Wearing orange on St. Patrick's Day

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

I used to do this, but basically no one noticed/cared, so I quit.

So like all trolls, when no one notices you're an attention whore, you go away.   Hmmmmmmmmmm.

I was also quite a bit more immature back then.

Of course the real reason for this was the often absurd and obnoxious behavior of a minority contingent but still very visible one of Irish Americans. Who for the record I wasn't even aware of until I had the internet since I live in the Midwest. That certainly played a role in my later view of rejecting all types of cultural identification, at least ones based on ethnicity, rather than things you choose.

What on Earth are you talking about?  I was certainly unaware of the cult of Italian-Americanism IRLz (I think I first heard about it from books), but St. Paul has a large Irish Fair every summer, and has a long and storied Irish-American community.

Perhaps, but North Dakota does not. There might've been more Native Americans in North Dakota at the time I grew up there than whites of non-German/Scandinavian ancestry.

I, for one, commend BRTD for his heroic acts of real life trolling.

It is one thing to wear orange to the office, quite another to wear it in a crowd of drunken, ignorant lunatics.

Well where was I wearing orange? The office.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

FWIW, one of my best friends has a first name with a very Irish spelling (Sean, as opposed to Shawn), has a very Irish last name, and doesn't give a sh!t in any way shape or form about being Irish, or about St. Patrick's Day. He also would never identify as Catholic in any sense or any type of religious identity besides atheist. But he is also "scene", so that might be a factor....but still you can see why it's hard for me to buy into that these type of stereotypes and identifications are so universal when it clearly doesn't apply to the people I know.

[Torie]

Indeed I have. My Commercial Law prof did - a quite famous man, James White at the University of Michigan Law School (he wrote the book on Commericial Law that was, and may still be, the standard text that Law Schools use), still going strong at about age 90 (I saw him a few months ago at my 35th law school reunion). He was a fighter pilot, then went to work for one of the top firms in LA after Law School, but his wife hated LA, and threatened to divorce him, so he took up teaching at the Law School. He was incredibly fit, and nobody could beat him at racketball (a bit sport at Michigan, where it was invented), and one of about 3 well known Pub professors there (the other two were a black Lesbian woman, and a gay man (died of AIDS a few years later sad to say).

Anyway, on St. Pats day he showed up in an orange tie. I guess he was of Scots Irish descent, or something (or maybe not, since his last name, was my mother's maiden name, and both her clan and his were Iowans (maybe he is a distant relative is what I am trying to say), and my clan were Yankees). Nobody minded much. He was just well, different. Great guy, and smart as a tack of course, and best friends with the gay Pub professor (he spoke movingly of at his funeral).

And there you have it!  One thing that often happens when you get old, is that you tell a lot of stories. Be patient with me. Someday, you will too.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

one of my best friends

Okay, ignoring that this thread is pretty much pointless, I find it incredibly amusing that you just used the "some of my best friends are [X]" argument that you hear from horrible bigots all the time. Not calling you one, mind, just finding it really funny.

I wasn't really doing that, just pointing out there do exist Irish-Americans who don't give a sh!t about Irish culture or identity.

[Torie]

one of my best friends

Okay, ignoring that this thread is pretty much pointless, I find it incredibly amusing that you just used the "some of my best friends are [X]" argument that you hear from horrible bigots all the time. Not calling you one, mind, just finding it really funny.

Well it now is graced with one of my boring little stories, so there!

[TDAS04]

It's St. Patrick's Day?  I knew that it was March 17th, but the holiday did not occur to me; I guess it's not that important.  I put on clothes that happen to be neither green nor orange.

I have no Irish blood (Northern or Southern).  I don't remember ever wearing orange on St. Patrick's Day (never intentionally), but we were expected to wear green in grade school (to avoid pinches).  I no longer think about it.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Literally the only time I pay attention to the clothes I put on now instead of just putting on the first shirt I grab from the clean laundry basket is when I'm going to a show that day and want to avoid being "that guy" or have a specific band shirt in mind that I see as most appropriate for the event. Actually applies to a few social events too, I specifically chose some band shirts for my high school reunion for example.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

And in fact I bet that if I had any Irish ancestry my opinions on Irish culture and those who are obnoxious about it would remain the same. I'd probably seen as this by some.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

one of my best friends

Okay, ignoring that this thread is pretty much pointless, I find it incredibly amusing that you just used the "some of my best friends are [X]" argument that you hear from horrible bigots all the time. Not calling you one, mind, just finding it really funny.

I wasn't really doing that, just pointing out there do exist Irish-Americans who don't give a sh!t about Irish culture or identity.

And what's that supposed to demonstrate to those of us who do?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

one of my best friends

Okay, ignoring that this thread is pretty much pointless, I find it incredibly amusing that you just used the "some of my best friends are [X]" argument that you hear from horrible bigots all the time. Not calling you one, mind, just finding it really funny.

I wasn't really doing that, just pointing out there do exist Irish-Americans who don't give a sh!t about Irish culture or identity.

And what's that supposed to demonstrate to those of us who do?

Wait, are you Irish? If so that also works against the reasoning that I've always been told by lots of Irish posters that being Catholic is integral to being Irish.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

one of my best friends

Okay, ignoring that this thread is pretty much pointless, I find it incredibly amusing that you just used the "some of my best friends are [X]" argument that you hear from horrible bigots all the time. Not calling you one, mind, just finding it really funny.

I wasn't really doing that, just pointing out there do exist Irish-Americans who don't give a sh!t about Irish culture or identity.

And what's that supposed to demonstrate to those of us who do?

Wait, are you Irish? If so that also works against the reasoning that I've always been told by lots of Irish posters that being Catholic is integral to being Irish.

...I'm...I have both Catholic and Protestant Irish ancestors...

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

one of my best friends

Okay, ignoring that this thread is pretty much pointless, I find it incredibly amusing that you just used the "some of my best friends are [X]" argument that you hear from horrible bigots all the time. Not calling you one, mind, just finding it really funny.

I wasn't really doing that, just pointing out there do exist Irish-Americans who don't give a sh!t about Irish culture or identity.

And what's that supposed to demonstrate to those of us who do?

Wait, are you Irish? If so that also works against the reasoning that I've always been told by lots of Irish posters that being Catholic is integral to being Irish.

...I'm...I have both Catholic and Protestant Irish ancestors...

Well I'm sure many Americans do. I'm talking though about the premise that people like oakvale like to lecture me on that identifying as Catholic is integral to being Irish and this should be done even if one is an atheist, that it's well known I really dislike. I also know my atheist Irish friend I mentioned would feel the same.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

one of my best friends

Okay, ignoring that this thread is pretty much pointless, I find it incredibly amusing that you just used the "some of my best friends are [X]" argument that you hear from horrible bigots all the time. Not calling you one, mind, just finding it really funny.

I wasn't really doing that, just pointing out there do exist Irish-Americans who don't give a sh!t about Irish culture or identity.

And what's that supposed to demonstrate to those of us who do?

Wait, are you Irish? If so that also works against the reasoning that I've always been told by lots of Irish posters that being Catholic is integral to being Irish.

...I'm...I have both Catholic and Protestant Irish ancestors...

Well I'm sure many Americans do. I'm talking though about the premise that people like oakvale like to lecture me on that identifying as Catholic is integral to being Irish and this should be done even if one is an atheist, that it's well known I really dislike. I also know my atheist Irish friend I mentioned would feel the same.

It's integral to certain types of Irish identity, arguably most or all of the most common types.

[opebo]

Thanks be to the evil spirit of the rice-field there is no St. Patrick's Day here.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Who in the hell wears orange any day of the year?

[patrick1]

I used to do this, but basically no one noticed/cared, so I quit.

So like all trolls, when no one notices you're an attention whore, you go away.   Hmmmmmmmmmm.

I was also quite a bit more immature back then.

Of course the real reason for this was the often absurd and obnoxious behavior of a minority contingent but still very visible one of Irish Americans. Who for the record I wasn't even aware of until I had the internet since I live in the Midwest. That certainly played a role in my later view of rejecting all types of cultural identification, at least ones based on ethnicity, rather than things you choose.

What on Earth are you talking about?  I was certainly unaware of the cult of Italian-Americanism IRLz (I think I first heard about it from books), but St. Paul has a large Irish Fair every summer, and has a long and storied Irish-American community.

Perhaps, but North Dakota does not. There might've been more Native Americans in North Dakota at the time I grew up there than whites of non-German/Scandinavian ancestry.

I, for one, commend BRTD for his heroic acts of real life trolling.

It is one thing to wear orange to the office, quite another to wear it in a crowd of drunken, ignorant lunatics.

Well where was I wearing orange? The office.

Yeah, pointing out that it isn't exactly a heroic act of real life trolling. It is just trying to be dickish and being sheltered from any real adverse consequences.

[ilikeverin]

I used to do this, but basically no one noticed/cared, so I quit.

So like all trolls, when no one notices you're an attention whore, you go away.   Hmmmmmmmmmm.

I was also quite a bit more immature back then.

Of course the real reason for this was the often absurd and obnoxious behavior of a minority contingent but still very visible one of Irish Americans. Who for the record I wasn't even aware of until I had the internet since I live in the Midwest. That certainly played a role in my later view of rejecting all types of cultural identification, at least ones based on ethnicity, rather than things you choose.

What on Earth are you talking about?  I was certainly unaware of the cult of Italian-Americanism IRLz (I think I first heard about it from books), but St. Paul has a large Irish Fair every summer, and has a long and storied Irish-American community.

Perhaps, but North Dakota does not. There might've been more Native Americans in North Dakota at the time I grew up there than whites of non-German/Scandinavian ancestry.

Incorrect.  53,678 North Dakotans reported Irish ancestry in the 1990 census, while only 25,917 reported AIAN status.

[Hatman 🍁]

I'd be wearing orange today, if I owned anything orange (other than an NDP shirt). But, I'd probably get tired explaining to people why I was wearing orange. I have nothing against St. Patrick's Day; I'd be wearing orange because my Irish ancestry is from the north, and is Protestant.

[Mechaman]

And in fact I bet that if I had any Irish ancestry my opinions on Irish culture and those who are obnoxious about it would remain the same. I'd probably seen as this by some.

Nah, I'm pretty sure that knowing you you would probably be a hardcore Sinn Fein supporter and be making the same "F*** the Nazi Monarchy!" thread every March 17th.

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

Stupid and pointless, though I find very little to actually be offensive.

[Tetro Kornbluth]

This thread is terrible and should be nuked.

[Oakvale]

i dont really care but it seems like a stupid waste of itme, like simfan saying he wore organge on st patrick's day. No you don't, Simfan.

Anyway Happy st Patrick's Day BRTD

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

And in fact I bet that if I had any Irish ancestry my opinions on Irish culture and those who are obnoxious about it would remain the same. I'd probably seen as this by some.

Nah, I'm pretty sure that knowing you you would probably be a hardcore Sinn Fein supporter and be making the same "F*** the Nazi Monarchy!" thread every March 17th.

You're forgetting that I still wouldn't be Catholic. Even if raised as such, I'd convert, since there'd be no reason for me not to. After all I put absolutely no value whatsoever in culture, tradition, or what my ancestors did. And that would make me an...Irish Protestant. Meaning I'd be inclined to sympathize with unionists even more, and would have no reason to be sympathetic to Catholics in Northern Ireland.

[Oakvale]

brtd i love you but you know you litereally make no sense ever. you would not be the same person if you were had irish ancestry.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

brtd i love you but you know you litereally make no sense ever. you would not be the same person if you were had irish ancestry.

Why not? As I noted before not all Irish Americans are obnoxious about it. If my parents were Irish but as big about their ethnicity as they were about being German or Swedish (that is basically not at all) it would be essentially a non-factor. And how would that prevent me from getting into the scene? Like I noted, my friend is in the scene, and does not care one iota about being Irish.