• Jump to Content »
  • Jump to Side-Bar »
  • Jump to Navigation »
  • Jump to Far-Bar »
  • Jump to Footer »
  • home
  • differences
  • questions
  • conversations
  • paintings
  • cartoons
  • US cycle
  • KC events
  • gaeilge
  • about

Irish KC is a one-man site on Irish news and events in Kansas City and its hinterland, along with Irishness in general and how it relates to Irish-America.

It is authored by an artist from Ireland who has lived in Kansas City.

Other sites: Bicyclistic (personal), American Hell (cartoons)

[ Irish KC ]
Kansas City Irish Festivals, Music, Pubs, & Events by an Artist in Ireland

« Irish Gaelic Lesson 2
Celtic Memories - of what exactly? »

Irish Immigrants & Bad Birds

Speaking of language, the meaning of words is not subject to the laws of democracy. If 100% of the population want green to mean orange, it doesn’t; we’re all wrong. It’s persuasive though.

However if we all believe green is orange, well then it is. That’s language. You just don’t want to be the last person knowing green is not orange. Or admitting you know it.

Birds migrate. It’s what they do. Come autumn and the weather’s warmer in Florida than Minnesota, they move. We call it migration. People do this too. They’ve been doing it for centuries. They might do it because of a change in the environment, or for economic reasons, or because Andrew Jackson told them to. But they move.

People are movers. To avoid confusion with shakers we call them migrants. If they cross international boundaries in their movements they become emigrants to the country they leave behind and immigrants to the country they settle in.

If an emigrant/immigrant kills his family while moving, he’s still an emigrant/immigrant, just so long as he moves. Those are the only qualifications; migration and an international border. It’s quite possible to be a criminal or an Irish musician, and at the same time, a migrant.

Whatever your opinion in the current debate on Immigration Law, you don’t get to say They not immigrants - they’re criminals as if membership of one group excludes you from the other. If it did then you would have the legal defense I can’t be guilty - I’m an immigrant.

None of this passes judgment on the law actually being an ass, or on whether or not you should be an emigrant/immigrant. If a bird lands in the wrong country it’s still called migration. And if it’s not the migrating kind, but somehow it flies, walks, hitches, and cycles, five thousand miles, then it has migrated even though it shouldn’t have - and even if it has killed on the way, or played Irish traditional music. Or both.

Most Irish people in Kansas City have been illegal at some stage. Most are now legal. Legality came at the stroke of a pen. At all times they, well okay - we, have been emigrants. It’s just that at times some of us have also been illegal immigrants. We have been bad birds.

Phil Dillon at Another Man’s Meat, a Democrat transpanted to the Flint Hills, expresses his opinions on the matter more gracefully than most. They are not my opinions, for I feel democracy is over-rated and the Flint Hills under-rated.

My favourite quote in the discussion so far was when the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform lobbied Washington DC and were met by a Senator’s aide who replied Legalize the Irish in what respect? Have they done something illegal?

Related Posts:
  • Green, White and Red Apples
  • Irish Flags in US Political Demonstrations
  • Irish Place Names & Illegals
  • Nobody Gets Upset with the Irish on St Patrick’s

Share |

This entry was posted on Thursday, March 30th, 2006 at 6:32 pm and is filed under Immigration. You can follow responses via my RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.


3 Responses to “Irish Immigrants & Bad Birds”

  1. Bridget responds: April 1st, 2006 at 6:57 am

    I’m with you.
    I know this topic is complicated, but I just can’t get past the fact that most families in this country immigrated here relatively recently. My family, who immigrated here a few generations ago, has received so many blessings in this country. How can I say that others shouldn’t get the same opportunity? Also, I’ve watched how hard immigrants and refugees work in America just to keep their heads above water. If that’s the definition of a criminal, then we should all strive to be crooks.

  2. Anonymous responds: April 4th, 2006 at 9:15 am

    The only answer for this country and every country in the world may be labled “legal immigration”. Legal immigration is a good thing. It is a legal thing. It is not effected by how hard somebody works. Illegal immigration is a bad thing. It goes against the Law which is in place to maintain Order. You know countries must have and maintain order. Look around at the ones that do not have order.

    Since the dawn of time people have been immigrating to new territories, new lands, new places and new countries. At one time or another the people which claim a particular place as their own establish rules for outsiders coming in. These rules are called Laws. Laws are an absolute necessary part of keeping Order. It’s hard or maybe impossible to have one without the other. Laws do not work either because they are wrong or they are not enforced. In my opinion, Both are the case in America.

    As an American, try going to Ireland and being an illegal immigrant. You will not get a job, you will get no education or government assistance and worst of all… most (not all) of the native Irish will tell you to go home in a most rude and vulgar manner.

    Good luck.

    The definition of a criminal is one who breaks the Law. If you strive to be a criminal, break the law.

    If you do not agree with the US immigration laws, do something about it. Making comments like “we should all strive to be crooks” is no help to anybody and sounds very silly and unrealistic to me.

  3. Irish KC responds: April 4th, 2006 at 9:41 am

    Now now anonymous, I think taking half-sentences out of context and elevating them to full comments is unhelpful.

    Bridget didn’t simply say “we should all strive to be crooks”, she actually said “If that’s (working hard just to keep their heads above water) the definition of a criminal, then we should all strive to be crooks”.

    So if you want to shorten it you can paraphrase as “we should all strive to work hard to keep our heads above water” which strikes me as very realistic, and not at all silly.

    By all means disagree with that equation, but disagreeing with something nobody said is quite pointless.

Sorry. Comments have been closed.

|Top | Content|


HOT on Irish KC

Cottage Chronicles
Damo Interview
Irish Paintings
KC Irish Bands
Gaelic Games in KC
KC Mail to Ireland

  • Irish KC Author

    Eolai gan Fheile Eolaí gan Fhéile:
    • (816) 256 3366
    • Author 101
    • On Twitter
     Contact me 

Main Content

Irish KC Home
KC Events Calendar
Reviews
Photos
Irish Paintings
Irish Conversations
Ireland-USA Differences
F.A.I. Questions
Irish-American Cartoons
As Gaeilge, a Glossary
Gaelic/Gaeilge Lessons
Immigration
Irish Festivals
Celtic Comment
The Elders: KC Celtic Rock

Categories

  • 1-eolai (883)
    • Cycle Across America (85)
    • Meanderings (34)
    • Nostalgia (68)
    • Pencil Parings (1)
    • The Cottage (26)
  • Accordion (14)
  • Ads/Notices (16)
  • Animals (50)
  • Art (218)
    • listing (25)
  • blogs (233)
  • Books (64)
  • Branson (20)
  • Cartoons (46)
  • Classical (11)
  • England (50)
  • Events (1033)
  • FA Irish Q (33)
  • Festivals (283)
  • Fingal (1)
  • Food & Drink (159)
  • Gaeilge (42)
    • Irish / Gaelic / Gaeilge Lessons (20)
  • Genealogy (25)
  • Gilhouly's (1)
  • History (86)
  • Holidays (119)
  • Housekeeping (165)
  • Immigration (90)
  • Ireland (494)
    • 1916 Rising (11)
  • Ireland & USA: Differences (65)
  • Irish Business (219)
    • Brownes' Irish Market (62)
    • Cafe & (61)
    • Doherty & Sullivan's (14)
    • Sheehans Irish Imports (18)
    • The Celtic Ranch (5)
  • Irish Conversations (102)
  • Irish Dancing (52)
  • Len Graham (1)
  • Lists (94)
  • Literature & Irish Writers (92)
  • Midwest Irish Focus (33)
    • Celtic Comment (12)
  • Miscellaneous (118)
  • Movies (140)
  • Music Lessons (8)
  • Musicians (1333)
    • Altan (4)
    • Anthony Delallo (1)
    • Anuna (3)
    • Ashley Falls (2)
    • Bagatelle (3)
    • Bell X1 (4)
    • Beoga (2)
    • Bill Morris (1)
    • Black 47 (32)
    • Black Family (9)
    • Bob Geldof (9)
    • Bob Reeder (93)
    • Bohola (6)
    • Bono & U2 (69)
    • Bosko (1)
    • Bothy Band (8)
    • BP Fallon (2)
    • Brendan Loughrey (1)
    • Brett Gibson (23)
    • Brian Hart (5)
    • Brigid's Cross (8)
    • Brock McGuire Band (1)
    • Call of the Raven (1)
    • Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh (2)
    • Capercaillie (2)
    • Cathal Dunne (3)
    • Cathie Ryan (9)
    • Celtic Spring (4)
    • Celtic Thunder (2)
    • Celtic Woman (6)
    • Cherish the Ladies (9)
    • Cherry Cokes (2)
    • Chieftains (10)
    • Chipper Thompson (8)
    • Christy Moore (18)
    • Chulrua (1)
    • Clancy Brothers (14)
    • Clannad-Enya (15)
    • Clumsy Lovers (1)
    • Connacht Town (25)
    • Connie Dover (14)
    • Cottars (4)
    • Craobh Rua (1)
    • Creel (3)
    • Crowded House (1)
    • Damien Dempsey (16)
    • Damien Rice (20)
    • Daniel O Donnell (7)
    • David Munnelly (9)
    • De Dannan (2)
    • Different Drums (4)
    • Dirty Old Towne (2)
    • Dog Tree (5)
    • Doug Goodhart (6)
    • Dropkick Murphys (7)
    • Dublin City Ramblers (1)
    • Eddie Delahunt (224)
    • Eileen Ivers (14)
    • Elders (210)
    • Ellis Island (19)
    • Enter The Haggis (33)
    • Eric Bogle (4)
    • Fionn Regan (2)
    • Flannigan's Right Hook (81)
    • Flogging Molly (20)
    • Forest Green (2)
    • Four of Us (1)
    • Frames (26)
    • Fuchsia Band (93)
    • Gabriel Reyes (16)
    • Gaelic Storm (35)
    • Gerald Trimble (3)
    • Giordaí ua Laoghaire (2)
    • Girsa (1)
    • Glen Road (23)
    • Glengarry Bhoys (7)
    • Goats Don't Shave (2)
    • Grada (8)
    • Great Big Sea (5)
    • Hazel Whyte (5)
    • Heatons (3)
    • Hooligans (1)
    • Horslips (9)
    • Indulgers (13)
    • James Galway (1)
    • Jed Marum (6)
    • Jessica Kroh (2)
    • Jiggernaut (1)
    • Jimmy Crowley (15)
    • Joanna Newsom (2)
    • Joe Dolan (1)
    • Joe Heaney (2)
    • John McDermott (2)
    • John Morris (20)
    • John Spillane (13)
    • Jonathan Ramsey (15)
    • Kelihans (56)
    • Kelly (43)
    • Kieran O'Hare (1)
    • Kila (12)
    • Killdares (1)
    • Kirk Lynch (2)
    • Líadan (1)
    • Leahy (1)
    • Lenehan (1)
    • Liam O Maonlai (35)
    • Liam's Fancy (3)
    • Lick The Tins (1)
    • Lisa Dee (2)
    • Lisa Hannigan (10)
    • Liz Carroll (2)
    • Lucky Charms (50)
    • Luka Bloom (26)
    • Luke Kelly & Dubliners (12)
    • Lunasa (5)
    • Majella Murphy (8)
    • Mason Brown (10)
    • McCabes (4)
    • Mic Christopher (3)
    • Mick O'Brien (1)
    • Mickey Finns (3)
    • Miles From Dublin (2)
    • Millish (2)
    • Morrissey (16)
    • Mundy (4)
    • New Shilling (2)
    • Nine Mile Burn (1)
    • O'Shea Sisters (3)
    • Pale (3)
    • Patrick Street (1)
    • Paul Brady (2)
    • Peter Adams (1)
    • Pogues (29)
    • Potcheen Folk Band (2)
    • Prodigals (6)
    • Rattle and Hum (27)
    • Richard Thompson (5)
    • Rob Gavin (6)
    • Roger Landes (12)
    • Roscommon (4)
    • Rowan (8)
    • Royal Shamrock (1)
    • Runrig (4)
    • Saw Doctors (16)
    • Síocháin (2)
    • Scartaglen (4)
    • Scythian (4)
    • Sean McRactagan (1)
    • Sean O Riada (3)
    • Searson (7)
    • Seven Nations (34)
    • Sharon Shannon (2)
    • Shenanigans (2)
    • Shortleaf Band (9)
    • Sinead O Connor (13)
    • Snow Patrol (8)
    • Solas (9)
    • Something For The house (11)
    • stepcrew (2)
    • Sweeney's Men (1)
    • Teada (10)
    • The Croagh Patrick (1)
    • Thick Lizzy (3)
    • Thin Lizzy (6)
    • Three Dollar Band (4)
    • Tom Dahill (2)
    • Tommy Martin & Misla (7)
    • Tommy Meehan (6)
    • Tossers (3)
    • Triflemore (11)
    • Trinity (5)
    • Tullamore (43)
    • Tullintrain West (8)
    • Turlach Boylan (18)
    • Valley Project (1)
    • Van Morrison (15)
    • Vandon Arms (3)
    • Waterboys (7)
    • Wild Clover Band (30)
    • Wild Colonial Bhoys (15)
    • Wolfe Tones (6)
    • Xiles (5)
    • Young Dubliners (27)
    • Young Wolfetones (2)
  • Organizations (217)
    • AOH (6)
    • Celtic Fringe (10)
    • Harp & Shamrock (12)
    • IAC (1)
    • IMA (1)
    • IMCC (58)
    • KC GAC (44)
    • KC Parade (4)
    • MVFS (4)
  • Photos (158)
  • Pubs (536)
    • 75th St Brewery (4)
    • Claddagh Irish Pub (4)
    • Daily Limit (1)
    • Dempsey's (2)
    • Fathead's Irish Pub (7)
    • Fitz's Blarney Stone (3)
    • Governor Stumpy's (21)
    • Greenwood Triple P (14)
    • Harling's Upstairs (24)
    • J. Murphy's (5)
    • Kelly's of Westport (14)
    • Kennedy's (14)
    • Kyle's Tap Room (13)
    • Lew's Grill & Bar (17)
    • Llywelyn's Pub (10)
    • Maloney's (3)
    • Marfield's Irish Pub (8)
    • McFadden's (9)
    • Mickey's (11)
    • Molloy's (17)
    • Norty's (2)
    • O'Dowd's - Plaza (89)
    • O'Dowd's - Zona Rosa (15)
    • O'Malley's Irish Pub (131)
    • O'Neill's - PV (4)
    • Paddy O'Quigley's (27)
    • Raglan Road (38)
    • Record Bar (23)
    • The Brick (6)
    • The Gaf (39)
    • The Office (2)
    • The Public House (3)
    • The Well (2)
    • Walsh's Corner Cocktail (7)
    • Waxy O'Shea's (14)
    • Waxy O'Shea's Shawnee (13)
    • Westsider (25)
    • WJ McBride's - KCK (32)
    • WJ McBride's - OP (25)
  • radio (29)
  • Religion (37)
  • Reviews (97)
  • Scotland (67)
  • sessions (20)
  • Shows (57)
    • eurovision (17)
  • Sport (196)
    • Setanta (26)
  • St Patrick's Day (336)
  • Sunday Shorts (20)
  • Tech (45)
    • twitter (14)
  • Translations (2)
  • Travel (115)
  • Video (157)
  • Wales (1)
  • weather (50)

Archives

  • March 2019
  • November 2018
  • March 2018
  • December 2017
  • September 2017
  • May 2016
  • March 2016
  • May 2015
  • March 2015
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • March 2014
  • January 2014
  • August 2013
  • May 2013
  • March 2013
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • May 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • December 2011
  • October 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • March 2011
  • February 2011
  • December 2010
  • November 2010
  • October 2010
  • September 2010
  • August 2010
  • July 2010
  • June 2010
  • May 2010
  • April 2010
  • March 2010
  • February 2010
  • January 2010
  • December 2009
  • November 2009
  • October 2009
  • September 2009
  • August 2009
  • July 2009
  • June 2009
  • May 2009
  • April 2009
  • March 2009
  • February 2009
  • January 2009
  • December 2008
  • November 2008
  • October 2008
  • September 2008
  • August 2008
  • July 2008
  • June 2008
  • May 2008
  • April 2008
  • March 2008
  • February 2008
  • January 2008
  • December 2007
  • November 2007
  • October 2007
  • September 2007
  • August 2007
  • July 2007
  • June 2007
  • May 2007
  • April 2007
  • March 2007
  • February 2007
  • January 2007
  • December 2006
  • November 2006
  • October 2006
  • September 2006
  • August 2006
  • July 2006
  • June 2006
  • May 2006
  • April 2006
  • March 2006
  • February 2006
  • January 2006
  • December 2005
  • November 2005
  • October 2005
  • September 2005
  • August 2005
  • July 2005
  • June 2005
  • May 2005
  • April 2005
  • March 2005
  • February 2005
  • January 2005

And There’s More

THE 1916 EASTER RISING

1916 Rising

1916 Dublin Rising:

Langerland's Rising
1st Military 1916 Parade for 37 yrs
Black Shamrock and W
90th Anniversary of 1916 Rising
Commemorative Concert for 1916 Rising
KC Drill Teams Salute Irish Rebels

|Top | Sidebar|


Art

My Paintings on Sale
Irish Paintings for Sale
  • Feeds

    • • Subscribe to All Posts
    • • Or just Main Features

Main KC Irish Events

Submit Your Irish Event

Mar 20 Hoffenpurpenburger Day
See List of All KC Events

Latest Comments

  • Is Ireland Really Green, Potato-Eating, and Red-Haired ?  (14)
    Leigh Pagenkopf, cyrell, Eolaí, Nicolas Martin, Ellen K., eolai [...]
  • Driscoll School of Irish Dance in Shawnee, Kansas  (1)
    Theresa Gavila
  • An Irish Sausage is NOT a Banger  (9)
    Stee, fred beamish, Arnold, Donald McCall, Marie Hughes, Eolaí gan Fhéile [...]
  • One Million Views: Avicii Vs Lurgan  (1)
    Logtar
  • Midwest Irish Focus Changes Location  (2)
    Edna Smith, cricket
  • Panda Playtime!  (5)
    Eolaí, Nina, Jenny Krizman, Elly Parker, Eolaí
  • Biggest Irish Festivals in America  (3)
    Eolaí, Howard, NW Irish Fest
  • Eolaí gan Fhéile, author of Irish KC  (17)
    Eolaí, jill, Nance, e, J.R. McFadden, eolai [...]
  • Leaping Pandas, It's A Lovely Day!  (4)
    Eolaí, Nina, Eolaí, Jenny
  • Thanks A Million  (2)
    Kaylah Nealy, Shop Irish

Search Irish KC

Search 

Most Popular Posts:

An Irish Cottage
A KC Call to an Irish Mother
St. Valentine's Day
David Shaughnessy
A Bad Pint
Songs Learned in School
Turas : Trip
Irish Odyssey in Kansas City
Dublin Walls: Photos
Damo & Me: Audio Interview
Ireland/US Difference: Fun
Irish Inventions
Prison Interview with Philo
A KC Phone Call to Ireland
U2: Dublin 1979 & 1987
History of an Irish Pub
An Ice Oratory
Online: Staying Irish
Irish Place Names & Illegals
Turkeyed Out
Traveling By Train
1st Mosquito Bite
Feast or Famine: Emigration
Temperatures
How Do You Find America?
Customer Service in the US
Why Are The Irish Guilty?
House of Pain
25 Things About KC
Little Judy's Watching TOTP
Meeting Maradona

Paintings Recently Sold

  • painting Hover thumbnail
  • painting Heuston thumbnail
  • painting Stone Walls, No Sheep thumbnail
  • painting Parkgate Street thumbnail
  • painting Westport II thumbnail
  • painting Ormond Quay thumbnail
irishblogawards.gif Irish Trad School
Eddie Delahunts Cafe and

Twitter

    Follow IrishKC on Twitter >>

    Facebook

    IrishKC creator on Facebook

    FriendFeed

    An aggregate of my postings, along with the same from friends. On FriendFeed

    Tumblr

    Irish sKCraps

    YouTube

    Eolaí's Videos

    MySpace

    Kansas City Irish

    Irish & Ish

    • David Maybury
    • Primal Sneeze
    • Musical Rooms
    • Thirsty Gargoyle
    • Damien Mulley
    • Fat Mammy Cat
    • Well Done Fillet
    • Dante and the Lobster
    • Annie Rhiannon
    • Problem Child Bride
    • Bock The Robber
    • Sniffle & Cry
    • Hangar Queen
    • Conortje
    • I Can Has Cook
    • Flirty Something
    • Íomhá an lae
    • Máthair Gaelachais
    • Stranded on Gaia
    • Two Wheels on my Wagon
    • Nialler9
    • Avoiding Life
    • One More Hour
    • Eoin Purcell
    • Head Rambles
    • Paddy Anglican
    • Redmum
    • The Indie Hour
    • Darren's Photo Blog
    • Irish Eyes Art Studio
    • News From Nowhere
    • Maman Poulet
    • An Spailpín Fánach
    • Homebug
    • One For The Road
    • Donal
    • Grannymar
    • A Bit of Bonhomie
    • Writing It Down Fills In...
    • Slugger O'Toole
    • Tuppenceworth
    • Argolon
    • Irish Politics
    • The Persuaders
    • Filmbase
    • Blather Abroad
    • North Atlantic Skyline
    • In Photo Dot Org
    • B&W Photos of Ireland

    Kansas City & Missouri

    • American Hell
    • Happy In Bag
    • Hip Suburban White Guy
    • Sugar Britches
    • Farmer Bob
    • Three O'Clock in the Morning
    • Erin in the Real World
    • General Blather
    • FileGirl
    • There Stands The Glass
    • Gone Mild
    • Midtown Miscreant
    • My Spyder Web
    • Well Hell Michelle
    • KC With a Russian Accent
    • Tony's Kansas City
    • KC Gaelic Athletic Club
    • KC Beer Blog
    • So Many Books
    • The D Rules
    • Wayward Blog
    • Chimpotle
    • Average Jane
    • Scoot Utopia
    • Daily Photo Kansas City
    • KC Sponge
    • Frighteningly Uncommon Sense
    • All Astonishment
    • Scéalta
    • Fallible
    • The Kansas City Post
    • Death's Door
    • Observant Bystander
    • Pomegranate Pretty
    • K City
    • Photog Blog
    • Branson Blog
    • Down The Byline
    • Greetings From Waldo
    • Alonzo Washington
    • KC Bike.Info
    • Bike Friendly KC
    • KC Bloggers
    • The Celtic Fringe
    • MVFS
    • Tuesday Folk
    • KC Library: Irish in KC
    • City of Kansas City, MO

    Recent Readers

    Aggregators

    Irish Blogs

    Stats

    Meta

    • Log in
    • XHTML
    • CSS

    |Top | FarBar|


    Copyright © 2006-2021, [ Irish KC ]. All rights reserved. |Top|
    [ Irish KC ] is powered by WordPress and has had (Stats Disabled) unique visitors
    A Modification of Accessible “SeaBeast” theme v.1.2 © 2006-2021 by Mike Cherim


    Attention: This is the end of the usable page!
    The images below are preloaded standbys only.
    This is helpful to those with slower Internet connections.