lahdeedah
29 Sep 2009
Life / Why are Poles in other countries called "Plastic Poles"? [168]
um, WOW. some people here are getting their tighty-whities all up in a bunch over who can consider themselves Polish and who cannot! Does it really bother yall that much?? It's a person's personal thing what ethnicity they consider themselves. If a Pole raised and living abroad considers him/herself Polish, I'd say that's a good thing. At least they're aware and proud of their heritage. Besides, it's not like they can help it, is it? If some one grew up with Polish traditions and a sense of Polish identity, it's not like they can just turn off that part of themselves. I was born and raised outside Poland and have only been there for vacations, yet I consider myself Polish. Not because I woke up one day and decided I was going to parade around pretending to be Polish, but because that's how I was raised. From the day I was born, I was raised with a Polish identity. It's not something I can turn off or on. If I were to say, "oh yeah, I'm not Polish at all," THEN I would be lying and pretending to be something I'm not. I'm not saying I'm a born and bred, true-blooded Pole, but I AM POLISH. That IS my heritage. Sorry if that bothers yall!
Also, for the Europeans out there, I've noticed there are some differences in how Europeans and Americans see themselves. It seems to me that Europeans generally see themselves more as the country they live, whereas Americans use their heritage to determine their ethnic identity. Since all non-native Americans immigrated here at one point or another, it goes without saying that they are all from SOMEWHERE ELSE. And often, what that somewhere else is is what they identify themselves with. It's not shallow or backhanded or sneaky. It's just how this country was formed and how that, in turn, formed people's perceptions of themselves. In a land where everyone is from somewhere else, it is easier to hold onto your ethnic traditions.
um, WOW. some people here are getting their tighty-whities all up in a bunch over who can consider themselves Polish and who cannot! Does it really bother yall that much?? It's a person's personal thing what ethnicity they consider themselves. If a Pole raised and living abroad considers him/herself Polish, I'd say that's a good thing. At least they're aware and proud of their heritage. Besides, it's not like they can help it, is it? If some one grew up with Polish traditions and a sense of Polish identity, it's not like they can just turn off that part of themselves. I was born and raised outside Poland and have only been there for vacations, yet I consider myself Polish. Not because I woke up one day and decided I was going to parade around pretending to be Polish, but because that's how I was raised. From the day I was born, I was raised with a Polish identity. It's not something I can turn off or on. If I were to say, "oh yeah, I'm not Polish at all," THEN I would be lying and pretending to be something I'm not. I'm not saying I'm a born and bred, true-blooded Pole, but I AM POLISH. That IS my heritage. Sorry if that bothers yall!
Also, for the Europeans out there, I've noticed there are some differences in how Europeans and Americans see themselves. It seems to me that Europeans generally see themselves more as the country they live, whereas Americans use their heritage to determine their ethnic identity. Since all non-native Americans immigrated here at one point or another, it goes without saying that they are all from SOMEWHERE ELSE. And often, what that somewhere else is is what they identify themselves with. It's not shallow or backhanded or sneaky. It's just how this country was formed and how that, in turn, formed people's perceptions of themselves. In a land where everyone is from somewhere else, it is easier to hold onto your ethnic traditions.