When Irish Eyes AREN'T Smiling

We’ve all heard joke after joke, usually referring to a drunken Irishman saying or doing something that makes him appear to be stupid, sexist, racist or violent.  In fact, we’ve heard these stereotypical jokes about almost every nationality – but mostly about the at-one-time poor western and eastern Europeans: Irish, Polish, Italians, etc.

No doubt most of these jokes were result of then longer-standing Americans denigrating the huge waves of European immigrants that came to the US a very long time ago.  These days, the jokes may have faded away, but the stereotypes surely haven’t.  The myth of the drunken Irishman continues to thrive.  And almost everyone I know, including my Irish friends, use St. Patrick’s Day celebrations as an excuse to get completely smashed and parade about in Kelly green plastic garb making loud, obnoxious fools of themselves.  (Full disclosure – I’m a quarter Irish myself, and in my younger days I did my fair share of drinking, parading and “obnixicating.”)

So, what’s my point? I like a good pint as much as anyone – but isn’t it time we de-couple public drunkenness and idiotic behavior from the one American holiday we have that celebrates the cultural heritage of another nation from which many of us can trace our lineage?

At this point, some readers may be saying “get over it,” or “it’s no big deal.”  Maybe it’s not; but every time I mention to someone that I have Irish ancestors, a remark is made about drinking or drunkenness.  It’s just bloody tiresome and unnecessary, that’s all.  Besides, those jokes aren’t even funny anymore.

Stereotypes die hard; and the myth of the drunken Irishman is one that I wish had started pushing up daisies a long, long time ago.  Still, Happy St. Patrick’s Day.