Posted on 05/21/2006 11:58:09 AM PDT by lizol
Lizol, this was a beautiful piece. Does anybody know, since the Polish people have always loved freedom, do they vote conservative?
I really don't know.
As far as I know - some time ago Polish Americans used to vote democratic - just like other Catholics in U.S.(am I right?).
But it has changed today, I suppose.
Does any American FReeper with Polish roots know the answer to the question asked in post #2?
From my experience, it depends on the cohort to which they belong. Post-war Polish immigrants and their children, mostly educated professionals fleeing communism, always tended to vote Republican. Pre-war immigrants and their descendants, largely working class and less aware of the evils of communism, tended to behave like other white Catholic ethnic groups: supporting democrats until recently, but now trending Republican.
I'm not Polish, but if I'm not mistaken the current government in Poland is conservative. As for the Polish Americans in Chicago, apparently they have no problems with repeatedly electing socialist mayors.
At least in my experience, as a Polish-American living in another area with a large Polish population (Scranton PA area), Polish-Americans, especially the older generation, are old-fashioned Democrats. Pro-life, religious, strong on family values and national defense, but also strong supporters of unions and government helping those down on their luck. They vote Democrat because their parents voted Democrat, and they honestly don't realize what the Democratic party has become. But that's changing, and they're slowly coming into the fold around here.
I love the Poles. Great music. A noble people. Most conservatives have a strong emotional connection to the Polish people, probably because of their long struggle for freedom and their sufferings because of it. Honestly, I cried the first time I read about the Katyn Forest massacre.
Freepers, if you haven't read about that WWII tragedy, look it up:
This American of Polish descent is a conservative and so are my parents whose parents all came from Poland.
Notice how the conversations all took place in English no translator needed.
Sorry, I just washed my keyboard and can't do a thing with it . . . that address for the Katyn Forest massacre is:
http://www.geocities.com/katyn.geo/
I meant myself. It's a way of speaking about yourself called "third person".
OK, got it :-)
I don't know about generally, but in 1980 there was a much-remarked phenomenon of blue-collar Polish-Americans in the Detroit area, who had long supported Democrats, instead supporting Ronaldus Magnus. They were called "Reagan Democrats" and were found in all of the Polish areas including Hamtramck (of course). I lived in Ann Arbor at the time (and was a young leftie) and at all of the festivals and street fairs, etc. there would be Polish-American groups selling kielbasa and Polish beer to raise funds in support of Solidarity. Well, they roped me in with the dogs and suds and helped plant a conservative seed that has bloomed within me. Now I am a registered Republican, I love and have visited Poland, and my favorite President of my lifetime is Ronald Wilson Reagan. Thanks, guys, and may God bless Poland! Google the terms ("Reagan democrats" Polish) for more details on the politics.
Freedom-loving Poles recognized one of their own.
Polish HERE! Well 1/2 - the other is 1/2 German and hale from the Northwest side of Chicago. The Polish side IS conservative and votes republican.
Ping!
Amen.
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