since we're not fully human but a subrace, its easy to make these types of mistakes.

I never realized how touchy the race thing is with SOME Polish people. Oh well to each his own.

You sound reasonable Epicurus unlike Matek or Bojownik who are truly fanatical nazi zealots. Oh I forgot TBird. Its sad when 2 black men want to go to Poland and this board erupts in racial rhetoric. I never realized this was such a problem when I met those 2 Polish businessmen years ago and they invited me to Poland.
Epicurus - | 30  
4 Feb 2007 /  #30
You're right. This is your forum. I'm just a subhuman intruder. Sorry for that. Since we're not fully human but a subrace, its easy to make these types of mistakes.

I never realized how touchy the race thing is with SOME Polish people. Oh well to each his own.

I never called you any names nor used such words as subhuman intruder. YOU are using those words.
Read this before you continue with any replies, either on this forum or anywhere else.
nizkor.org/features/fallacies/

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