American attitude towards Poland

Hey. I'm from Poland and I'm curious how Americans consider Poland and Poles. Would I be discriminated because of my nationality If I lived in USA? Something I can say about my country is that we really like America and it's still the "Promised land" for many of us. We have bigger admiration to USA than to Western Europe.

Great Pole

,

Who is/are 'We'.

I live in the US and I can honestly say NO. I have never heard anyone say anything derogatory about poland but then again I am from the south and there are not many people from poland here.

To be honest, GP, as with every country, there are those who discriminate against immigrants because they feel threatened by what is not familiar to them. I've seen a lot of discrimination against many groups from different countries against other countries, on this forum, alone. Personally, I welcome immigrants and any other group of people who just want to live a good life. I know that is something attainable if one works hard, has integrity and perseveres without letting others opinions or actions against them stop them from pursuing their dream. If you believe in yourself, you can accomplish anything and no amount of discrimination will stop you.

The USA is a nation of immigrants............................BUT, from what I can see , each and every wave of new immigrants has suffered discrimination to a greater or lesser degree; however its less likely to happen now plus there are lots more regulations...........

Bear in mind the world is full of bigots and discriminators.......no one group, nation or race is immune!

But I am sure you'll be fine!

People from Poland are very welcome in the US. The city I live in US has a sister city in Gulcz, Poland and the University here always invites speakers from Poland to talk about Poland and their economy, culture, etc. The first Polish newspaper in America - Gwiazda Polarna - originated from the town I'm living in. Every year we have a Cultural Fest with different nationalities selling their goods and food. Poland is always a popular booth. In Milwaukee and other cities, there is a Polish fest every year serving Polish foods, music, dances. Chicago has one of the largest population of Poles and there are many, many Polish stores with imports from Poland. Śląsk, Mazowsze, Violetta Villas ( I got her autograph!) and other Polish singers and groups perform in Chicago and other larger cities throughout the US.
Poles are very much welcome in the US, they are known to be talented, hard-working, clean, intelligent people. Other nationalities who are also in the US are known as drug dealers and form gangs. I won't say which ones. But not Poland.

I've never heard anyone seriously say they hate poland or poles. There are stereotypes (most of which are true), not mean ones, but sort of joking ones. Like I have a german friend who I always call nazi bastard and he calls me greasy polak, so it's mutual. Americans have no real reason to hate Poland, they've always been on our side. The highest population of poles is probably in the upper midwest, in cities like Chicago and in suburban Detroit.

Poles are very welcomed in the US. I have never heard a negative comment about Polish immigrants or people of Polish descent besides some stupid joke. We have lots of people of Polish descent here (around 10 million) so you could probably fit right in if you find the right area (the highest concentration areas were mentioned above). I've always had positive feelings towards Poland because all of my great-grandparents on my maternal side immigrated from Poland to the US. My Grandma speaks Polish and has always taught me things about Poland since I was little.

Polish ppl are great. You are welcome here in the US. The Brits and Irish don't appreciate you but you are loved here.

Signed, a Polish person in America

Again not true at all, why do people come on here and always try and spread lies about the English?

I don't know who you have been talking to, but it seems you have been brainwashed by US propaganda, its time you found a program that makes your live in the real world.
Unfortunately if Americans where to live in the real world, perhaps they wouldn't cope, would it be a nation suffering a identity crisis, would mean a massive nervous breakdowns of America people or Mass Suicide, who knows, will other countries say" too bad too sad" hmmm I think so.

I know many Americans who have never traveled anywhere, they are happy with their own yard and don't care what is beyond their fence. Some are narrow-minded (like my "X") who go to bars after work, getting their education from other drunks, thinking they know it all.
And when faced with a problem or a situation not accustomed to, they lose their heads. Polish people constantly use their brains, thinking how to improve this or that, they can fix things themselves. In the US they call a "specialist" to do the thing they could do themselves, if they would ever try.

I agree with you krysia.
Most prople who drink don't use their brains, and if they drink often than they will get lazy too. Also most drunks talk about the same thing over and over. I have been to bars before and had someone tell me a story. Then come back in two weeks, and they will tell you the same story again. Forgetting that they had told you this story before. Are they will be complaining about the same stuff.

As for the part about calling a specialist I don't have too. I can fix anything in a house. I had a house remodeling company for two years, and I made good money doing it. But the problem with being a handyman is that women will use you until their stuff is fixed. then they will dump you like a hot cake. Because most American women are shallow, and don't really a handy man. They want a man that can spend money on them not fix stuff around the house. I have seen some American women live like dogs but look like a million bucks when they went somewhere.

Lef you always got something to say dont ya? LOL

I think you got Lef out when the world changed.. lol

America welcomes Polish. There is Plenty of culture here (as Krysia says) and
Yes, most live in the Chicago/Greater Detroit area -Hamtramak. which is
wonderful place to live. or there are other smaller towns in other places here.

definately welcome.

OMG, that settles it, I am true polish

I knew there was a reason I save and fix things. but not my dryer!! lol

just today, i went to hardware store and bought the stick which connects to the
mini blinds that had broke, I went in and I was showing the man with my hands
what I was talking about, of course he teased me. but he knew what I was talking
about!!! lol

and the strip which goes across the bottom of the door so I can keep the heat in
and drafts out. next week I will prob work in my basement.

oh getting back to the stick thing for the mini blinds, I told the guy that mine were
plastic, but of course, he says no, it should have a hook , i said no, I checked it
he said they all have hooks, so I came home, it was the plastic as I said, so I had
to rig it with a hook i found which I use for window decorations, but it was small
enough to fit. I was right. "MEN" Uh- I mean Hardware store owners!! lol

Don't feel bad, Lee, the English are not the only group that people come on here and spread lies about....don't take it personally.

Poles are welcome in America. At the worst you will get tired of telling people where you are from and what you think of Bush
I think Europeans forget that America is much larger than Europe, so an American can travel thousands of kilometers through every type of climate and still be in America and speak English. If any one European country was as big and diverse as America I doubt the citizens would travel much outside of it.

We need more Polish restaurants here and more Polish neighborhoods.

yes, this is true, because we have to know. I am guilty of being a pest

Its the Culture, and many here are very interested believe me. its becoming
an addiction for some in a good way.

Spoken like a true craftsman..

LEF...if you must know stands for Lovable
Easygoing
Funny
or so my friends tell me. So every time you call me lef thats what you are calling me!
hmmmm
You probably think I'm anti American, well not really, I don't like American foreign policy, nor its hand in every countries economics/take over of companies etc, but America is a really beautiful country. I've been to the USA once and I really liked it, I can understand why polish people in America are not returning to Poland on mass.
In some ways the USA is more beautiful than OZ, In many ways the USA are very similar, also Americans like to visit oz and visa versa.

Never heard anything bad about Poland or Poles here in the U.S...The only one's that seem to be complaining about Poland or Poles are from the U.K from what i've seen in this forum.

If you have a decent command of the native language you should do well. It's not always as easy here as some might think ("promised land"). Hard work is required to get by. However, most people don't know a lot about people from Poland and would find you interesting because of that. Those who have some knowledge of Polish history would find you more interesting and be even more welcoming.

Oscypek mmmmm just smuggled some home

Nothing bad about PL people in NJ just positive comments. We still have some ignorant people who have stereotypical jokes...but as others said, these people are everywhere.

Huh ? What about "Polish jokes" ?

Quote from FISZ: "Oscypek mmmmm just smuggled some home."

I've heard it's possible to have wrapped, vacume sealed oscypek sent to the US in the mail, even though it's not supposed to be done (just something I've heard... ). Had some on Sat. that was heated on the grill! Very good.

Quote Grzegorz_: "Huh ? What about "Polish jokes" ?"

These are mostly made by people that have never met Polish people - it's all abstract. No one projects these types of jokes on to actual people they meet...

Yanks calling us idiots... that's funny indeed.

I'm sure if you google, you'll find some. None of them are funny, but have been around for some time.

This guy's famous here. Everyone thinks he's very bright.

1) Zbigniew Brzezinski - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zbigniew_Brzezinski

2) pbs.org/newshour/bb/middle_east/jan-june07/zbmead_01-11.html

its no different for you then for us who are polish in America and having to hear it
but just as they joke, we do retort back.

whats good for the goose is good for the gander.

I pay no attention now, and most of the time, if it is a polish joke, they tend to be
more consious of that fact and ask if your offended. some do, not all.

but being born in America, second generations and third gens, and hearing jokes
like that, then hearing that we are thought of as morons. well either way isnt
very encouraging when your attempting to connect with your culture.

But I would think other nationalitys have same problems. because once you leave
no one thinks of you as a part of that culture because you dont live there.

It hard either way.

to clarify this, meaning thought of as morons by some in poland, not all

but getting back to the post, coming to the USA would probably be easier
for someone who is Polish Vs someone from America coming there, because
of language barrier.

There is a similar history in the English making jokes about the Irish. Well they just laugh it off in the main because they tend to be better educated than the English so the joke is on us really. It's funny how the people making the jokes tend to stop when they actually get to know some real Irish people !

Just as a matter of interest, who (if anybody) do the Polish people make jokes about?

Yes, well it still happens...but what was funny, ie because it was based partly in truth no longer applies/happens....so much has the world moved on in recent decades. Secondly, within the island, other regions/counties are joked about...Kerry and Cavan spring to mind!

I don't know where the moron reference to Polish came from, any I have met are as able, skilled and interesting as other peoples, just different experiences and ways of doing things!

Perhaps a lot of is down to an inability to communucate well, initially, hence most problems.......!

Ignorance of other cultures and behaviour leads to jokes if you are lucky and fear and distrust if you're not.....

frank, go look on post # 83, "HOW DO POLISH VIEW OTHERS"




Thats what I was referring to, and that isnt the only time I have ever read
or seen posts that refer to that.

Just as a matter of interest, who (if anybody) do the Polish people make jokes about?

It is probbaly changing but we have jokes about...Russians and Germans - in series there was Polish, Russian and German....

mothers in law...policemen.....

The first Pole I met was when I was about 6 or 7 and my dad brought home one of his co-workers. This guy was very smart and funny in a sarcastic way that my parents aren't. I didn't know what to think because I had heard the "polish jokes" and this guy didn't fit the stereotype. My parents had some explanation that had to do with the Russians promoting the idea of dumb Poles as propaganda.

Anyway, those types of jokes really aren't told anymore, at least not around where I live now.

And German. Generally Germans were trying to convince the world and themselves that poles are worse and dumber then other nations to justify the partition of Poland. You know, the whole "Poles are to dumb to govern themselves, so we actually are doing them a favor annexing their land." I would also add the fact that Poles that came to USA after the polish uprisings, because they didn't know English language were forced to take the menial jobs and were depict as dumb.

PS: Somewhere on this board there is also FISZ's explanation. Also very true.

it was more then that here, it lasted a long time, but its not really like that now.

like I said, most will actually ask if you are offended.

my maiden name was a dead give away compared to my married name.
so no one knows that I am Polish unless I tell them .

those who know me, know my background.

and I still have one friend whos husband still calls me Polack and I say
hows it going "HICK" Golly gee, where'd ya get those extra big sandals?
oh Dems Yer Feet.. sorry gah.

I get asked now if I am Irish. hmmmmmmmmm.....