Yes. As Pole I can confirm, that in here people are very often afraid of what they don't know. It's just due to historical experience for last 250 years when politically and socially we have had unwanted superiors. Like after ww2 communists from russia who have done everything to society to be afraid of nearest neighbours, friends and family.

Poland is historically one of few countries that allowed since middle ages Jews Muslims and all various Christians live on it's lands and have equal or almost equal rights. Poland had elections for the king since XVI century so it was some kind of democracy.

We were very liberal I think, and that was something that our imperialistic neighbours used to conflict the nation in XVIII and take our lands.