Poland, Lacking External Enemies, Turns on Itself

Poland just isn't that popular a country for terrorist cells, unlike Germany. Hamburg is a haven for the swarms. Poland has remained friendly to Muslims here and that doesn't look like changing anytime soon.

You are an appeaser Seanie!!!!

This enemy doesn't care if you are "friendly" or not...he is definitely NOT friendly to you!
Do you really think they differentiate between the white, christian western scapegoat???
We are all the same to them!

And that thinking "as long as I'm nice to him he won't do anything to me" got nobody ever anywhere!

You know the saying "First they came...." and so on.

Probably because Poland has a tiny Muslim community.Currently, the total number of Muslims in Poland is estimated at 31,000, of whom 5,000 are of Tatar extraction, plus 25,000 made up of immigrants and students, while another 1,000 are indigenous Polish people who had accepted Islam. in Germany: As of 2009, there are 4.3 million Muslims (5.4% of the population). Of these, 1.9 million are German citizens (2.4%). As of 2006, about 15,000 converts are of German ancestry.

I can ask the same of you. Did you actually read what I wrote?

I clearly said that the article spoke mostly about how Poland was divided. Where did I say I denied that there are divisions in Poland?

WHERE did I call myself a Patriot of Poland??

Shame on you for not actually reading what people actually say and not what you think they say.

I think that this article is exaggerated. It is not surprising though, because the nature of the press is to exaggerate. I mean those division in society is not really so big except maybe politician circles. Most Poles just don't value politicians much wheter they are left or right. Latest local elections confirmed clearly that this division is really superficiall. On the very low level it doesn't matter if someone is from PO,PSL, PIS or SLD. But pavements, roads and public services counts. I think that the author of this article concentrated to much on the events near the presidential palace. The true is that this place is only a part of a very long "Krakowskie Przedmieście" street. I remember that when I was in Warsaw in summer I went there to see what was all that fuse about. It turned out that entire street was a living place with people in cafes, restaurants, stores, living normal live, only a very small part in front of Presidential Palace was occupied by a small crowd, where most of people were just passers-by like me.

So, to sum things up, using this street analogy, this article shows only this small place in front of presidential palace and misses entire street, that is why it does not show reality but only one of it faces.

BB, I'm not disagreeing with you at all. I keep saying this, we are guilty by association and not by beliefs when it comes to those you don't know. It's the same in all wars. You show the label and you are targetted. I was just making the point not to tar them all with the one brush.

Exactly, PennBoy. 0.07% are Muslims here and they can practise their faith unimpeded. If that figure were 7% then the boot may be on the other foot.

The story of an unknown imgainery Muslim from Syria telling one member of his family his travellign experiences: "When I first travalled to Europe I landed in Germany. Alot of Turks there and many people were staring at me and I didn't feel that much welcome but I had to live and have money so I keept residing there. One time I was on a trip to Poland (some stupid school project for my son), you would never belive it! Friendly faces all over the place and they didn't seem to have ill feelings towards me"

Of course the world can look different in many places! ;)


5,000 to 25,000 ? Isn't that more then 100% increase?! ;)

We really should send our Turks over to you...I wonder how long the faces will stay friendly!

I would strongly object it!
I don't like cofee!
They sure like coffee I guess... Coffee everywhere! No thanks!

It is but it's still not much, when the morning call to prayer wakes you up in your neighborhood that's when u got a problem.

I get that all the time in Poland, just that there are bells instead ;p

that is a stupid post, polish people always turn on each other if no external force danger all nation do that it is in human nature, maybe that stupid paper can report on real news how the banks and federal reserve is conducting biggest theft of America tax payer wealth.

Remember Poland is a young country and for the past 300-500 years has been ruled by foreign interests. It's been easy for Poland to overlook it's internal problems by focusing on the foreign ruling class. Only recently (the past 20 years?) has Poland been in complete control of its governance. There's going to be a learning curve.

Bigger threat to Poland is joining the EU and losing the zloty to the Euro. Poland could easily become another Ireland or Greece who can't get out of their mess due to the fact they don't control their own currency. By losing control of their currency in a sense they lose their sovereignty. Compare Ireland's situation to Iceland. Iceland still has the Krona (sp?) and they are much better off.

I'm sorry, ChicagoPollock, but this is simply not true. Have a look here ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008%E2%80%932010_Icelandic_financial_crisis

"At the end of the second quarter 2008, Iceland's external debt was 9.553 trillion Icelandic krónur (€50 billion)". And it has had not only consequences within Iceland, but also in the UK and the Netherlands.

Erm...Poland is already EU member and get's billions out of the common pot to help to get their infrastructure up to date.

And for the Euro, it wasn't the Euros fault that the PIGS screwed up, Poland could also easily join this part of the Eurozone which is flourishing and prospering under the Euro, it's on them!

Iceland is now asking for the EU as they got totally broke during the anglo-saxon-made credit crunch and banking crisis.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008%E2%80%932010_Icelandic_financial_crisis

Irelands biggest export success for centuries had been their laborers as they never got anywhere.
They used the monetary help from the EU to develop to the "celtic tiger", but sadly that again was more like a bubble as seen in the US and UK.

Greece was always a basket case and they missed the chance to restructure their economy (even with the billions of EU money going south).

Nothing of which is the Euros fault and those basket cases had been basket cases before and will stay basket cases with their own currencies back.

(The only ones profiting from those basket cases getting out are those Euro-countries are those who have an actually working economy and are no longer forced to prop said basket cases up)

Poland does have an enemy of sorts in Lithuania. I do get the impression that many older Poles haven't given up their sentiments regarding Lithuania as largely Polish. Poles should understand Lithuanians as being sandwiched between Poland and Russia, 2 bigger powers. In the same way, Poland is sandwiched between Germany and Russia. Maybe that would be a good way to make Poles understand the feelings of Lithuanians towards them, that they broke away during the times of the CIS and they want to carve out their own identity as best they can.

I tried that approach already Seanie...hearing the arguments on both sides it's eerily familiar to the german-polish arguments!

I would say so. Still, the internal battle in Poland has been inflamed by JK. He is losing his marbles a little and is quite confrontational. PiS are slowly rising in prominence but I think the sympathy for JK after Smoleńsk has worn off and they need a new face at the helm. His is not the face of modernity but at least he represents some resistance to those that will try and take Poland off down a wrong road.

I don't really see a new face, i'd like to see Aleksander Kwasniewski as president once more, just needs to stop drinking.

Here is a more positive assessment of modern Poland:

economist.com/node/17578876


I like this Poland! :)

I like that Poland too, just should always think things through before making choices, some politicians don't even bother ending up hurting Poland.

You have to understand that most of the 'Polish' posters on the forum hate the Catholic Church, traditional Polish culture, all that, and they long for a 'different Poland'...Anything that mocks Christian teachings, they will celebrate, be it homosexuality, abortion, Catholic education...Some is just youthful rebellion...I never hear them talk about art or culture, a good place to direct their energy, so I really can't say what makes them tick.

As for 'Jew York Times', don't expect much from them.

And as far as 'Poland creating internal enemies' you will find this crowd coined phrase (actually stolen from an old underground Czech rock band) 'Plastic Poles' to mock Polish-Americans and others on PF...They don't even have any irony in their humor.

I guess racial tolerance doesn't come under "christian teachings" eh?

You need to read Polish History as you do not know it and do not post your ignorant posts about Polish history.
Poland is over 1000 years old.


PIIGS get it right

...okaaaay....PIIGS!

BB do you still think that euro will survive?
Euro union might have a chance but not euro currency.
Right enter German mark.

BB,

Any talk in Germany in following suit with Hungary, Ireland and now France in the practice of seizing pension assets?

zerohedge.com/article/following-hungary-and-ireland-france-next-seize-pension-funds

This type of declaration does not help.

online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704700204575642270168946834.html

Maybe you are right. From the beginning the Euro looked to me artificial and just sth to fill the hole in the construction of the EU.

My guess is that the EU would be better of as a union for free trading and political alliance if every member would have his own currency. Those fluctuations like now were not common while the union was created. They had probably sth else in mind ;-)

I would gladly take the D-Mark back. This Euro looks to me still like monopoly money ;-)

Wot??? No, never heard of any of it...now that would make an outcry here!


Not in the current form, no!

One size does not fit all...but it fits several countries though and they will keep a common currency.
Others will either leave the Euro-zone or get an Euro "light" or something like that. And once they got their economies in order they could get an invitation into the strong currency...

Something like with the membership in the EU...but with much more drastic demands on the future member. They really have to follow the rules to make the common currency work.

That is the only way I can see in the future.

But make no mistake, as long as a common currency is good for the economical strong economies it won't be given up!

I told you so months ago.
Common currency is good or used for now to bail out the banks the banks that are orchestrating the biggest theft and are responsible for austerity measures, theft from poor give it to rich.