Piast Institute Corrects Glenn Beck

Hamtramck, Michigan – Yesterday, Mr. Glenn Beck of Fox News made a hash of pronouncing the surname of U.S. Congresswoman Janet Schakowsky. It is obviously a name that originated in Poland. American names come from all over the world and it is incumbent on all of us, especially those in the media, to learn to pronounce them correctly. Ms. Schakowsky’s name is only three syllables long and its original spelling was altered to make it easy for English speakers to say.
 
Our names are a key to our identity, self-esteem and our pride in our heritage and family. To fail to pronounce them correctly, especially on national television, is a mark of disrespect. This is a serious matter. The prejudice the Polish-Americans have suffered has usually begun with the mockery of our names. We would ask Mr. Beck and all others in the media to make the effort to pronounce our names correctly. All television stations have guides for pronunciations of foreign names and places. We ask that they also develop a handbook for the correct pronunciation of Polish American and all other American names.
 
For more information, contact
Virginia Skrzyniarz at 313-733-4535
or by email at skrzyniarz@piastinstitute.org
 

Piast Institute is an independent, non-profit organization funded in 2003 to promote the understanding of Polish America and Poland, and to advocate for their needs and interests in America through high quality research and sophisticated anti-defamation efforts. We seek to be a resource for government, business, students, journalists, educators, civic leaders, and the interested public in Poland and North America, on Polish and Polish American affairs.

The Piast Institute, as a representative of a major American ethnic group, also seeks to serve the interests of American Society with its research and expertise on ethnicity, race, and pluralism and its ability to assist community groups with data, research, asset and capacity building.

It seeks, in particular, to enhance the commonwealth and empower the communities and groups it works with through coalition building and the opening of broad inclusive dialog on how we should live together and prosper in our multicultural society.

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Dominik A. Stecula
Director of Research and Data Analysis
Piast Institute
A National Institute for Polish and Polish American Affairs
11633 Jos. Campau
Hamtramck, Michigan 48212
1-313-733-4535, www.piastinstitute.org
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