As a baby boomer, I grew up in the 1960s when there was no political correctness. So there were jokes being told in school that would never be accepted in 2017. Like Italian jokes, Ukrainian jokes, Indian jokes and many more. But the Poles took the brunt of the jokes for some reason. There were "Pollack jokes" being told by kids in school all the time.
They seemed pretty tame by today's standards. How many Pollacks does it take to change a light bulb? Five. One to hold the bulb and 4 to spin the ladder around. Not really the kind of joke to trigger people back then. Actually getting triggered wasn't a thing back then. It either got a laugh or you got a smack in the back of the head.
Then we went on with our lives.
So the thought was that Polish people were not that smart. I never met a dumb Pollack that proved this kind of statement, but the jokes seemed to go on for years. And although these jokes were meant to be hurtful, they seemed like you could add in any nationality in these jokes and as kids, they were funny. Unless they were about you.
I was called the "N" word when I was young because I turned very dark every summer. I have native blood in me (Metis) but look to most people to be a white guy.
Back in 1967 being called this really didn't have much impact on me. "I know you are but what am I?" would usually be enough to stop the name calling if you said it about 20 times.
Now 50 years later I can see that the Polish jokes were obviously unfounded.
Beata Szidlo, the Prime Minister of Poland has been saying for over a year now that there would be no Muslim migrants allowed into Poland. She is apparently learning from the mistakes of Germany and France. She sees that those countries are finding out that a religion that does not want to assimilate with the rest of the host country will probably become a problem.
She sees that the above countries are becoming less safe, less happy and less in control of their own future. And she won't have any of it.
How many terror attacks in Poland? Zero. How many complaints about the Islamist insurgence? Zero. How many welfare checks going to immigrants who believe in Sharia law? Well you get the Idea.