PolishForums LIVE  /  Archives [3]    
   
Posts by Pavo  

Joined: 15 Feb 2008 / Male ♂
Last Post: -
Threads: -
Posts: Total: 2 / In This Archive: 1
From: Chicago
Speaks Polish?: Yes
Interests: Many

Displayed posts: 1
sort: Latest first   Oldest first
Pavo   
12 Apr 2008
USA, Canada / Do many Polish people in America hate Americans? [592]

Hi,

I'm young and in my 20s, and have lived in Chicagoland my entire life. I've heard the exact same thing from my polish-immigrant parents, but I didn't really understand it until 21.

It's not that Polish people hate Americans, it's just that Americans are stupid. That's probably the best way to put it. It ranges from personal values, to consumerism, to finances, to education, etc. And they are not rich, but they are lazy.

Note though, that not all polish people are 'smart.' There are many who make dumb choices in there lives, but many Poles are known for working hard with what they have to work with, and moving up and ahead in life. For example, my dad quit school after the 7th grade, worked on the family farm, enlisted in the Army for a couple of years, then came to the U.S. at 26. He met my mom here (another Polish immigrant), and married. My parents have a very nice home and multiple properties. There net worth today is well over 4 million USD and my mom hasn't worked in 15 years. They have 4 kids, all of which went on to higher education without student loans, meaning, my uneducated laboring heavy accented immigrant parents had money to fund it. How can American families who live here for generations not be able to do this?

I can go on with so many other examples, but the point is, is that my parents are not unique among Pole immigrants in the States. They won't go back because there is opportunity in America - the same opportunity doesn't exist in Poland. They realize this, and they capitalize on this. Americans seem to take it for granted, and are more interested in other stuff which Poles would find 'retarded' for a lack of a better word.

It's not elitist. Most Poles in the U.S. are from poor backgrounds, but have made it extremely far in a relatively short period of time. It's sad that many Americans can't seem to manage that in a lifetime.