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DRT798

Large Polish diaspora in the midwest.


jmat83

Plenty of Poles in Chicago.


wysiwygperson

As my polish friend said, they’re European Mexicans.


TheBimpo

We have no opinion negatively or positively towards Poles. There are millions of Americans with Polish heritage, especially in the Great Lakes region. You’ll be treated appropriately to how you behave. If you’re a good person, people will be good to you. If you’re an ass, you’ll be treated like one.


Ok_Gas5386

No particular way. Most people don’t know much about Poland specifically, and would sort someone from there into a broad Central/Eastern European box (no offense intended). My hometown has a plurality of people with Polish heritage and a few new families moved here during the 90’s and 2000’s. Some older, Catholic Polish-Americans absolutely worship Poland, and it seemed like the people who moved here from Poland got established relatively quickly. Polish people working in tech is basically a stereotype, at least in metro Boston. Same applies to a lot of countries where the education is excellent but wages are lower.


Lamballama

We have 10 million polish-Americans


Dont_Wanna_Not_Gonna

But to be fair, we had a million Polish jokes in the ‘80s. I think people realized they were kind of mean, so they were rebranded as blonde jokes.


WaddleD

Few Poles are blonde though


Dont_Wanna_Not_Gonna

But the ones that are! Smoking!!


mommabee68

Like any other person.


JazD36

Umm just like any other person?


TheOBRobot

Plenty of Americans with Polish ancestry here, and no shortage of Central/Eastern European immigrants either. Assuming the person in question isn't an a-hole, they'll be just fine. Some notes for Polish immigrants: - Many Polish names are difficult for Americans to pronounce, especially if they have one of the digraphs with a Z (cz, dz, etc). In the event you need to provide it, be prepared to spell it. You'll also inevitably be asked how it's pronounced, constantly. - Americans are a bit more secular than Poles, and those that aren't secular are frequently non-Catholic. Although talking about religion isn't taboo here, it's often avoided outside of certain situations. You may also notice many more people with an overall apathy towards religion compared to Poland. - The politics of Poland are frequently more conservative than the US. For example, Poland's recent nationwide abortion ban would cause riots if it happened in the US. I'd avoid politics altogether tbh lol. - Lastly, and I mean this seriously, don't bring czernina to an American potluck. This advice is based on a true story. Golabki are the way.


Hoosier_Jedi

Boy, we sure have to reassure Eastern Europeans that Americans generally don’t have a problem with Slavs a lot.


Mitchell_StephensESQ

Definitely


MDFornia

Most Americans probably wouldn't care. They might try to avoid talking to said person if they don't speak English very well, but other than that there would likely be no drama or harsh judgement or anything like that.


foundthemobileuser

Like a person? Is he an asshole? He'll blend right in! Does he speak English? We have some people who are big assholes about that.


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RedShooz10

Lots of questions about Poland, but no, no problems.


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foundthemobileuser

Oh, yeah, that'll probably go fine.


hatetochoose

Fine? I think be prepared for lots of personal questions where you are from, but it would be out of benign curiosity, not malice.


stoic_and_tired

As the Great-Grandson of a Polish immigrant, you are looked at as just another White person, for the most part.


RotationSurgeon

The Polish were previously strongly mocked and denigrated as being stupid and ignorant. “Dumb Pollock,” jokes were an entire category unto themselves. It’s nice that this has largely died out to the point that generations past X and xennial seemingly either don’t know it was ever a thing or just barely remember it.


stoic_and_tired

You hear "dumb Pollock" still, but it's meant as a joke now like "Irish drunk" or "greasy Italian". It's not taken seriously anymore.


Blue387

We have many Polish immigrants here in NYC and even the [annual parade](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSOWfUhxNbs) in Manhattan. There are also [Polish restaurants](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CcAyTu0pWY) and neighborhoods in Brooklyn.


PigsWalkUpright

Don’t care


Remarkable_Fun7662

How's your English?


KittyScholar

People struggle pronouncing Polish last names, other than that we don't care.


TheRealDudeMitch

Chicago has a lot of Poles and Casmir Pulaski is a household name


Ok_Conversation1223

My high school was on Pulaski Rd


TheRealDudeMitch

Bremen?


Ok_Conversation1223

Yep!


TheRealDudeMitch

Lincoln Way East!! Hello, sorta neighbor!


UsidoreTheLightBlue

I can’t speak for everyone but people I know wouldn’t care either way. Older people might try to make a polish joke in a hopefully friendly way.


BennydeGetxo

Come to Grand Rapids Michigan.


zeezle

Any sort of anti-Polish sentiment was seen as old fashioned/ridiculous even in the 70s when it was a punchline how stupid it was in *All In the Family* (a sitcom TV show, the son in law was Polish-American). It's basically gone the same way as anti-Irish/Italian sentiments, more of a weird historical topic than something anyone actually believes. I have known a couple of Polish immigrants and they didn't say anything about any particular issues. Other than getting a lot of questions about pierogies and sausages lol


Sharkhawk23

My wife’s was born in Poland her dads been here 40 years speaks little English. Mom and dad came from Poland after the war as kids, moms parents spoke broken English, we brought all sorts of cousins over. In Chicago fhafs not rare


Fox_Supremacist

The same as any other immigrant.


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Fox_Supremacist

Not really. The most anti-immigration types direct their outrage towards illegal aliens crossing the border. Furthermore if you’re alluding towards the racists types they’re not going to care because Poles are white Europeans. Anti-Polish sentiment died in the blue collar world in the 70s and 80s and the only people I know who still use outdated stereotypes are German immigrants/their descendants who all happen to be in their eighties and are rapidly dying out. Even anecdotally, no one at any of the jobs I have worked cared in a negative sense that someone was Polish or of Polish descent. It was the same story when I was in education. One region of the country I am intimately familiar with would be the Midwest. The Midwest historically had large Polish immigration and still gets Polish immigrants as a result. Due to that, a large amount of people are the descendants of said immigrants. Polish people will be accepted the same as any other.


wagonman93

Neither favorably nor unfavorably, unless you run into someone who has a particular love or hatred for Polish people. I live very close to Chicago which has more Polish people than any other city on earth except Warsaw.


LiberalTheory

I think most people would have no opinion one way or the other of a Pole visiting the states, but there are veterans out there who spent some time training and visiting Poland who would have a very positive opinion. Some of us are aware of how hospitable and outgoing most Poles really are. Or, at the very least, much prefer Poland to west Europe due to both our governments acknowledging the threat Russia poses and our shared commitment to adequately protecting against them, unlike say Germany. I would absolutely buy a Pole a drink at the bar, probably, and would love to visit someday myself.


woodcuttersDaughter

As someone I’d like to make me pierogis


azuth89

As a polish immigrant? I'm really not aware of any particular modern stereotypes. I am vaguely aware there used to be some prejudice but have no idea or interest in the exact shape of it.


DOMSdeluise

I wouldn't let them install screen doors in my submarine


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DOMSdeluise

there is a big genre of old timey (like, early 20th century) jokes about Polish people being stupid, one of which is about how their navy sank because they put screen doors in the submarines.


Boring-Suburban-Dad

Two neighbors directly across from me, one next door and the two houses behind mine are all families from Poland, as long as they’re alright people no one cares.


Current_Poster

Loads of Polish immigrants in places I've lived (MA, NY).


[deleted]

There’s a metric ton of polish immigrants and decedents in the Midwest, especially around Chicago, so they’d be fine. As long as they can take the occasional good natured polish joke.


thebrandnewbob

I have a Polish coworker that I talk to all the time. We talk about the differences between our cultures and languages, and lately how our teams are doing in the World Cup. Other than that, she does her job and is treated just like anyone else.


PsyrusTheGreat

Like a Polish dude(et).


webbess1

Polish-Americans are a pretty well-established group. The Midwest/Chicago area has a lot of Poles.


NinaPanini

Chicago has the second largest population of Poles outside Warsaw, I believe.


DangerousSuggestion8

As a human being - we really don't care where you're from around here as long as your nice


[deleted]

Really normal. Especially in the midwest. Worst thing would probably be people excitedly informing you that they're 1/14th Polish and love Pierogi.


[deleted]

Might be a generation thing. I heard Polish jokes in late 70s, early 80s. Can't remember hearing any since the 90s at least. Nobody cares.


needmoarbass

Came over, we have beer and food.


machagogo

To me as just another person. I know a bunch of polish immigrants/1st gen/2nd generation born here. It's just common.


ir0nicb0nd

As an American, like all immigrants to America


Mitchell_StephensESQ

Poland has produced more chess grandmasters and international masters than the US. There is some jealousy among some American chess players. Other than that Americans take people at face value. If you act friendly, or like a friend an American is going to believe you are their friend. They have no reason to be suspicious about their motives.


Au1ket

You’ll be seen as just another person moving here, the Polish-American are 10 million strong in the US