Nobody gets upset with the Irish on St. Patrick’s Day
Nobody apart from the Kansas City Star that is.
Actually we’re talking flags. The KC Star today has a story about the reactions the hispanic community have had by waving Mexican flags during the recent immigration marches and demonstrations.
It all reminds me of home where my Catholic brethern love the innocence of our ‘parades‘ whilst disdaining the other side’s ‘marches‘ with their lack of cultural anything. Clearly the work ethic of a ‘march’ is too purposeful and urgent for those of us who like a stroll.
And why don’t they love our national flag which gives their ‘orange’ as much space as our ‘green’? Probably for the same reason we don’t love the British flag even though its saltire of St Patrick has as much space as that of St Andrew’s or the cross of St George of England.
Meanwhile the RUC NIPS - or whatever the Northern Ireland Police call themselves these days - take the Harp and the Shamrock long before Bob Reeder’s fan club, but they add a crown. A British crown! Horror of horrors - if only they had added a British tiara instead we’d all be fine with a symbol of Elton John, and Sinn Fein would probably even accept policing.
The Irish government once forced a German food company to take the Shamrock off its packaging, because it owns the Shamrock, just like it owns the Harp. Guinness, got away with using the harp by cleverly using a mirror image, but that isn’t so effective with the Shamrock, so America even more cleverly regulary adds a fourth leaf, turning our shamrock into a four-leaf clover whilst perpetuating the myth that St Patrick explained the Trinity by using the Shamrock. Genius. But if the third leaf is the Holy Spirit, what does the fourth represent? Ringo Starr?
Being Irish means being able to discuss flags and symbols until the cows come home and learn to join in the discussion. (NOTE: Cows don’t symbolize anything in that previous sentence).
So in Kansas City, Green, White and Orange means heritage, party, family fun and tec-9s, but Green, White and Red means lack of loyalty to the United States. Obviously. It’s the difference between orange and red. Racism, by any chance?
Handy Irish Phrase: Más maith leat siocháin, cairdeas, agus moladh, éist, feic, agus fan balbh (If you wish for peace, friendship, and praise, listen, look, and stay mute)
Related Posts:
Green, White and Red Apples
Irish Flags in US Political Demonstrations
Irish Place Names & Illegals
Irish Immigrants and Bad Birds
More Immigration Posts
Eolaí gan Fhéile:
you left out one important difference: Irish americans came here legally and they pay taxes, have health insurance and vote. (they also speak english)
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.
There was a time not long ago when the Irish were the lowest immigrants…
Actually, when most Irish immigrated, the immigration system was completely different, so it’s a flawed argument because the current laws and blocks didn’t exist in the same form when the Irish immigrated.
And yes, Irish used to be the lowest immigrants and previous immigrant waves looked down on them and complained of their presence, too. Did you ever consider if we weren’t so rushed to deport Mexicans, they too will eventually “assimilate” (although that is also a completely archaic term).
Tons of research prove post-1965 immigrants are learning English FASTER than previous immigrant waves. And if we give current migrants an opportunity to be here legally, they’d eventually get their citizenship and vote, likely in greater numbers than our apathetic native-born.
You must think I’m a horrible American: I vote, question my government and, to make matters worse, have American, Colombian and Bukovinian flags in my house becaue I’m proud of my entire ancestry and I’m proud to know my history.