A Personal Request to all PF members

Hi people,

Yeah, I know, I'm saying something most of you well follow and respect. I mean, perhaps I am just going to mention the obvious. I know many of you are very wonderful people, all my respects!

When we come here, we come from different nationalities. Yes, Poles are a minority here, but in every heart where there is a little Poland ~ I think no one here can be anyone who never thought of Poland atleast once with a bright aspect of it in mind :).

This is a forum where often some people from different countries come in (serious people) for a few posts ... curious about Poland due to their trade with it, or more often because perhaps a Polish person got married into their culture or country and now they wish to know about the person's traditions or tastes. I think these are sensitive and serious matters for a simple and honest Pole trying to manage a new life!

Also, there are some people who would come as a student, a traveler/tourist, a boy/girl in love and trying to hear one nice word! This forum does have some form of contribution to the image of Poland towards the outside world.

Now how many who come here just for some info and leave, will ever know that this forum was actually not populated by Poles as a majority? Specially those who are here, don't even contribute but sometimes just act as "silent readers".

My point is not to try and preach ... I am just a Pole who felt it was worth a try to give you all a mention of how sometimes you all affect my country's image by your words, action and treatment to some serious threads on relationships, businesses and relatives of Poles coming in to know about Poland (sometimes relatives from eastern of more sensitive cultures, who want to open up and embrace their Polish links, but are obviously little cautious). This does affect the lives of your Polish friends, doesn't it?

I think there is no problem in having fun, speculating, creating stories or generating arguments/discussions/debates on theories about Poland! Yes, if its fun you must do it!!! ... But sometimes when it spills on some very sensitive and specific threads which affects the interest of the country or a specific Polish ... please be kind :). Ofcourse please go to them, with your intellect you say something nice, a good word, your own personal good experiences :) ... a helpful and soothing gesture! :) ... you all are educated and experiences people in life to be able to do such things exceptionally well :). Or, if you find it impossible, then you can just avoid/ignore such topics and let someone else kind and considerate enough to be in the business there :).

Please contribute with respect and kindness there, because this is the least a friend can do for a friend? I am sure no one here wants to think of him/herself as the enemy of Poland or Poles! :) ...

Yes, sometimes my way of thinking might not align to yours, but I hope that on this we can agree.

Ofcourse the moderators and doing a great job! ... But I just wanted to mention this as a topic to all the wonderful people here!

With respects and friendly gesture,

LTB

I don't think you can stop biased people from being biased or make them considerate.

Good post though.

Your assumption is incorrect. The fact is, most visitors to PolishForums.com are located in Poland. It may be true that due to language barriers most posters are not Polish, but overall most readers are Polish. In time, those readers are becoming posters, too ;).

Glad to hear :)

Oh and I mentioned perhaps about the "silent readers" being Polish? ... I can figure that :) ... I know some too :). Contributing sometimes is a bit tough for some reason, maybe some kind of a psychological fear, not being able to connect to the atmosphere :(.

Also, some who contribute from Poland are not ethnically Polish ... but ofcourse they are Polish people (living and earning and owning Poland as their own). I respect them all ... just wish them to have fun a little more carefully ... nothing more than a request here :).

Excellent Post Lodz!


I have seen this as well, I have seen Nice Educated people come in, ask Questions and get
silly childish answers.

There is a time and a place for the silly which is located in the off topic.

There was also mention at some point of people coming here to find themselfs via their
family history.

This is so far from the truth. but its placed in a thread, where people read, and then those
who are looking , might get discouraged by the harsh words.

It sure is a public forum, and people can say what they want to, but if you are a good person
inside and out, you wont come along and bully up the thread with crap.

I agree with Lodz 200% its time to make this forum look like its supposed to, we have
threads that are interesting, if you feel you need to talk with someone, then take it to
off topic and try to stay on topic in the thread you jumped in.

We are all good peeps, we know what we are capable of.

That was an excellent post. I have been a member here for a while. I am an expat in Poland living here for 7 years. I would love to take part here more, but honestly some of the people admin allows to stay here and take part are just plain horrid and do not add much of anything.

I am a moderator on another parenting forum, we allow open membership, but trolls and pot stirrers will be banned. We allow free speaking but when you cross the line and make the forum an unpleasant place to be you will be banned.

Sadly the riff raff here are allowed to rome free, they jump in an mock people who are only looking for help and information. This forum could be a really great resource for those living in or interested in information about this wonderful country....but fact is that it is overrun by a few bullies who contribute nothing good.

I rarely post here and sadly I find myself reading even less due to those posters who should have been banned long ago.

Thanks guys :) ...

I am not really advocating bans or anything. Those are strictly admin and mods issue, and I guess they know what is best for PF when administering it. All I am doing is to make a polite request to our respected members :) ... I think this is something very harmless, nothing like an attack or a cursing ... its just a suggestion, a request :). I guess I made my points clear in my post ;).

People from west, east, south, north ... anyone with any interest in Poland do come here. Thus this place does play a promotional role! In such circumstances, it is only in the best interest of Poland to have this place a bit more helpful and kind. We the Poles are kind people, there is no doubt.

People can always have fun ... but ofcourse some threads are by very sincere, serious and sensitive people with alot at stake. Maybe we just need to know when we are doing what ... :) ... and all will be good!

Lodz_the_Boat wrote:

I read your entire post. I really did, yet I'm still trying to figure out why you wrote it. I simply don't see your point. All that writing, starting a fresh new thread.......for what? Honestly, what are you asking from all of us?

I'll start with that......give you a fair chance to explain yourself.

Ahh ... a fair chance... lol. How can you not understand what I wrote when everyone else seem to have understood? Why are you so slow man?

Anyways ... I wrote clearly what I meant. People from USA, East, or other parts with genuine and serious issues come and face some real torture. Often these are just good people and don't deserve anything bad. Plus, there are Poles who often get the heat too.

Fine you wanna have a debate, but not all threads are meant for it. This forum is increasingly becoming a promotion for Poland, so I made my point to people to be more responsible.

I felt like I start such a thread ... a personal request ... and I just did that. Out of thousands of thread on various strange and imaginary issues... I feel this thread should have relevance to the atmosphere, environment and possibilities of Polish forums.

I explained my best ... thanks.

Excellent first post Lodz, and replies too especially dhrynio.

I'm a regular reader here and occasional contributor, but I find myself viewing the site less frequently because of certain trolls that come here purely to wind people up. I'm an ex-pat Brit living and working in Poland, I love this country and hate to see people doing it down on a forum where most visitors probably assume contributors are all Polish.

I think you've said the essence here. A forum may be like a newspaper: either a quality one or a tabloid. According to the policy of the editors, it attracts the very different groups of readers. This forum has clearly slided towards a tabloid-type one, so it is encouraging a certain type of posters while discouraging some others like you and me, for example. It still retains some characteristics of a quality forum, however, so some readers who don't like the tabloid forums still come here. But I doubt if we are able to persever for much too long ...

Wow. Great words from a great guy. And I don't feel any need to add more words to it and lessen the eloquently described situation.

I'll be nice when you are.

:)

Good post LTB :)

LTB wrote:


nope. still don't get it. i guess i'll have to politely ignore your request.

How about little tags beside our forum names, you know,little triangles in our national colours or some such ? That would surely help people rush to judgements. " Oh,they are an XYZ,thats why they know nothing/everything about Poland...................."

nor me...what exactly is this thread about?

I think what he meant was...




...but I'm not quite sure what it means

isnt it basically: please dont ever say anything negative about Poland?

with emphasis on 'please' or 'don't ever'? take your pick..;)

isnt it basically: please dont ever say anything negative about Poland?

I have a feeling he might be a tad miffed after I wrote that some polish chicks go into full slut/show me the money mode once they make it onto Albion's shores. We clashed heads over it, I recall.

Look Lodz, it is a forum. People have opinions. Some of them pertain to Poland or Polish people and not all of them are positive. Live with it.

You don't see me asking certain mass media in Poland to shut up when they complain about money hungry Jews, right?

Exactly. LTB isn't as rabid as some of them on here, but is it was all sweetness and light, and a huge competition about who can agree with someone the most, it would be very, very boring.

some?! You say that all Polish chicks are like that! You even haven't missed any thread to put your few words about Polish women.

A very good idea !!! I say its a great idea, which should not be wasted by the administrator !


Are you complaining or are you bragging ?


what do yo mean ?

Great idea but why stop there. We need a few symbols to show country of origin, current country of residence, sexual preference, political persuasion, gender, marital status, age, financial status, moderator's evaluation ... then we can really go to town.

To assist me, any thoughts on YOUR symbol that captures your key attributes?

Here:



and here:



:-(

Can I get back on this one please?
yes,I see you follow where I was suggesting,you did miss religion though.....
It gets confusing though....do I choose a symbol that reflects some peoples perception of me over the last couple of weeks, what I have been "accussed" of being?

Anti social, communist, homosexual and jewish......so a black ,red,pink triangle forming a star of david might fit that bill.............

Marysia - stop lying.

What I wrote applies only to some polish women. Of course, I admit that the percentage of money-oriented polish women is visibly higher than in, shall we say, U.S. or France, but that doesn't mean I think ALL Polish women are like that. 30% at most.

This is probably the most intelligent post I've ever read on here.

Look at englishforums.ch. It's a far more highbrow place, not because expats in Switzerland are more intelligent, but because the moderation policy simply discourages trashy nonsense. We can't blame the mods on here for this - the admin makes the rules, the mods have made it clear enough in the past that they simply do as they're told.

Heck, even expatua is far more highbrow - again, because racist nonsense simply isn't tolerated on there.

Guys please! ... I just made a friendly post to "People". I have not been trying to accuse anyone in particular (as some came protesting) and I have not been trying to give any suggestion to already capable moderators and admin to redesign the forums with "tags" on people (almost like the star on the shirt for a particular religion or nationality).

Why can't this change come from within? What is that I asked so complicated? Its just a matter of being more careful in your behavior, and a little more respectful. This forum carries the name of Poland, and as its an English forum primarily, due to this it gets a wide audience, as a result becomes a very strong promotional tool (whether one wants it or not).

HAVE FUN! ... Enjoy!!! ... But all that being a little kind and sensitive to some people who come with genuine concerns ... sometimes a simple Polish person might become somehow indirectly effected by a lame comment in here. I am sure no proper person would want it right?

If you (those who started having issues) try and read my first post more carefully, keeping Poles in your mind, things will become alot clearer ...

IT IS ALL ABOUT YOU ... not force being applied ... just a gentle request.