While driving around Chicago, you will notice all kids of stickers, bumper stickers, logos, and customized car registration plates. Every immigrant group has a set of the "secret codes" and so does the Polish community. The obvious ones, Polish flag and Polish Eagle, are easy to spot but the customized registration plates spelled out in Polish are a different story.
Couple of days ago, I got an interesting one. Check out the picture below. It states "PAN BOG 1". It translates to "Lord God 1". Who knew? The Creator is actually Polish. Like with other things in life, connections, connections, connections.
After reading several British online articles, it seems that the Eastern European wave of immigration to Great Britain is still one of the top subjects of the concerned British citizens. Because of the sheer numbers (800,000 or more), Poles are singled out as the one nationality that is overtaking the fragile British job market. In my previous post "Can Brits accept Poles living in Britain?", I had a chance to discuss the subject with the interested parties.
As a Polish immigrant living in the US for 19 years, I understand the pushback and worries of the native population when it comes to a rapid influx of a foreign culture. I probably shouldn't mention native population realizing the fate of the native American Indians. All my Polish friends traveled the same immigrant road so both sides have valid arguments.
Perhaps US is a bit different when it comes to treatment of the immigrants but the struggle of the new immigrants is very similar. Lack of English language skills, unknown environment, learning how things work, getting around bureaucracy, and homesickness are the roadblocks of every immigrant.
So why are the Brits are so afraid of the new immigrants?
They don't understand the culture and language. All the sz, rz, cz, dz sounds just don't make any sense.
They think that the immigrants steal their jobs. The BIG question is which jobs?
They want the immigrants to blend in and fully adopt the British culture. For the most part the tea time and cucumber sandwich.
They are afraid of the whole social warfare system collapse. I would deflect that worry toward the non-European refugees. Let's leave it at that.
They want the immigrants to pay their fair share of taxes. I suspect that most of them do already.
They can't deal with the increase of the crime. Statistics dear Watson!
Those are my 6 more important worries. Feel free to comment and add more below.
Why Brits should be grateful for the new Eastern European immigrants?
Kids of the immigrants will basically pay for your retirement. This is a big one.
Your aging population will get a healthy kick of working-age, young workers.
Your stiff culture will be injected with revitalized and lively traditions. Get ready for some kielbasa, pierogi, bigos, makowiec, Wielkanoc, Boze Narodzenie, Constituion Day… the list goes on.
Your country will save tons of money on trade education since Poland and other counties already paid for the training. In return, you can spend money on our kids who will repay you in about 50 years.
Recently, BBC came out with a great documentary about Eastern European immigrants in a town of Peterborough. The best comment: Part 3 @ 5:29. Watch it and draw your own conclusion.
Since 2004, May 2nd is the official Polish Flag Day. The Polish flag consists of two horizontal stripes: white on the top and red on the bottom. Variation of the flag displaying a crowned, white eagle national coat of arms on the white stripe is flown abroad and at sea. Read more about the Polish flag here.
White and red were officially adopted as national colors in 1831. They are of heraldic origin and derive from the tinctures (colors) of the coats of arms of the two constituent nations of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, i.e. the White Eagle of Poland and the Pursuer of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, a white knight riding a white horse, both on a red shield. Prior to that, Polish soldiers wore cockades of various color combinations. The national flag was officially adopted in 1919. Since 2004, Polish Flag Day is celebrated on May 2.
The flag is flown continuously on the buildings of the highest national authorities, such as the parliament and the presidential palace. Other institutions and many Polish people fly the national flag on national holidays and other special occasions of national significance. Current Polish law does not restrict the use of the national flag without the coat of arms as long as the flag is not disrespected.
May 2nd is a second public holiday after the May 1st, currently known as State Holiday, before the May 3rd, which is a Polish Constitution Day.
Besides the important religious holidays like Christmas, Easter, and Corpus Christi, the three day long May holiday is the longest public holiday in Poland. Even the reminiscence of the old, communist International Labor Day of May 1st, won't shadow the obvious benefits of the couple days off from work.
So if you sit in traffic in Chicago and notice Polish flags on cars and trucks, now you know why.
This year’s Chicago celebration of the Polish Constitution of 1791 will be held on Saturday, May 4th, 2013 with another massive parade on Columbus Drive in Grant Park on Chicago’s beautiful lakefront. This 122st Chicago parade in honor of this historic document, the first democratic constitution in Europe and second in the world only to the United States Constitution is once again expected to draw 250,000 eager revelers to the lakefront and untold thousands more to the television coverage of the parade expected to once again be provided by ABC-7 and Polish stations.
Time and location: 11:30 AM on Columbus Drive and Balbo, in front of Buckingham Fountain in Chicago.
