[LEMONS] 2.18.2002
Irish stereotypes:
If we were any other ethnic minority, we would be up in arms, vociferous in our disgust at such discrimination and insult. But we're Irish. We know when a joke is a joke. We can take it. I can't say the same about the Irish-American/Catholic community (their reaction to Father Ted was a bit much, considering it's one of the greatest sit-coms ever written), but we can take it. But that doesn't mean we can understand it.
I mean, spud-muncher? Well, yes, personally I eat a lot of potato, but I'm sure I don't eat as much as you yanks, with your 'french fries' and your potato 'chips'. And besides, potatoes were brought here by the British. As was cabbage, but that's going off on a tangent.
Paddy? No, I'm not a Paddy, but I do have a friend named Paddy.
Bog-trotter? Well seeing as I've never lived outside of the Pale, I've never trotted a bog in my life.
We're all drunks? I haven't had a drink since Hallowe'en (yes, it was a pint of Guinness.... but it was almost four months ago!).
Oh, but here's the best one - Loyalist paramilitaries have a tendency to call anyone south of the border a 'Fenian'. Excuse me, but I don't remember signing any membership forms for a movement that hasn't existed since the Irish Free State!
As I said, we can take it, but that doesn't mean we can understand it.
Is there a point to all this? Not really. I'm just out of ideas.
Oh, and apologies for the Hiberno-centrism. (Is that even a word?)
- l i n k -
