Originally Posted by exvj

What I dont get is that the Americans got so much more from the English /British than ever they did from the Irish - so why no St George's day Parades ?

America got it's language and law and culture (er -hum) from England/Britain and even the 13 stripes on the flag represent the British colonies ( a lot of sites call them the 'American colonies')

St Patrick's day either celebrates Irish nationalism or catholicism and that's fine for either of those groups , but why foist it on the world ? Irish nationalism this week means the murder of two young British soldiers who were in civvies and buying a pizza, and the murder of an Northern Irish policeman who was due to retire soon. Not a good week to raise my glass to Irish nationalism.

Anyway it's only one day but I am staying in. My motorcycle group invited me to decorate my bike green and ride in the parade. When I stated my reasons for not wanting to, they removed my post. Free speech indeed.

How come the Irish can parade up and down with Irish flags drums and bagpipes and everything written in gaelic, but the English are told to become 100% American or go home ?

Originally Posted by Lorna at Vicenza

America got Halloween from the Irish and turned a simple pagan harvest festival into a huge commercial party.

Originally Posted by Octang Frye

[citation needed]

Don't bother fighting it. Just enjoy the day. Or not. It's up to you.
It's just a big excuse for a party. (This coming from someone who was Christmas shopping in Harrods when the PIRA hit it; my dad did two tours of NI and would've lost his legs in Hyde Park as his replacement did when Dad was called away for the Royal Tournament.)

I did notice five or six guys come into the Snug wearing English rugby or soccer shirts. Just quiet little statements. In the past, I wondered whether to wear an orange tee-shirt or to make my own Red-Hand Commando tee-shirt but I figured no-one would get it anyway.

To your point that the British have contributed a lot to this culture - yes we have. Especially in the beginning. But so too have the waves of immigrants who came subsequently, be they Irish, Poles, Italians, Jews, Slavs, Chinese etc.

Originally Posted by Lorna at Vicenza

Slainte !

Originally Posted by Octang Frye

[citation needed]

Don't bother fighting it. Just enjoy the day. Or not. It's up to you.
It's just a big excuse for a party. (This coming from someone who was Christmas shopping in Harrods when the PIRA hit it; my dad did two tours of NI and would've lost his legs in Hyde Park as his replacement did when Dad was called away for the Royal Tournament.)

I did notice five or six guys come into the Snug wearing English rugby or soccer shirts. Just quiet little statements. In the past, I wondered whether to wear an orange tee-shirt or to make my own Red-Hand Commando tee-shirt but I figured no-one would get it anyway.

To your point that the British have contributed a lot to this culture - yes we have. Especially in the beginning. But so too have the waves of immigrants who came subsequently, be they Irish, Poles, Italians, Jews, Slavs, Chinese etc.

Originally Posted by Lorna at Vicenza

Slainte !

Originally Posted by exvj

Of course the others have contributed, but the Brits contributed the most because the legal system, democracy itself and the language as well as using their money and armed forces to set the country up in 1607

Originally Posted by Leslie66

Oh never mind.

Originally Posted by exvj

Of course the others have contributed, but the Brits contributed the most because the legal system, democracy itself and the language as well as using their money and armed forces to set the country up in 1607

I like the idea of the England T shirt - I will be wearing that next year. I have a British and a US flag on my rucksack and my American wife is genuinely affronted that the British flag is higher. Well my body is a corner of a foreign field that shall be forever England

I love to travel but I have received a lot of hostility as an Englishman - in Wales , the bartender pushed my beer at me and called me a 'saxon'. Hey it was no joke. In Scotland, a bunch of drunked yobs in kilts fired air rifles at my fishing float and were singing about 'seven kings' or something

My American wife was similarly disliked when she worked in Lancashire - just because she was American - much of that was the BUSH factor but it was there and it was strong

So how come the paddies deserve to be universally loved ?

Originally Posted by Lorna at Vicenza

They're not you fool. They have been the prime target for years for many a nasty dig, uncouth jokes, thick Paddy, no Irish welcome, get back to your paddy fields and much much more.

If St. Patricks day is now celebrated in America as a national celebration then it is because the Americans have jumped on the band wagon and taken it up so ask your American friends why.

It is NOT a universally loved and celebrated day and if you ever travelled other parts of the world - Europe included, you would know this so stop your gripe and your trolling and let those of us who want to celebrate do so in peace.

Originally Posted by exvj

Of course the others have contributed, but the Brits contributed the most because the legal system, democracy itself and the language as well as using their money and armed forces to set the country up in 1607

I like the idea of the England T shirt - I will be wearing that next year. I have a British and a US flag on my rucksack and my American wife is genuinely affronted that the British flag is higher. Well my body is a corner of a foreign field that shall be forever England

I love to travel but I have received a lot of hostility as an Englishman - in Wales , the bartender pushed my beer at me and called me a 'saxon'. Hey it was no joke. In Scotland, a bunch of drunked yobs in kilts fired air rifles at my fishing float and were singing about 'seven kings' or something

My American wife was similarly disliked when she worked in Lancashire - just because she was American - much of that was the BUSH factor but it was there and it was strong

So how come the paddies deserve to be universally loved ?

Originally Posted by exvj

Well as you are telling me to shut up and calling me names, I think I will have a coffee

At least I was trying to have a discussion without using personal abuse

If trolling is an attempt to start unpleasantness then I think your post is nearer to that

Originally Posted by exvj

Well as you are telling me to shut up and calling me names, I think I will have a coffee

Originally Posted by exvj

Well as you are telling me to shut up and calling me names, I think I will have a coffee

At least I was trying to have a discussion without using personal abuse

If trolling is an attempt to start unpleasantness then I think your post is nearer to that

Originally Posted by exvj

don't be confused Leslie, it's a matter of record... what is now the US was developed by the British for almost as long as the USA has existed - denying that contribution is what I am talking about.

The people who came over in the 1600's and 1700's did not become Americans when they landed