It's the ones who moved to America, and forget their class roots, I have an issue with. And I've cited some of the more famous examples, too. Far more religious than their cousins still in Ireland. Prickly as well.
But we all know it's ok to say frog all one likes you see, but throw out an aspersion on the Irish-American community and, well, you've uttered some fighting words, eh? Fai de bèn a Bertrand, te lou rendra en cagant
While our country had some misguided angst toward France because of the war, I don't know of any of French-Americans who get a lot of shit. I'm from St. Louis, where there are a lot of people with French heritage, most of the place names are French, and there are even old French settlements. Never heard anyone get shit about it.
Irish Americans, however were historically segregated and subject to institutional racism in America. When my great grandfather came here, there were signs on buildings "No Irish Allowed." It was legal for people to refuse to hire the Irish. My grandfather went out of his way to hire and help African Americans, long before the Civil Rights movement, precisely because of what his own father went through. He knew the racism was bullshit.
And to this day, there persists a stereotype of Irish Americans as corrupt, working class, etc. Certainly nothing to the extent that it was, but here in Chicago, well, the Daleys aren't doing anything to improve the situation.
So, yeah, you don't mess with the Irish. Sorry.
You should rent the movie, "In America." Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. -Voltaire
I thought not.
We're talking current affairs, not the history of our grandparents' grandparents.
How 'bout "No blacks allowed"...that's right, that's still going on, less obvious than before, but going on all the same. Didn't stop those Irish-American Catholics from voting overwhelmingly for Ronald Reagan, he who popularized the term welfare queen, what with its racial overtones. That's right, once you get yours, you forget about those who are still in line, don't you?
As for French being thought of poorly, I'm first generation. In fact, I'm a dual citizen, and my wife is only now getting 'round to naturalizing US. We speak French at home, I did growing up, and I do with my kids and wife now. We also speak it occasioanlly out in the real world. And I can tell you, it wasn't too cool to be speaking French while waiting in line at the grocery store three years back. Suddenly, total strangers had an opinion of you, and they were quite willing to let you know what it was. Fai de bèn a Bertrand, te lou rendra en cagant
Pot meet kettle... Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. -Voltaire
Again, this is offensive. It's not Irish, just Irish Americans you have an issue with, eh? You are talking about 34 million people, not a few talking heads on tv and some people you met. That's practically the population of Poland. If you have an issue with that many people, that falls along ethnic lines, that sounds like racism. Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. -Voltaire
Have nothing to do with ethnicity, and everything to do with ideology. Fai de bèn a Bertrand, te lou rendra en cagant
