Genealogy /
Being ashamed of Polish ancestry? [156]
I didn't really analyze, it's just at that time, I really didn't want to admit I was Polish. My point was, I think, that logical or not, our actions often do represent a particular group we 'belong' to. Poles were a minority there, but the definitely drunkest and most embarrassing.
I wasn't sure I understood you, that's why I asked. Glad I did. I understand. I went through that stage as a child in the US as well for a while. It made it harder having the name Kasia. Unlike the others I knew who were closet "Poles", like Maria, Anna, Tom, etc., the only one who couldn't deny being Polish was myself and a boy named Jan. Introducing yourself and every.single.time having to explain your name "I'm Polish" and then hearing all the comments afterwards, as a child, it makes you feel like a freak. But as an adult, I realize how well that initial exchange can help me understand a person and if I want to waste time interacting with them. And yes, our actions, whether we like it or not, often do represent the group we belong to.
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Ethnic jokes started with the ethnics who immigrated to America. Polish jokes came from Poles, Italian jokes came from Italians and so on and so forth. Native born Americans don't know enough about Europeans or Asians to create jokes. Americans are ignorant of anything outside of America.
I respectfully disagree. White Americans, as a national identity, come from European ancestry, hence why they are white. I'm not discussing other ethnic groups in America at the moment, that's a bit different and complicated. No nationality came over with jokes making fun of themselves. That makes absolutely no sense and I've never heard of such an explanation in my entire life. What ethnic group does that?!
Native born Americans who are prejudiced (not all are prejudice) know enough based on whatever hatred or prejudices their particular family passed down in the family. If a particular family is prejudice against, say the French, well, in their family that is a learned hatred that's been passed down. But it isn't because they are French and loathe themselves.
The biggest story is Americans think Poles are stupid because of Nazi propaganda from WWII. Hello! America was fighting the Nazi's in WWII, they wouldn't have believed anything Hitler had to say!
????
In WWI, America was sympathetic to the Germans. WWII came only a few short years after. America was in the beginning torn with which side to choose. Most Americans wanted nothing to do with the war. Had Pearl Harbor not occured, historians believe America would have never entered into the fray of WWII at all. Polish jokes were around before WWII, but they were extreme during WWII era, and not just because of Nazi propaganda, but also American propaganda. Read "Hollywood's War with Poland, 1939-1945".
Also, how does it make sense that one minute, Americans "don't know enough about Europeans or Asians to create jokes. Americans are ignorant of anything outside of America", as you put it, and then another minute say that Americans would or wouldn't listen to Nazi propaganda?
After all, there were American Nazis. In fact, there still are.
BS, Europeans are much harder drinkers than any American. Beer on the British Isles, Vodka in Northern Europe, wine everywhere else. Growing up in ethnic Chicago it wasn't unusual to see Polish (recent arrivals from post war Europe) drunks literally sleeping in the gutter on a Saturday.
Read what I wrote: "Who are your countrymen? I know several American friends who drink before going out to a bar. It saves them money that way. I don't think it's as much specific to a particular country as it is just something some people do to save money if they plan on getting drunk when going out versus going out to just have fun".
I didn't say one vs another drinks harder? I said that the argument that a few people one person on this thread knew and was discussing drinking before going out is not exclusively a Polish behaviour, or European behaviour. I said that I know Americans who do the same thing.
But you know what? I have a hard time remembering the last time when someone asked me.
Ok... ???
polishmama: "Hollywood's War with Poland, 1939-1945" Reading it right now... Very interesting stuff!
It really is! A great book.
