To the Irish that flipped the bird at British imperialism for as long as they could being so close, without using words like "holocaust" and "diaspora." To the Irish that came this side of the Atlantic as indentured servants with eternally renewing contracts for minor infractions, more expendable than slaves. To all the immigrants, miners, politicians, soldiers, moonshiners, and day laborers that built this country even when this country didn't love you back-when you were compelled to fight your fellow countrymen fresh off the boat in the Civil War, when your guns/hunting/liquor making customs (ways to remain economically self-sufficient) were taken from you after you fought on the Confederate side and lost, when the signs hung "No Irish" or "We don't hire Irish" and when Irish Catholic women weren't considered morally fit to nanny Protestant children, when you were told you had too many babies--no reparations asked for.Happy St. Patrick's day. Look how well you're doing now. My heart breaks and dances a jig for you.
And you gave us Mother Jones--Look up what she did.More American citizens living today can claim Irish/Scots-Irish ancestry than any other ancestry except for German ancestry. No wonder we celebrate St. Patrick's Day.
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