News / Why Poland has no problem with terrorism [64]

Poland might not as yet have a problem with terrorism per se; she sure as heck though has an enduring problem with anti-Semitism and xenophobia! In that way, Poland is not too far different from her neighbors in Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, and Germany:-)

Although the roots of the problem are doubtless different from country to country, certain countries such as Spain and Italy do have different ways of dealing with it, and they don't necessarily involve torching asylum-seeker shelters or attacking innocent strangers on the street, merely because of their complexion, accent etc.

On the other hand, I have heard some similar talk from run-of-the-mill Italians concerning Sinti-Roma in their midst.

Life / Study material for Driving License in English [3]

Why are you taking a driver's test in English? Wouldn't it have been easier to either have someone reliable translate the required documents or learn enough of the language yourself prior to taking the exam?

No offense, but it seems counter intuitive:-)

News / Why Poland has no problem with terrorism [64]

I've got to go along with ya there, Johnny! Merkel's been deadly for Germany and even for Europe. The Far Right however is by turn sooooo yucky, to say the least, her "dictatorship" remains the lesser of the two evils:-)

Life / Why is circumcision not practiced in Poland? [701]

In fact, circumcision is not only not confined to the Jews, but actually, much as with the original practice of keeping kosher, is highly sanitary, since the layer of foreskin is technically unnecessary to begin with. Jews, as with Muslims, have a relatively low rate of contracted venereal disease, compared with certain other groups:-)

History / What do Poles owe to Jews? [593]

That many Jews during the war years owe their lives to Good Samaritans in Poland, Polish Christians who, like Wojtyla, understand the tenets of their faith, I can but roundly applaud!! This is factual history and something of which every Pole can be darned proud!

History / What do Poles owe to Jews? [593]

Au contraire, Pierre! I'm not making him out to be any such thing:-) In fact, I trust you are familiar with Leopold Socha, Lwow resistance fighter who fought side by side with his own comrades in defense of his fellow Jewish Poles.

History / What do Poles owe to Jews? [593]

Great Poles as well as "friends of the Jews" were the late Jan Karski who alerted the world to the impending Holocaust, and of course, Lolek Wojtyla, later Pope John Paul, and a true friend of the Jews as well as of all mankind.

We can all look up to their shining examples in this cynical age!!

History / What do Poles owe to Jews? [593]

@Ironside,

There are too many inaccuracies and weaknesses in your presentation to enumerate, friend. We'd like to help you and we like you on a personal level.

Maybe dinner once a year.

History / What do Poles owe to Jews? [593]

Collective remorse about the slaughter of over a million Native Americans by W.A.S.P. Westerners not related to me either by blood or even intermarriage, Ironside??

Anyone except for a bonehead would immediately draw upon their knowledge of (factual) history to see that the analogy is scarcely comparable:-)

As a third-generation American, I certainly feel as appalled and ashamed as anyone would about such as well about the African-American experience. On the other hand, nobody in my family, once removed or remotely distant, participated either in slavery or mass lynchings. Therefore, once again, an analogy by some Euro-smarty pants couldn't hold water either!

Collective guilt regarding crimes committed by fellow countrymen from the same gene pool is hardly the same as a sense of national shame that others unrelated to me committed such heinous acts.

History / What do Poles owe to Jews? [593]

More to the point of the thread is rather what do Poles owe THEMSELVES as consciencious, dutiful Christians to help them assuage any residual feelings of collective remorse.

Germans weren't the only ones. Let's spread the misery around a little:-) Nobody, even the Jews themselves, were blameless angels during the whole nasty mess!!!

Love / Do Polish date Spanish people [50]

"Matrimonia italiana", a concept made into a movie with Mastroiani and Loren in the early sixties. Illustrates this point completely.
GREAT film too!
:-)

History / Wartime Rescue of Jews by the Polish Catholic Clergy. The Testimony of Survivors. [22]

I'm the first to assert that Poland can be mighty proud of people such as the unnamed, unsung heroes of the War, fellow Christians, who risked their lives to rescue their fellow Jewish citizens, in fact their brethren (merely of a different faith) in the common fight against Hitler.

News / Polish diplomat Zbigniew Brzezinski has died [53]

More bilge from the far "wrong"LOL Brzezinski was raised a good Catholic and has zero Jewish or non-ethnic Slavic roots whatsoever. Because you dislike someone, is calling them a "Jew" equivalent to an insult??! Who's a racist now?

:-)

History / Polish hero discovers Jewish roots [25]

Christianity's roots ARE Jewish, Ironside, remember Jesus?? Therefore, you don't know what you're talking about:-)

News / Polish diplomat Zbigniew Brzezinski has died [53]

What have you got against Brzezinski?

News / Polish diplomat Zbigniew Brzezinski has died [53]

From your lips to G_d's ear.

History / Polish hero discovers Jewish roots [25]

Perhaps why until today, Russians will ask someone for their "nationality" as separate and distinct from their "ethnicity":-) And not only in Russia. In Germany up until the past ten years maybe, someone born in Germany of foreign-born parents was not considered of German "nationality"! In the US, the opposite is true.

News / Polish diplomat Zbigniew Brzezinski has died [53]

Clearly, this thread shows that one is never a prophet in their own times...they must often wait for posterity to judge them by their rightful merits.

News / Polish diplomat Zbigniew Brzezinski has died [53]

The Good Samaritan remains one of the more disquieting parables in Christianity, sadly, often used in order to justify anti-Semitism, as Jesus is said to have excoriated the Hebrews for not reaching out to help the man, whereas the Samaritans did:-)

More fuel for the fodder.

News / Polish diplomat Zbigniew Brzezinski has died [53]

That's it, revile Brzezinski for being a good person. His father too, like with the late Jan Karski, was a bona fide humanitarian, when it gave the least in remunerary return, yet counted most in terms of spirit. Here's to the spirit of the real Christian ethic, May she live on in those who dare walk in their footsteps. Tough act to follow, folks!

History / Polish hero discovers Jewish roots [25]

Right! Even today in Russia, or at least during the Soviet period, Jews had different passport markings than Russian non-Jews:-) Almost similar to Britain, where once certain British subjects had a different status from other citizens, e.g. Pakistani-Brits vs. ethnic, home-born English etc.

News / Polish diplomat Zbigniew Brzezinski has died [53]

???? Sense, please?

History / Polish hero discovers Jewish roots [25]

Who's threatening anyone?? Oh, you mean "threaD"! There you go, devoicing againLOL

Why is defending Jews "racist", while defending Christians isn't. To be frank as well, your logic really escapes me sometimes.

History / Polish hero discovers Jewish roots [25]

Hmmm, let's see now. The Jews have been in Poland since roughly the 11th century or thereabouts and barely since 2017 is there this gradual widespread "Jewish revival" of traditions and cultural symbiosis all over the place, breaking out like nobody's business???! Well, the thousandth year's always a charm:-)

News / Polish diplomat Zbigniew Brzezinski has died [53]

Much appreciate the update, jon! No, I didn't know that. I couldn't agree more. He was good people and, from a personal perspective, a true friend of the Jews,

Work / South African wants to move to Poland, please provide some input? [59]

While the average South African can hold their own in English, much the same cannot be said across the board for the Poles:-) Although the Dutch are of course another matter entirely, Warsaw ain't Amsterdam (and believe me, they don't even try), therefore learning at least basic Polish would be more or less a must:-) That'll also help out lots with jobs, digs and stuff like this.

Powodzenia, mate!

Love / Just started dating Polish guy - what is typical of a man from Poland? Cultural differences. [78]

As already posted, Poles of either sex tend to be frank to a fault, blunt as a spoon, even for a first encounter, and usually make no bones about expressing themselves along with the necessary obscenities (particularly in EnglishLOL), LIKE IT OR NOT!!!

Older Poles, over fifty-sixty onward especially, will typically be far less "in your face", as the saying goes, albeit nearly as opinionated as regards politics and national culture:-)

I once dated briefly a Polish woman shortly after grad school, and was struck by how straightforward she was in comparison with American women especially.

There was no warming up in the bull pen, so to speak, and I noticed that even in Polish, she seemed to dispense with the small talk right from the start.

Unlike Swedes, Dutch, and Germans though, she was never hurtful, rude or errantly nasty, merely impatient like a child, almost demanding simple answers to complicated, above all, often highly personal questions.

Wish to emphasize here, I'm only speaking from my own limited experience first hand.

Food / What Polish foods do foreigners generally not take to? [140]

In general, Polish food I've had, both here and in Poland, is quite a salty affair:-) Northern Europeans do love their fat and lard to a far greater degree than the Italians, preferring (the healthier) olive oil.

Probably, most of the authentic Polish specialties would have to be "Americanized" to suit US health requirementsLOL

Food / What Polish foods do foreigners generally not take to? [140]

"Peoples" though IS only correct in the sense of "peoples of the earth", referring to "tribes" or "races" ("lud" or "plemie")!
:-)

Food / What Polish foods do foreigners generally not take to? [140]

Don't let's please not forget my personal favorites pyzy and bigos, while you're at it.....