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What is the reason for POLISH jokes ?


MediaWatch 10 | 944
10 Jan 2011 #301
In case of USA you have only those jokes - that phenomena is interested in itself- question arise why mass media in U.S. did keep so called jokes alive and kicking for decades !

As pointed out before, the media led by NBC-TV was prejudiced against Polish people and introduced in the 60's these subhuman intelligence jokes about Polish people in the US. NBC-TV and other media then repeated them using the big lie technique to condition the public to have the same anti-Polish prejudice that they have.

George Schlatter of NBC-TV basically admitted that he was pushing these insult Polish jokes about Poles to dehumanize the image of Polish people to the public, according to the Polish American Guardian Society.

These so called Polish jokes were definitely part of a media hate-campaign against Polish people. You have over half the world with third world populations that don't have housing and clean running water, that are far worse off then Poland, yet the media didn't single them out for their much lower IQ or lack of intelligence.

Unfortunitely the IQ doesn't have much to do with one's ability to be successful in life.
You can't buy yourself even a candy simply because of your high IQ. It's still nice to have it but in most cases it's nothing but a "breadless art".

Well of course. No kidding. Not everyone who has a high IQ utilizes them. But then again you don't become Bill Gates, Donald Trump, Steve Jobs, Mike Bloomberg, etc or for that matter..... a productive citizen, without at least an average IQ.

Its hard to define what exactly the definition of intelligence is so the next best thing to look at is anectodal evidence of people. Such as not only how they score on IQ tests but how they apply their minds to create a decent life for themselves.

In the book "The Jewish Phenomenon", Polish Americans on a per capita basis are the third wealthiest group in the US behind Jewish Americans and Japanese Americans. How did this happen if Polish people do have the inferior intelligence that Hollywood and NBC-TV said they have?

According to page 5 of the book "The Jewish Phenomenon"

Ethnic Household Income (US Average 100)

Jewish 172
Japanese 132
Polish 115

Chinese 112
Italian 112
German 107

Anglo-Saxon 107
Irish 103

US Average 100

Filipino 99
W. Indian 94
Mexican 76

Puerto Rican 63
Black 62
Native American 60

How does Hollywood and other anti-Polish media bigots explain that the first American self-made female billionaire - Martha Stewart - is Polish?

How do they explain the Co-founder of Apple Computer, (with all its Ipods, Imacs, Ipads, etc) as being Polish?

No these subhuman intelligence jokes about Polish people were created out of thin air in the studios of Hollywood in the 1960's. My parents said they never heard of them growing up in the 50's but all of a sudden in the mid 60's they came out of nowhere and were everywhere in the US. Gee I wonder why???
guesswho 4 | 1,274
10 Jan 2011 #302
In the book "The Jewish Phenomenon", Polish Americans on a per capita basis are the third wealthiest group in the US behind Jewish Americans and Japanese Americans.

The only problem with that is that many people are not being even classified in any of these groups as they don't really know anything (or not very much) about their origin.

One example is my direct neighbor, his last name is Eller, which is clearly a German name but when I asked him about it, he said, he doesn't know anything about it as he's not into ancestry stuff. This guy is pretty rich. He owns every other building in my town.

My advice is to finally see yourself as an American first of all and this way you won't be peed off when people make stupid jokes about anybody else.

To be fair, you have to admit that there are jokes being made about almost every nation out there. Ignore it, you can't stop it anyway.
jonni 16 | 2,481
10 Jan 2011 #303
These so called Polish jokes were definitely part of a media hate-campaign against Polish people. You have over half the world with third world populations that don't have housing and clean running water, that are far worse off then Poland, yet the media didn't single them out for their much lower IQ or lack of intelligence.

A hate campaign is something I wouldn't know about, but my own feeling is that Poles were chosen more or less at random as the butt of those jokes. I looked a few of the jokes up on the internet and wasn't surprised to find that they were identical to the Irish jokes that are told in England, the Jewish jokes that are told in Poland, the Shi-ite jokes that are told in Saudi and the Bedouin jokes that are told by other Arabs! More or less word for word.

It isn't as if there's anything particular to dislike about PolAms, and there isn't any particular group in the US who have a vested reason to make fun of Poles - these things just happen.

Nevertheless, in England it's now considered offensive to tell Irish jokes, and Americans perhaps ought to think about stopping the Polish jokes.

his last name is Eller, which is clearly a German name

It sounds German, but can also be northern English.
guesswho 4 | 1,274
10 Jan 2011 #304
it could be just about anything. I personally believe it's German because we have lots of people of German origin here in NC.
PlasticPole 7 | 2,648
10 Jan 2011 #305
There are so many polish people in western world not admitting their descent.

Not so in the US! You see a Polish surname and you know there's Polish ancestors somewhere unless the person was adopted or got the last name by marriage.
MediaWatch 10 | 944
10 Jan 2011 #306
To be fair, you have to admit that there are jokes being made about almost every nation out there. Ignore it, you can't stop it anyway.

Honestly, on a personal basis, I almost never hear these so called "Polish jokes" as an adult. I don't know, maybe its the class of people I'm around which is why I don't hear them. I have found in general that in polite company, Polish jokes and ethnic jokes in general, are taboo. The few times I have heard these Polish jokes, if I politely told the person that they were insult jokes, they were like "Oh I'm sorry" and we moved on. It was no big deal and they respected me for speaking up on this.

Ironically, when I was younger, when they these Polish jokes were "popular", one guy who told me a "Polish joke" turned out to be one of my best friends after I explained that they were insult jokes. I have found that most people in America are fair minded and don't want to insult other people or be a bigot. This is the reason why former Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter apologized for saying them, a couple years ago. Evidently, it could have been one reason for his disproportionate defeat in a state with a large Polish-American population.

It seems these Polish jokes are most "popular" on the internet where people who are insecure about their own ethnic identity or have prejudice against Polish people, can push them in anonymity.
guesswho 4 | 1,274
10 Jan 2011 #307
I almost never hear these so called "Polish jokes"

I don't either but then again, there are not very many Poles in NC (I've never met any at all).
MediaWatch 10 | 944
10 Jan 2011 #308
I don't think it has to do with how many Poles or Polish Americans are in the area. It has more to do with what kind of media and culture people in the area are exposed to.
guesswho 4 | 1,274
10 Jan 2011 #309
I don't think it has to do with how many Poles or Polish Americans are in the area.

It does in a way because if there's no objects to make jokes about around, people don't even think about this kind of jokes to begin with.

It has more to do with what kind of media and culture people in the area are exposed to.

Well, media has an impact, that's true. As far as the culture, yes it is exactly what I said earlier, no Polish people so it's no Polish culture around here too and what follows is also no Polish jokes. Unless you meant the level of the population and not the culture that the people are exposed to. In this case of course I fully agree with you even though it happens even to the highly educated people to make stupid jokes every once in a while. nobody is perfect.
MediaWatch 10 | 944
10 Jan 2011 #310
It does in a way because if there's no objects to make jokes about around, people don't even think about this kind of jokes to begin with.

Really?

Do you really think the American people of today are that prejudiced against Polish people on their own that when they see someone Polish they're going to go ridicule them? I mean I'm sure there are some ignorant and prejudiced people who do do that but I think that's the exception.

MediaWatch:
It has more to do with what kind of media and culture people in the area are exposed to.

Well, media has an impact, that's true. As far as the culture, yes it is exactly what I said earlier, no Polish people so it's no Polish culture around here too and what follows is also no Polish jokes. Unless you meant the level of the population and not the culture that the people are exposed to.

What do you mean by level of the population?

But, Media has more impact then anything else.

As stated earlier in this topic, there were reports of people in the 70's in parts of the US with no Polish people, who thought of Poles along the lines of inferior intelligence jokes. When they were asked "What do you think about Polish people?" They would respond "they are dumb". When asked if they thought that way because of Polish people they know? They would say they didn't know any Polish people. The questioner would then ask them how they can have that negative opinion of Polish people if they never met them?

The responder would then say basically, "Oh I think Polish people are dumb because of those Polish jokes I see and hear on TV". They then would repeat the Polish jokes they heard the night before on TV. That tells you something about the power of TV media. Especially in those days when Americans were locked into watching a handful of TV channels.

I also live in an area with quite a few Polish Americans but I don't notice any people ridiculing me or them with subhuman intelligence jokes. But if this was years ago maybe it would be different.

Wouldn't you agree that making ethnic slurs in polite company is generally taboo in America today?

In this case of course I fully agree with you even though it happens even to the highly educated people to make stupid jokes every once in a while. nobody is perfect.

Yes nobody is perfect.
guesswho 4 | 1,274
10 Jan 2011 #311
Do you really think the American people of today are that prejudiced against Polish people on their own that when they see someone Polish they're going to go ridicule them?

You misunderstood me. What I was saying is that this type of jokes usually don't even pop up when there's nothing to joke about. I used Polish just as an example, it could be just as well Russian, German or anyone else.

What do you mean by level of the population?

The intellectual and cultural level of the population of one region.

But, Media has more impact then anything else.

I already agreed to it. I can assure you that our media in NC doesn't even mention Polish jokes or actually nothing about Poland at all. I bet it's different in Chicago.

Wouldn't you agree that making ethnic slurs in polite company is generally taboo in America today?

I'm not sure about this being a taboo but I just don't hear any Polish jokes at all.

As stated earlier in this topic, there were reports of people in the 70's in parts of the US with no Polish people, who thought of Poles along the lines of inferior intelligence jokes.

and I'm telling you that 99% of them didn't really mean what they were saying. To them it was probably just a joke and nothing else. If you asked them if they hate or dislike Poles, the answer would be most likely, "I don't care", "I don't know any Poles" etc. Definitely no deeper meaning to it.

Why would someone hate Poles if he never even met any? OK, people tend to repeat jokes once they heard them but usually they don't put any meaning to it. It's just a joke, that's it.

I agree that some jokes are not very nice but you won't achieve anything trying to fight them.
Like I said earlier, there are jokes about any other nation out there too.
PennBoy 76 | 2,432
10 Jan 2011 #312
MediaWatch:
Do you really think the American people of today are that prejudiced against Polish people on their own that when they see someone Polish they're going to go ridicule them?

Most no, maybe stupid teenagers but most adults don't say anything like that, not to be mean.
Guys i worked with were Irish American, we were always joking around me saying i'd say something like" 3 Irish guys leaving a bar _________________Hey, it could happen" He say some Polish joke about being stupid, or hard headed it was never serious.
PmL 1 | 8
10 Jan 2011 #313
What kind of people are you talking about? I don't see why they would go around calling themselves Polish if they weren't raised in the culture or don't speak the language.

It's not about saying you are polish, it's about the shame not admitting your descent.

You know individuals from every country in the world, but they are foreigners in foreign country, their are not typical specimen of their society, they alter they behavior to fit in!
I'm asking about society and country other than Poland that you know all the customs and ways intimately as well as the language to make a credible comparison !

Well, I may only know individuals from some countries, but I know for example many yugoslavians, albanians, arabs, iranians.

There is a famous quote among western poles:

"Jesli ci polak nie skrzywdzil to juz ci pomogl."
chaotic
15 Mar 2011 #314
Growing up in Australia, I did not experience any of the Polish jokes or stereotypes that are being discussed here. However, being exposed to plenty of American TV, film and media I am convinced that there is still plenty of Polish insult "humor" around (in the U.S.) And it is still deemed acceptable. Now I don't mean the kielbasa/vodka/religion/quirky habits type humor. I mean the dumb/dirty Polack variety.

Examples: Sarah Silverman introducing John Krasinski as a "dirty Polack" on an awards show when she had said only nice things about his co-presenters. (Now I know being un-PC and outrageous is part of her act, but really? It wasn't even funny.)

Another example: any time there is a character in a film or TV episode that is brawny, aggressive, but not too bright, 8 times out of 10 his name will end in "ski". Guaranteed. I'm waiting for the day when the lead guy/hero has a name ending in "ski". I did see one on a British show recently - amazing! The guy wasn't a complete hero, being a complex character and all, but he did have some good traits (he was educated and he bathed, for starters).
nott 3 | 592
15 Mar 2011 #315
I'm waiting for the day when the lead guy/hero has a name ending in "ski".

While I do agree with the gist of your post, there actually was one. Kowalski in the 'Vanishing Point'.
Des Essientes 7 | 1,288
15 Mar 2011 #316
Kowalski

But the most famous bearer of this surname in American entertainment is one Stanley Kowalski from Tennessee Williams' play A Streetcar Named Desire and he is a brute.
Bratwurst Boy 12 | 11,848
15 Mar 2011 #317
And another quite smart Kowalski:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_characters_in_Madagascar_(franchi se)#Kowalski
nott 3 | 592
15 Mar 2011 #318
Kowalski confessed that he could not read
(...)
While being able to (...) he is shown to have a bit of difficulty deducing simpler machines.
(...)
he states that the paper plane would help them fly back to NY


Rather a controversial 'quite smart'... You mean 'for a Pole'?
:)
Bratwurst Boy 12 | 11,848
15 Mar 2011 #319
No...really...look:

Loyal and analytical (+blue eyes, could go for a German actually):

The tallest of the penguins, Kowalski forms plans for the group and usually takes notes for Skipper. When Skipper is absent, he takes charge and his rank is Lieutenant. He has blue eyes and tends to over-analyze situations.

Then:

...Often formulating plans for the group...and Kowalski plotted the ship's course to Antarctica....He is the technical one of the group and always has his notepad...

Much to smart actually:

...While being able to formulate plans and invent things (such as a rocket ship out of a trashcan and fireworks, a rotary saw blade made of energy and multiple random objects, or a knowledge sucking machine from just a cardboard box, a magnet, and a vacuum) he is shown to have a bit of difficulty deducing simpler machines....

I think they made a German with Kowalski :)
nott 3 | 592
16 Mar 2011 #320
Bratwurst Boy

Yeah, I saw all that. Still, illiterate and hoping to reach NY in a paper plane.

The Vanishing Point Kowalski is a true American Hero though. One of the last pioneers, defenders of the American Way of Freedom and such. And he was supported by a blind blackie too, so he's a sterling value.
Bratwurst Boy 12 | 11,848
16 Mar 2011 #321
Still, illiterate and hoping to reach NY in a paper plane.

Well...he IS still a penguin! :)
nott 3 | 592
16 Mar 2011 #322
And that's an anti-Polish slander, Boy!!!!!!

(what is the smiley for NO SMILE, please? anybody?)

One day I will find you with a glass, you German.... German.
George8600 10 | 631
16 Mar 2011 #323
"The Jewish Phenomenon"

The guy who wrote that book was a religious idiot and his statistics were false.... no offense but I've read many reviews of that particular book.
rychlik 41 | 372
16 Mar 2011 #324
Examples: Sarah Silverman introducing John Krasinski as a "dirty Polack" on an awards show

Silverman is a jew c'unt. She speaks like a construction worker. Nobody wants a woman like this.
MediaWatch 10 | 944
16 Mar 2011 #325
The guy who wrote that book was a religious idiot and his statistics were false.... no offense but I've read many reviews of that particular book.

Well of course nobody is infallible.

But just curious, what statistics are you talking about are false?

The statistics on income per ethnic group in the US, I don't believe was from Jewish sources. Also these American ethnic income statistics I believe represent the early 1980's.
PolskiMoc 4 | 323
16 Mar 2011 #326
The Real reason for Polish jokes is Jews & Germans fear the superior intellect of Poles.

Poles maybe the most intelligent people on the planet. With a 109 iq for Polish Americans & a 106 iq for Poland recently.

Ashkenazi jews in the west have gotten as high as 115 but a recent iq was o107 for Ashkenazi in Americca.

But, Israel has about as many Jews as America & Just a 94 iq.

Although Germany got a 107 iq recently the German American Iq is much lower than the Polish American one.

Also East Germany only scored a 95 iq while Poland scored a 99 iq. So under the same circumstances Poles were scoring higher iq's than Germans.

The reason why Jews & Germans fear Polish intelligence is because unlike Germans & Jews who use their intellect for bad. & tend to be very physically weak & heartless

Poles tend to use their intelligence for good & tend to be very stuborn & tough & hard to control. Poles have never been brainwashed I don't think it is possible.

That scares the Germans & Jews who are massive propagandists who constantly try to manipulate
delphiandomine 88 | 18,131
16 Mar 2011 #327
Silverman is a jew c'unt. She speaks like a construction worker. Nobody wants a woman like this.

Well done, you're proving my hypothesis that Polish Americans are in fact anti-semite, racist morons.
PolskiMoc 4 | 323
16 Mar 2011 #328
Yes calling Polish people "Morons" is not prejudice

Why are so many non slavic people so stupid????

I kind of feel like Slavic people are the only humans in a vast sea of monkeys.

The Jewish media & JEws like Sarah Silverman & Jews like Cohen who played Borat & Spoke Polish is the reason for Polish jokes.

But, That is okay?

It is okay for Jews to hate Poles but it is wrong for Poles to be anti semite.
delphiandomine 88 | 18,131
16 Mar 2011 #329
Yes calling Polish people "Morons" is not prejudice

Polish Americans are Polacks, not Poles.

Why are so many non slavic people so stupid????

You might want to ask yourself why Slavs have spent so much of recent history attacking each other.

It is okay for Jews to hate Poles but it is wrong for Poles to be anti semite.

Jews couldn't care less about Poland - in fact, it's only Polacks that particularly seem to care.
JonnyM 11 | 2,611
16 Mar 2011 #330
not Poles.

Exactly, they're Americans. However the ones who can't get on in life get obsessed with their ancestry because it's easier for them to deal with than reality.


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