History /
Poland before WWII or Poland now what would you choose? [390]
Well, here comes the "Liberal" American point of view on all of this ethnic quarelling.
Both sets of my grandparents were Poles...emigrated in the early 1900's. They brought with them, rightly so, many angry feelings for the Germans, the Russians
Jewish people, in my Catholic grandparents' view, were saviors because they provided the money for people to leave Poland when the Germans, Austrians, and Russians occupied it prior to WWI. Also, my grandparents were much less anti-Semetic than my parents. My gerandparents railed against the Russians and the Germans...both of my grandfathers were draft dodgers...one from the Russian army the other from the German army.
My parents and I lived with my maternal grandparents until I was five. The town in America was a Polish village. We went to a Polish Catholic Church. My preschool was run in the church basemenbt by Polish Felician nuns. I went to grammar school at a Polish Catholic school. When I began working at 18, I was shocked that everyone wasn't Catholic and that I was an American, not a Pole.
All people, whatever their history, have been enslaved somewhere along the line. Living in a country that has been overrun hard for Americans to understand, because many Americans are removed from their heritage. Having grown up with grandparents who told their stories, and from reading history, I understand that being born in America is a gift. However, I feel that I am a Pole having been born here under very lucky circumstances.
As individuals, as higher thinking beings, we need to look at and understand that most people don't want conflict. It's those of us who seek power for power's sake who throw so many of us into conflict.
As human beings, we need to stop this...what we need to do is get rid of the people who rise to power by intimidation, murder and terrorism.
Just some thoughts...