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
"23 yr old Parks Department project manager"
IOW, a lawnkeeper's super.
"Some American Jews" tells the truth about the very nature of this type of humour. Holocaust jokes about Jews were very popular not long time ago among some Poles. I never found them funny and expressed my dislike openly making some people's eyes go very big. Using expressions like "verimin" in relation to an ethnic group doesn't have anything to do with PC or satire.
I gotta love how these hipster twerps have infested Greenpoint (coming up from Williamsburg) over the past 5-10 years and do nothing but put down the (legal) immigrants and their children who actually work for a living.
"Republican vermin infesting the FR" would be humorous to you? Doubt it.
I gotta love how these hipster twerps have infested Greenpoint (coming up from Williamsburg) over the past 5-10 years and do nothing but put down the (legal) immigrants and their children who actually work for a living.
That being said, this appears to be poorly written satire by a parks department employee, who should stick to pushing pencils for the city. Even this half-Pole isn't so dense as to not notice this. ;-) Nevertheless, my rant still stands.
My dear Jewish friend once caught me off guard and wordlessly stunned as when we were constructing his new home and the installers were fitting out the MBath shower - he said it was "big enough to gas the little Jew" and it broke my heart (or thumping gizzard). When I told him, he laughed it off and apologized if I WAS HURT.
Sometimes, those jokes are more disturbing to the acquainted than to the intended.
More often they spread hatred and contempt towards the indended. Maybe I should send your friend a collection of Polish "gas chamber jokes". What do you think? :)
All I know is that I'm an American who happens to be white, with no idea of what ethnicity I should be carrying a torch for.
We quickly mutually realized that was an area we're best to avoid.
Amen to that. Plus they age much better than most. Eastern European women blow the rest away.
Too many people are just wimpy nowadays. If anything makes them think little unhappy thoughts they get all lathered up. Take my tag line for example, some might think it's politically incorrect while others know it's just simply accurate
Sticks and stones may break .......
Your blood, who you are and where you come from - all those identy constituents are very important. Jews know this - that's why they were able to preserve their culture against all odds throughout thousands of years. Thanks to that they felt distinct and proud of their heritage and influenced much bigger, stronger but less ethnically conscious nations. I must say I admire them for that very much.
Good. I hope his neighbours will show David what they think about bad apples.
Everyone knows that Jewish horn removal is the largest segment of plastic surgery in the U.S. :)
Pity some of them don't have their Poles-hating tumor removed from their brains as a bonus. ;)
It seems that it's OK to trash people of European background, since the left's agenda is to eliminate Christians and Jews and replace them with third-world savages who chop heads.
I am of Polish descent, and my father told me most of the Polish jokes that I heard growing up. It sounds like a satire to me. More much ado about nothing, imo.
I am also of Polish descent, and all the good jokes circulated the Polish neighborhood. Of course, I am also from Chicago, and we didn't tell Irish jokes; we elected them.
...but the decent realize it is likely just low-class and potentially libelous.
What a shame that these Polish-Americans don't display the same strength and resilence. Even if the essay wasn't too Swift (sic), it's sad that they felt threatened by such writing. :-( Too bad the spirit of such gallant heroes as Casimir Pulaski seems to be lacking in these folks.
What Polish-Americans?
The guy who plays Borat is named Cohen, is himself Jewish, and so can get away with that
Potentially libelous? LOL! And you are one of the "decent" people I suppose? Tell me, are you decent if you are on the Houston City Council and pass laws taking other people's property or demanding that they conform their businesses to how they imagine you should? With no regards to the damage is causes?
hehehe.. if you mean FR, I "came onboard" nearly a decade ago. I recall the black background days of FR, in a past incarnation...but I stand guilty as charged regarding lack of clarity and conciseness.
I think the point is: if you're Polish you can make fun of Poles; Irish, the Irish; a Jew, the Jews. Mr. Langlieb is Jewish, so his satire should've been directed at his own. Otherwise, it's clearly meant to be insulting; or do you think vermin is a satirical term of endearment?
Your papa used to call you a vermin :( ?
>> Your papa used to call you a vermin :( ? <<
Of course not. However, it's quite clear that the writer in this article (the guy who was fired) was adopting a character for humorous or satirical purposes.
Ever read Swift's "A Modest Proposal?" Google it if not.
"However, it's quite clear that the writer in this article (the guy who was fired) was adopting a character for humorous or satirical purposes."
Somehow I doubt It but after all he wasn't talking about me, so If you guys like that then no big deal indeed.
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