St. Patrick's Day..
#91
Re: St. Patrick's Day..
I did not tell you to shut up directly but I did call you a fool - for which I apologise.
As you say .... "if trolling is an attempt to start unpleasantness" then I do think you started the said unpleasantness by berating the Irish and one of their biggest celebrations by coming on this thread and asking why do they deserve it and what have they done to deserve it - in America.
It's Irish! If the Americans celebrate it then go and ask them why !
As you say .... "if trolling is an attempt to start unpleasantness" then I do think you started the said unpleasantness by berating the Irish and one of their biggest celebrations by coming on this thread and asking why do they deserve it and what have they done to deserve it - in America.
It's Irish! If the Americans celebrate it then go and ask them why !
#92
Banned
Joined: Aug 2007
Location: the dry part of Washington State
Posts: 1,333
Re: St. Patrick's Day..
I hear what you're saying, and agree with a lot of it. It's just human nature that we like to put ourselves in little groups, the more exclusive the better.
More so if that group has been "oppressed" and "overcome". I'd say that what you experience in Wales and Scotland is exactly the same thing your wife experience being American in England. Guilt by association of belonging to the big bad boy on the block. It used to be England, now it's the US.
I don't think you're trolling. You have some valid points. Don't let it get to you. Because Anglo culture is so pervasive, we don't celebrate it. It's just there.
More so if that group has been "oppressed" and "overcome". I'd say that what you experience in Wales and Scotland is exactly the same thing your wife experience being American in England. Guilt by association of belonging to the big bad boy on the block. It used to be England, now it's the US.
I don't think you're trolling. You have some valid points. Don't let it get to you. Because Anglo culture is so pervasive, we don't celebrate it. It's just there.
I dont need to be agreed with , but I think a lot, about a lot of things, and need to explore these thoughts - debate - I get some awful stick for it , so a bit of support about being able to expess those things is most welcome whether my perceptions are agreed with or not
I don't feel the slightest hostility to Irish people in general, but the IRA is something else, and they are Irish Nationalist first and foremost - so Irish nationalism has to be tainted while they are still around and murdering - that was my point really
What % of Americans think about these things ? a tiny % - and perhaps they are happier than me with their inflatable leprachauns and green beer. I still wouldnt swap em though
Anyway, St Paddy's day has forced me to think about these things and I have formed my opinion now, so that's good
The second thought is that Britain and the U.S. are not as close culturally as they should be. I recognize English tradition in such much of the law and the sayings etc and the U.S. should put the war of independence behind them and realise just how much they have in common with Britain. Much more than they have with Ireland.
It's a hoot that St Patrick was English - think I will put that on my T shirt too !
#96
Re: St. Patrick's Day..
I did not tell you to shut up directly but I did call you a fool - for which I apologise.
As you say .... "if trolling is an attempt to start unpleasantness" then I do think you started the said unpleasantness by berating the Irish and one of their biggest celebrations by coming on this thread and asking why do they deserve it and what have they done to deserve it - in America.
It's Irish! If the Americans celebrate it then go and ask them why !
As you say .... "if trolling is an attempt to start unpleasantness" then I do think you started the said unpleasantness by berating the Irish and one of their biggest celebrations by coming on this thread and asking why do they deserve it and what have they done to deserve it - in America.
It's Irish! If the Americans celebrate it then go and ask them why !
#97
Re: St. Patrick's Day..
Cheers matey !
I dont need to be agreed with , but I think a lot, about a lot of things, and need to explore these thoughts - debate - I get some awful stick for it , so a bit of support about being able to expess those things is most welcome whether my perceptions are agreed with or not
I don't feel the slightest hostility to Irish people in general, but the IRA is something else, and they are Irish Nationalist first and foremost - so Irish nationalism has to be tainted while they are still around and murdering - that was my point really
What % of Americans think about these things ? a tiny % - and perhaps they are happier than me with their inflatable leprachauns and green beer. I still wouldnt swap em though
Anyway, St Paddy's day has forced me to think about these things and I have formed my opinion now, so that's good
The second thought is that Britain and the U.S. are not as close culturally as they should be. I recognize English tradition in such much of the law and the sayings etc and the U.S. should put the war of independence behind them and realise just how much they have in common with Britain. Much more than they have with Ireland.
It's a hoot that St Patrick was English - think I will put that on my T shirt too !
I dont need to be agreed with , but I think a lot, about a lot of things, and need to explore these thoughts - debate - I get some awful stick for it , so a bit of support about being able to expess those things is most welcome whether my perceptions are agreed with or not
I don't feel the slightest hostility to Irish people in general, but the IRA is something else, and they are Irish Nationalist first and foremost - so Irish nationalism has to be tainted while they are still around and murdering - that was my point really
What % of Americans think about these things ? a tiny % - and perhaps they are happier than me with their inflatable leprachauns and green beer. I still wouldnt swap em though
Anyway, St Paddy's day has forced me to think about these things and I have formed my opinion now, so that's good
The second thought is that Britain and the U.S. are not as close culturally as they should be. I recognize English tradition in such much of the law and the sayings etc and the U.S. should put the war of independence behind them and realise just how much they have in common with Britain. Much more than they have with Ireland.
It's a hoot that St Patrick was English - think I will put that on my T shirt too !
#98
Banned
Joined: Aug 2007
Location: the dry part of Washington State
Posts: 1,333
Re: St. Patrick's Day..
I could go through life just swapping platitudes and smileys but I feel the need to debate and it isnt easy getting serious responses
Perhaps I should just join a debating society and let the forum continue with one word posts and green beer and emocions
#99
Re: St. Patrick's Day..
Thanks Lorna - I appreciate that
I could go through life just swapping platitudes and smileys but I feel the need to debate and it isnt easy getting serious responses
Perhaps I should just join a debating society and let the forum continue with one word posts and green beer and emocions
I could go through life just swapping platitudes and smileys but I feel the need to debate and it isnt easy getting serious responses
Perhaps I should just join a debating society and let the forum continue with one word posts and green beer and emocions
By the way - it's widely believed that St. Patrick wasn't English at all but Welsh.
And he wasn't a Catholic but a Christian and wanted to bring Christianity to the pagans. Catholics came later. The Pope had a lot to do with it as well.
By all accounts Halloween only exists because one Pope wanted to obliterate the Pagan harvest festival for the coming winter on October 31st so declared that November 1st would become a saints' day.
Unfortunate for said Pope, some pagan festivals were too strong and thus 'All Hallows Eve' eventually became known as Halloween Night and was never totally obliterated by All Saints Day.
#100
Re: St. Patrick's Day..
Thanks Lorna - I appreciate that
I could go through life just swapping platitudes and smileys but I feel the need to debate and it isnt easy getting serious responses
Perhaps I should just join a debating society and let the forum continue with one word posts and green beer and emocions
I could go through life just swapping platitudes and smileys but I feel the need to debate and it isnt easy getting serious responses
Perhaps I should just join a debating society and let the forum continue with one word posts and green beer and emocions
As for actual contributions (not the bizarre examples you gave) I would concur that the English most certainly have had strongest cultural influence on the US by leaps and bounds.
I still can't figure out why you're so jealous about one little bitty pretend holiday. We don't even get the day off or even get to go home early. I'll bet you throw a right hissy on Valentine's day.
#103
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 14,577
Re: St. Patrick's Day..
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.
#105
Banned
Joined: Aug 2007
Location: the dry part of Washington State
Posts: 1,333
Re: St. Patrick's Day..
I hardly think that claiming that benevolent British investors selflessly created this beautiful country for the ungrateful (soon to be) Americans could be called debating.
As for actual contributions (not the bizarre examples you gave) I would concur that the English most certainly have had strongest cultural influence on the US by leaps and bounds.
I still can't figure out why you're so jealous about one little bitty pretend holiday. We don't even get the day off or even get to go home early. I'll bet you throw a right hissy on Valentine's day.
As for actual contributions (not the bizarre examples you gave) I would concur that the English most certainly have had strongest cultural influence on the US by leaps and bounds.
I still can't figure out why you're so jealous about one little bitty pretend holiday. We don't even get the day off or even get to go home early. I'll bet you throw a right hissy on Valentine's day.
The brits were no more benevolent than the americans - it was a set of individuals scouring the land for furs, minerals, lumber tobacco whatever - get rich quick - both of em
Valentine's day is an ordeal I admit but at least I get some legover at the end of it which is more than i get from a wife full of gassy green beer on paddy's day (geroff before i pop)
St George's day will be a hoot next year - I will have my very own parade with a barrel of timmy taylor's championship ales on offer.
and as for us mistreating the Irish, those americans who give it that, ignore the fact that they were busy raping the 14 year old slave girls in those days.
We shouldnt go back as most nationalities have skeletons in their cupboards; we should live in the present - and the IRA are murdering in the name of the irish flag right now - that's what's getting my goat