David Quinn: We’ll all pay a heavy price for poisoning America’s Irish stew

The Sunday Times ^ | March 16, 2003 | David Quinn

[MadIvan]

I think the author exaggerates the extent of Irish anti-Americanism, but one of the best pieces debunking the anti-war crowd I've seen.

Happy St. Patrick's Day (soon) Everyone.

Regards, Ivan

[MadIvan]

Bump!

[wretchard]

Ireland sat out World War 2. It can sit out this one. Irish-American relations suffered no particular damage from Irish neutrality in the conflict against Hitler. Why should it suffer any damage now?

The Irish are coated with teflon as far as most Americans are concerned, for psychological reasons. We can't really get as riled at them as at the French.

[Morrigan]

I hope Irish anti-Americanism is exaggerated. I could care less what the rest of the world thinks, but whenever I hear of British anti-Americanism, or Irish anti-Americanism, I get a pang.....I mean, that is where my family is from! I hope many of them realize they probably have American relatives that they know nothing about. The English surnames carried by my family members are fairly common, as are the Irish ones. I am sure I have traceable relatives from both countries that I, unfortunately, will never know.

[TheLurkerX]

I love the Irish, but I also descend from the Norse invaders, so I guess I could go either way.

[Theresawithanh]

Good article. Thanks for posting it.

It escapes me how President Bush can be the world's most reviled man, and not his predecessor - as far as I'm concerned, this country was without a president when Clinton was in office.

[JusPasenThru]

English by birth....
Irish by choice.

[cgk]

Great Article, ping!

[cgk]

Ireland has my admiration in one aspect: abortion is illegal in their country. Way ahead of us there.

[Red Dog #1]

To bad there aren't more clear thinking people like Mr. Quinn. The world would be a saner and safer place.

[Doomonyou]

German, Dutch, Irish, English, and American Indian by birth...

American by Gods Grace!

[norton]

The Irish have always gotten a pass from Americans. Nearly every image we've seen in books and in lore is of a benign and mis-treated folk set upon by a nearby enemy ruled by unfeeling lords and bestial armies.
We still see the friendly cop, friendly priest, and besotted poet - rarely the IRA Nazi sympathiser and terrorist facilitator that also represents that island.
There are still 'charities' in the US that channel money to build bombs for the IRA, just as there are those that fund Bin Laden and his brand of terror.
We just are not very good at recognizing that the 'little guy' is often at least as distasteful as the 'oppressor' he claims to be resisting.

[Reaganwuzthebest]

I could care less what the rest of the world thinks, but whenever I hear of British anti-Americanism, or Irish anti-Americanism, I get a pang.....

At least 100 million Americans have ancestors from the British Isles, including Ireland. What they say and do has more meaning to us as a nation than they realize over there.

[JusPasenThru]

Amen.

[MikalM]

At least 100 million Americans have ancestors from the British Isles, including Ireland. What they say and do has more meaning to us as a nation than they realize over there.

Very true. I'm part Welsh/English, and feel both a cultural and "blood" bond to the British Isles. Thank G-d the UK at least has a US-friendly Prime Minister.

[Capriole]

I'm part English and part Irish. I wanted to go hunting in Ireland this year but after I read what the Irish were saying about us, I cancelled the trip. They didn't see about ten grand of my money, and I won't be buying any hunt horses from them, either. Other American tourists who don't want to be subjected to anti-American abuse have done the same.

Sorry, Ireland, but you folks are the ones who are being arrogant. You propose to tell us what our bearing toward the world should be, but you do not have to deal with foreign entities coming into your country and killing thousands of your citizens. It is not your economy that has been decimated by attack.

The Islamofascists are our Cromwell. You hated, feared, and fought Cromwell when he attacked Ireland, so how can you not understand that we would fight the same thing here? Or have you forgotten your own history?

[Reaganwuzthebest]

Thank G-d the UK at least has a US-friendly Prime Minister.

Britain has been a fairly reliable ally since WW2. France on the other hand...

[frontdeboeuf]

Lots of people are complaining that immigrants are not
coming from Europe these days....

The way that European are behaving, loathing us just for
trying to save them from the coming Muslim annihilation....

I think things are exactly just right, immigrants are coming
here from nations that like us, and Europe will soon be
eliminated by a wave of Muslim immigrants that despise her
and ony dream of exterminating any trace of judeo-christian
civilisation......good for them....good riddance from
bad rubbish!

[Reaganwuzthebest]

good riddance from bad rubbish!

Muslims have immigrated in waves to Europe before and each time were expelled when they became too numerous. It's going to be interesting to see what happens in the coming years, some countries like France are already on the verge of becoming a Muslim majority.

[Happygal]

Ivan...what is this? A Sunday Times HIT PIECE on the Irish?

For Chrissakes!

I dare say the author hasn't talked to Joe Soap Irish public..(Of course, he probably only talks on the phone to the bullshit artists of the Irish Times and the Dublin 4 effete elite).

Certainly there is anti-war opposition in Ireland, the same way as there is across Europe and in America.

BUT..American troops WILL land in Shannon (for as long as they want to)...because what is Ireland WITHOUT it's closest Allies (America and Britain?)

Bertie is not a fuggin idiot.

This article is a pre-St. Patrick's Day hit piece by the Sunday Times, IMHO.