Posted on 11/04/2006 2:04:45 AM PST by twinself
A city worker was under fire last night for penning an essay that uses ethnic slurs to describe Polish-Americans and calls their Brooklyn enclave in Greenpoint "even uglier than the morons who work there." David Langlieb, a 23-year-old Parks Department project manager, defended his work as "satire."
"I live in Greenpoint, I'm half Polish, I have nothing but love and fondness for the Polish community," he said. "If you take what's there out of context, of course it's incredibly offensive."
But Frank Milewski of the Polish-American Congress, who read Langlieb's entire essay, called it an "an out-and-out insult" and was horrified the author referred to Greenpoint residents as "vermin."
"When you insult somebody you don't cover it up by calling it satire," he said. "The Nazis used to talk about Poles and Jews as subhumans and vermin."
Councilman David Yassky (D-Brooklyn), who represents the neighborhood, said "my eyes pretty much popped out of my head when I read this."
In a piece for his alumni magazine at Haverford College, Langlieb wrote that "communities like Greenpoint are a dying breed in America, and thank God for that."
Greenpoint's main problem, he wrote, was "Polish people infesting its rowhouses."
Langlieb described a Greenpoint "of the future" that will be filled with lawyers and investment bankers "after the vermin are gone."
"This was aimed at certain Haverford graduates who move into cohesive communities with little interest in giving back to those communities," Langlieb insisted.
Warner Johnston, a Parks Department spokesman, said Langlieb's "views do not reflect the views of the agency, he is writing as a private citizen."
Langlieb's mother, Arlene, called the essay "tongue-in-cheek" - and noted members of his father's Polish-Jewish family died in the Holocaust.
She said her son, who was an editor at his college paper, "likes to get noticed."
"I remember the time he did an editorial about my cooking," she said.
How long has F'n Kerry been working for the council?
What will these people do when they see the Borat movie?
He was on the Daily Show. When John Stewart told him "I'm Jewish..." Borat went into his shtick saying "You must have had plastic surgery". I thought he was going to make a joke about Stewart's nose or something. Borat said "You have had your horns removed..."
Then why say "some Jews?" Why not just "some people?"
Many Americans have to realize that the acceptance of satire or anything involving a bit of brainpower is not acceptable these days. Everyone has to be handled with kid gloves...in fact, I think the stereotype of the modern American would be "fragile and ignorant"... :-(
Silly man. OK, so it's a joke. I still say to this day that one of the most beautiful women I have ever known was a part Polish woman I dated in high-school/early college. Red hair and green eyes with perfect skin. An artist who was truly an expresion of art herself.
Just never tell me Polish people aren't beautiful. My first thought is that someone who'd say such a thing needs to spend more time out from under their rock.
And keep in mind this is from a guy who tends to prize morena beauties like my wonderful wife.
OK, that's a good point.
It's cruddy "Gondring Around the Collar" vermin like you who have muddied the once crystal clear concise postings of senior FReepers like me who are loathe to deal with the scum that have signed on since you came onboard.
I miss the old days when people had a sense of humor and would let a joke slide off their back now everyone is afraid to open their mouth and say anything as it MIGHT offend I say damn all this PC BS.
If you want to hear a good Polish joke, ask a Pole.
A: The Fighting Irish of Notre Dame
On "Fox & Friends" yesterday, Borat (Sasha Cohen) said that even small children would enjoy his movie because it contains jokes about Jews.
Agreed
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