On March 17, 2003, Mr. Lope informed us that he is of Polish extraction via a tasteful web banner, and thoughtfully provided a link to the Gaelic Insult Generator. Despite his proclamation of Polski pride, it does not appear that his ethnicity features prominently in his site conception.
Despite this, one hopes that Mr. Lope might find the illuminating thoughts of one Maciej Ceglowski on his ethnicity and native land of interest. Mr. Ceglowski, a native-born Pole largely reared in the United States, recently posted a long and affectionate essay about Warsaw.
To be honest, it was less a statement of Polish pride than a rebuttal to faux-Irish pride inspired by this hallowed day of Shamrock Shakes, beer with green food coloring, and (traditionally; not presently) annoying coworkers who feel compelled to touch people due to their conscious choice of wardrobe.
I’ve never explored my cultural heritage (Polish and Swiss) much because I don’t truly identify with either culture, my being American. The sum total of my experience as a Pole has involved pierogi, golubki, kolaczki, Kluski noodles, and infrequent visits to my family in Chicago, during which my grandfather listens to polka and occasionally blasphemes in Polish. Which, now that I think about it, may explain why I’m fat and ill-tempered.
Great essay, all the same.
P.S. You’re a madman, Whybark.
It took you this long to notice?
I am NOT MAD!
It’s merely a SENSE OF DUTY!