Green, White, and Red Apples
I do want to go back to discussing Colin Farrell in a cardigan, but first, as an Irish immigrant I’d like to address some myths about Irish immigration that seem designed to distinguish Irish from Mexican immigrants. Particularly in reference to the first comment on this post.
1. Irish-Americans came here legally
Not all Irish Americans came here legally. I worked in Ireland across the road from the US Embassy in Dublin in the mid 1990s and out of my window watched thousands of illegal Irish immigrants get transformed into legal ones by a stroke of a pen enacted by the US government. Prior to that we regularly boasted of 250,000 illegal Irish immigrants in the US.
2. Irish-Americans pay taxes
It’s possible to be here illegally and pay all kinds of taxes including income tax. I came here illegally and paid all my taxes. It’s also possible to be here legally and evade tax, like some American-Americans do.
3. Irish-Americans have health insurance
Whilst it’s much more difficult to get health insurance as an illegal immigrant, it’s not impossible. I was illegal and had health insurance. Since becoming legal I have at times not had health insurance.
4. Irish-Americans vote
They may vote, if they’re a citizen, but the issue is the legality of their immigration status not citizenship. I’m a legal immigrant, but I’m not a citizen so I can’t vote.
5. Irish-Americans (can speak English)
Maybe they can now, but many original Irish immigrants couldn’t. In the decade between 1845 and 1855, 1.8 million Irish people, mostly poor illiterate Gaelic-speaking Catholic farmers and laborers left Ireland for Eastern Canada and the United States.
6. If the Irish went out and robbed banks the day before St.Patricks then protested to have the charges dropped in the parade the next day then you would have apples to apples
As the slogan “Legalize the Irish” would indicate, the Irish are also asking to have their bank-robbing charges against them dropped. I think it’s the colour of the apples you have an issue with. If hundreds of thousands of immigrants were robbing banks on the same day I think Oliver Stone would’ve made a movie of it, but Spike Lee would make a better one.
Handy Irish Phrase: An té atá thuas óltar deoch air. An té atá thíos buailtear cos air (The one who succeeds is toasted. The one who fails is kicked)
Related Posts:
• Irish Flags in US Political Demonstrations
• Irish Place Names & Illegals
• Nobody Gets Upset with the Irish on St Patrick’s
• Irish Immigrants and Bad Birds
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