Forum Topic

Polish only

We have today received what is I think an advert for a Polish takeaway.Not a word in English.Do they think the natives don't eat foreign food?Do they think everyone is Polish or speaks it?Do they lack English and/or business sense?Why have only a mobile number?

Graham Weeks ● 6233d28 Comments

Something like this ?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAFrXn4ZTjoI agree on the point re. feeding the millions.You invite a handful for a meal and cook for the masses.We can't help it, it's in our genes !Just to add to the thread - I am a British Pole - proud to be British of Polish heritage.

Joanna Dabrowska ● 6211d

I have just come back from Cyprus; as many of you know my husband is a Cypriot.  There is a video clip circulating on mobiles there and sadly I could not download it on to mine and have asked for an email.The video is without words.  It starts with a EU flag and shows for example a building and one person coming to the entrance and more people coming behind forming an orderly queue.  Mix to a Cypriot flag: same building, same first person.  Next person comes and stands beside first person.  They quarrel; more people come and join in the quarrel until there is a huge mess of people outside.  So far this backs Graham's point about forming orderly queues.But it is in parking habits that the Cypriots excel.EU Flag.  an empty parking space between two cars.  One car comes along and parks in the space whilst other cars make way.  Cypriot flag:  an empty parking space between two cars.  One car comes along and begins to park, another car comes along and begins to nose in the now half empty space and a third car joins in the resulting argument!EU flag.  empty car parking spaces.  A car comes along and neatly parks in one space.  Cypriot flat.  Empty car parking spaces.  A car speeds in and parks haphazardly across three spaces.And there's lots more to prove how un-the-norm-in-the-EU the Cypriots are.Compared to the Poles, the Brits are more laid back about people making mistakes.  Brits have a conservative "English style" of dressing whereas Poles do care to be well dressed and smart.  Controversially, IMHO, both Poles and Cypriots are usually more hospitable than the Brits - Poles and Cypriots have to feed 5000 even if there are only two people coming to dinner.Britain is still a relatively happy place to live and especially work.  Poles are usually neurotic and Cypriots will leave a meeting because their mum has prepared something nice for lunch!  I'm generalising of course but its true!

Barbara Yerolemou ● 6220d

Ermm, here goes, and in no particular order.Having had an empire (despite losing it) left a legacy of openness to different cultures.  Not in rural areas, obviously.Kicking off the industrial revolution and at least participating in the Enlightenment left both a belief in progress combined with certain reservations about its impact.We disagree thoroughly amongst ourselves as to the merits of self-reliance.  "I am self-reliant: you are aloof to the point of arrogance."  "I have rights as an Englishman!!: you are a sponger." and so forth.Not sure any of that gets us much closer but it's about the best I can do.

David Bourne ● 6224d

"As to Christian heritage being acknowledged asan influence to our culture I am afraid is not enough. It is the BEDROCK, not a mere influence, sorry but you are too inclined to hand over / yield to the diversicants."I agree but do not want to equate British with Christian. As to what kind of Christian, I mean in the widest possible sense i.e. Trinitarian confessing the ancient catholic creeds.(Apostolic, Nicean, Athanasian etc so including Protestants and RCs. Eastern Orthodoxy was not a significant contributor to our culture.

Graham Weeks ● 6225d

"As to Christian heritage being acknowledged asan influence to our culture I am afraid is not enough. It is the BEDROCK, not a mere influence, sorry but you are too inclined to hand over / yield to the diversicants."I agree but do not want to equate British with Christian. As to what kind of Christian, I mean in the widest possible sense i.e. Trinitarian confessing the ancient catholic creeds.(Apostolic, Nicean, Athanasian etc so including Protestants and RCs. Eastern Orthodoxy was not a significant contributor to our culture.

Graham Weeks ● 6225d

What about addiction to sport - and particularly to heroic failure in that sport?

Sara Nathan ● 6225d

Tony, which version of Christianity are you thinking of?Trad anglican, part of the social orderMethodismCatholicEvangelist etc etcThe churches growing fastest seem to be the african influenced evangelical, like the group who wanted the mega church in East London..I do not believe in any religion and do not see any particular unifying infuence of any in terms of being English, possibly as I grew up in Liverpool, where orange marches still take place.Where does the diversity you are concerned about start?Judaism?, Catholicsm, Greek Orthodox, Muslim, Anabaptists etc etc??????

Iain Muir ● 6225d

Re :-  You tolerate diversity.You may not be Christian but you do recognise the Christian influence in our cultural heritage."                xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx        Diversity to a certain extent, yes, but we are in the midst of too much, and the DIVERSE ONES do not exactly accept us and do not / will not integrate. Every institution in this country is being adversely affected by diversity. As to Christian heritage being acknowledged asan influence to our culture I am afraid is not enough. It is the BEDROCK, not a mere influence, sorry but you are too inclined to hand over / yield to the diversicants.

Tony Price ● 6225d

An excellent list of attributes.I would add having a sense of fair play.

Gerry Tan ● 6225d

I am trying for more on this and asking friends who may not have been born here.Respect for the rule of law and liberty under it.A certain reserve (Ulster Scots and Yorkshire folk may be exceptions to this) You do not wear your heart on your sleeve nor do you parade your wealth.You are not ashamed of your heritage nor do you brag about it.You welcome foreigners but they do not feel you warmly embrace them.Good manners and politeness. Women and children first. Orderly queues.You want the UK to continue united. You are not a nationalist for any one country in the UK.You can sing the national anthem. You are not a republican.You understand ironic humour.You can joke about those whose origins are from other UK countries.Either English is your mother tongue or you have made an effort to learn it.You tolerate diversity.You may not be Christian but you do recognise the Christian influence in our cultural heritage.

Graham Weeks ● 6225d

I will try and make a start.First  of all the essential characteristic is not a British passport.Patriotic loyalty is to the UK. Home is where the heart is, not residence. So people in Gibraltar may be British in a way the Alex Salmon is not.It is not therefore ehnicity. It is something cultural not race or residence.

Graham Weeks ● 6225d

Graham said: "If all the second generation of immigrants could wholeheartedly endorse this we natives would be reassured. Sadly, the only British thing about some people is their passport."I think I agree with you Graham. This is a very interesting topic. How would you define the essential characteristics, personalities and traits of being British?

Gerry Tan ● 6225d

"I dont know if I'm the mutual Polish friend.  My parents were Polish but being brought up here I consider myself British.  I dont always understand Polish mentality!  "Yes indeed. My use of Polish was to ethnicity rather than nationality in this context. I am sure you understand the Polish better than the rest of us here do.The above quote has provoked some thought. Let me make a generic adaptation." My parents were ******** but being brought up here I consider myself British."If all the second generation of immigrants could wholeheartedly endorse this we natives would be reassured. Sadly, the only British thing about some people is their passport.

Graham Weeks ● 6225d

Before Kinnock left on the EU gravy train,  in the days when he led Labour, he asked a Polish neigbour in South Ealing how he could get the Polish vote. "Join the Conservatives", was the unheeded reply.

Graham Weeks ● 6225d

Re:-  My parents were Polish but being brought up here I consider myself British.  I dont always understand Polish mentality!                XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX        I am told since the 2nd WW, Ealing has had a large polish contingent and who from what I observe have taken to the english way of life but retained  strong polish identity, especially the religion. I have several mature friends of polish origin  and one thing stands out, their personal appearance being of very high order, in terms of dress or "make-up " etc etc. I think  the behaviour of some of the younger poles here now embarass the existing ones, but that probably applies to all older and younger persons. At least poles , if they decide to stay. are able to integrate and present no problems of religious nature and what spins from that. Maybe Ken has felt the draught because of his favourtisms?

Tony Price ● 6227d

There is a potential problem with all the polish builders going back. Whose going to build the cheap social housing for those immigrants who don't go back?

Alan Brainsby ● 6227d

London and the UK were alright before the East European mass immigration, why shouldn't it be alright after the mass emigration? Not sure what they will find when they get back, from what I hear, the smart Brit money has been buying plots of land all over the place.

Peter Wright ● 6227d

scarcely that...latest reports apparently suggest about fifty per cent have already gone back home. West London will collapse if even a sizeable proportion of the rest decide to return.

Sara Nathan ● 6228d

There`s a big difference between the Poles who stayed here after the second World War who fought to regain their homeland, and were unable to return because their territory was still occupied by Stalin`s Russia, and todays weak British Government failure to control economic migration which has resulted in a tsunami!

Robert Darke ● 6228d

I dont know if I'm the mutual Polish friend.  My parents were Polish but being brought up here I consider myself British.  I dont always understand Polish mentality!  On the question of the leaflets in Polish.  I think whoever it was thought that only Poles would be interested in eating Polish food and as the person doesn't know exactly where the Poles live, it was blanket delivered.  If a thousand leaflets go out and 10 try the restaurant, the cost of the leaflets are probably covered and there's the promise of repeat business and word of mouth. I would say from my walkabouts in my ward, that there is a Pole (and they dont come singly) living in every street.  It may not be a post 2000 Pole, it could be from the 2nd WW like my parents, or the second wave in 1983 ish during martial law in Poland.  That's quite a few waves!

Barbara Yerolemou ● 6229d

He did and complained abut his compatriots not integrating.I invite comment from our mutual Polish friend on the Forum.

Graham Weeks ● 6230d

Seeing that 7% of German Aircraft were shot down by our Polish Friends during the Battle of Britain, I think I owe them a little leeway, or a wee dram or two. If you have ever visited the Polish War Memorial not far from Ealing you might see what I mean. Several generations on maybe things are not quite what they were then, for them or us, of the class of 2008, but History teaches us, but sadly most of us ignore it, especially those with a political remit.

Colin Vaughan ● 6230d

So there's no chance that your Polish friend could translate it for you?

Susan Kelly ● 6230d

We frequently get letterbox flyers from Polish people - usually for building/decorating and domestic cleaning. They're usually in immaculate English. A lot of our neighbours have excellent cleaners who are Polish and four of us have had a superlative builder/decorator who is from Poland.

Gerry Tan ● 6230d

"I don't know why this bothers you. 99% of the leaflets that come through my door go straight in the recycling bin, because they don't apply to me. What's the difference.They could have provided several (or more!) translations couldn't they? We do it all the time!

Account suspended ● 6231d

What bothers me is I want to know what I might order.My Polish friend says too many of them have a ghetto mentality.

Graham Weeks ● 6231d

I don't know why this bothers you. 99% of the leaflets that come through my door go straight in the recycling bin, because they don't apply to me. What's the difference.Presumably, people paying for door-to-door leafleting factor a very low take-up rate into their calculations.

Susan Kelly ● 6232d

Careful........the PC luvvies dont like this type of post on here, you have been warned!!!! English? whats that?

Account suspended ● 6232d