Um... Is Europe anti-semitic? Well the very question is insulting. Is America dumb? Is Asia murderous? Is Africa lazy? Is Australia criminal?

Must needs tag and brand! Is that not where problems start?

Originally written by Liliana Boladz-Nekipelov on May 22, 2009 6:12 AM  the Native American people, or Indians, as they call themselves

"American Indian" is not just a double insult but deceit and aspersion too.

Oh well... Зачем мне считаться шпаной и бандитом...

Originally written by Dodo Kaipdodo on May 22, 2009 1:19 PM the very question is insulting

Is that why Der Spiegel answered it? To dispel any doubts? Or is it a red herring considering what's going on in the world 70 years later?

Originally written by Dodo Kaipdodo on May 22, 2009 7:19 AM Um... Is Europe anti-semitic? Well the very question is insulting. Is America dumb? Is Asia murderous? Is Africa lazy? Is Australia criminal? Must needs tag and brand! Is that not where problems start? Originally written by Liliana Boladz-Nekipelov on May 22, 2009 6:12 AM  the Native American people, or Indians, as they call themselves "American Indian" is not just a double insult but deceit and aspersion too.   Oh well... Зачем мне считаться шпаной и бандитом...

No, Dodo,  Native Americans often call themselves Indians [indens] and they are proud of it. It would be an insult if somebody else called them that.

Originally written by Jacek K. on May 22, 2009 12:52 PM ... You cannot opine on the state of mind of a nation without access to current demographic and sociological data.

Oh, I don't know, Jacek. Reading a large variety of news both online and offline while also living in-country, I think it's possible to have an opinion that reflects the general trends in a society. Of course, If I read only the news that come from the People's Party (DF) or if my best news source is the National Enquirer, well...

Nanna

See, in Poland when one went to school, in the communist times, in the first grade we had a Polish language text book, which started:

Murzynek Bambo w Afryce mieszka
Czarna ma buzie ten nasz kolezka
Uczy sie pilnie przez cale ranki
ze swej murzynskiej pierwszej czytanki.

It is just a poem which translates:

A Black boy Bambo lives in Africa
He has a black face, this friend of ours
He studies hard  from early morning
From his first African text book,
 

Not too good rhyme, but anyhow.

This is why when this boy showed up in our school everybody thought it was Murzynek Bambo from Africa so everybody wanted to touch him. It was an event of the range of UFO.

The whole text

Murzynek Bambo w Afryce mieszka,
Czarną ma skórę ten nasz koleżka.
Uczy się pilnie przez całe ranki
Ze swej murzyńskiej Pierwszej czytanki.
A gdy do domu ze szkoły wraca,
Psoci, figluje – to jego praca.
Aż mama krzyczy: “Bambo, łobuzie!”
A Bambo czarną nadyma buzię.
Mama powiada: “Napij się mleka”,
A on na drzewo mamie ucieka.
Mama powiada: “Chodź do kąpieli”,
A on się boi, że się wybieli.
Lecz mama kocha swojego synka,
Bo dobry chłopak z tego Murzynka.

Szkoda, że Bambo czarny, wesoły,

Nie chodzi razem z nami do szkoły.

- Julian Tuwim - in fact a poem by a  great Polish poet.

Originally written by Liliana Boladz-Nekipelov on May 22, 2009 2:00 PM - Julian Tuwim - in fact a poem by a  great Polish poet.

And a Polish Jew or a Jewish Pole (I don't know how he would define himself) for that matter. A detail like that, of course, would be kept secret under communism.

Originally written by Nanna Mercer on May 22, 2009 1:38 PM Originally written by Jacek K. on May 22, 2009 12:52 PM ... You cannot opine on the state of mind of a nation without access to current demographic and sociological data. Oh, I don't know, Jacek. Reading a large variety of news both online and offline while also living in-country, I think it's possible to have an opinion that reflects the general trends in a society.

Unfortunately, living in Poland I am totally unable to quantify Polish racism. Also because the situation in a metropolis may be different from small towns.

Originally written by Jacek K. on May 22, 2009 2:36 PM the situation in a metropolis may be different from small towns.

I readily agree with that, but I still think it's possible to have an opinion, unless, of course, you never get beyond the small town or if all you read is small town news.

Nanna

Originally written by Nanna Mercer on May 22, 2009 3:12 PM I still think it's possible to have an opinion...

True. In an interview in today's paper, Jens Høvsgaard questions, for example, the recurring idea (e.g., Post #176379) that Danes are among people who feel the happiest in the world. It's an illusion, he says.

Originally written by Liliana Boladz-Nekipelov on May 22, 2009 7:33 AM Native Americans often call themselves Indians [indens] and they are proud of it. It would be an insult if somebody else called them that.

Well... I`m not much of an expert, yet, AFAIK, people(s) named American Indians by whites used to have different names for themselves. One of those was Mapuche (People of the Earth), if only my memory serves me right. Anyway, both "American" and "Indians" are European terms. Not that this could solve any anti-semitic or zionist issues...

Originally written by Jacek K. on May 22, 2009 3:31 PM Originally written by Nanna Mercer on May 22, 2009 3:12 PM I still think it's possible to have an opinion... True. In an interview in today's paper, Jens Høvsgaard questions,

(Laughing). OK --- If you were aiming to set me up with that cheap trick...

Nanna