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

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

[McGavin999]

the first thing I thought of was Kennedy. He's the epitome of "poisoned Irish stew".

Shouldn't that be "stewed Irish"?

[McGavin999]

I'm certainly glad to hear that Happygal. I'm half Irish, half Scot, and All American. I have good friends who live in Ireland. It would break my heart if the Irish people became anti-American.

[Capriole]

Happygal, if I have made a mistake about the reactions of the Irish people, please educate me! Heavens, I don't want to believe that the land of my forebears (through a thin strain on my mother's side) is altogether arrayed against us! I have not only read of Irish opposition to America's actions but have heard the reports of my friends who went hunting there this winter, and it was dismaying. I only wonder, is it possible that all the Irish people oppose what the newspapers say? Can the papers survive economically if what they write doesn't reflect the views of the readers at all? I welcome your instruction on this because it's a grief to me, to think that Ireland too despises us.

[Reaganwuzthebest]

Just listen to them today, do you really think there is enough testosterone left on the entire continent to stand up to the Islamists?

No way, that's why it's going to be interesting when the Muslims become the majority in France and Scandinavia and other places. Those bleeding heart fools in Europe better learn how to pray to Allah because eventually they're not going to have a choice if they don't stop Muslim immigration now.

[Happygal]

I'm an Irish journalist.

I know what to tell people. And I know what buys and sells papers over here.

I am telling YOU...you are trigger happy, reactionary.

Read a bit, and test the waters before making the ideological *LEAP*.

(I actually doubt you are the big shot you profess to be on these threads...Most American business men, are FAR more discreet!)

[2Jedismom]

I don't mind giving up french wine (I'm a tea-totaller and can't afford it anyway).

I don't mind giving up belgian waffles...they just make me fat.

But there is NO WAY, no matter what they say or do, there is no way I'm giving up my Irish Pennywhistle.

[rugerman]

ME too, 2Jmom. I love Ireland passionately, it's people, history and music, but I am very disturbed by all I am hearing from there. I have a plane ticket for April 23 and was planning a 2 week trip there, same as last year, but I'm being warned by friends there that the anti American sentiment is strong. Last year when I was there I was stunned by the Euronews propaganda broadcasts regarding Israel. They'd give a 20 minute handwringing segment to poor Yassir Arafat's house detention, where he had plenty to eat and drink and was in no danger, then for two minutes give coverage that amounted to "oh, and there was another suicide bombing today, killing 20 Israelis, including four children, ho hum." I was apalled that anyone would fall for the blatant propanda, but then two of my friends joined a march through downtown Dublin protesting the way Arafat was being treated. They shouted "Free Y.A." and waved Palestinian flags, but there was no mention of stopping any of the suicide bombings. And now, according to my friends over there, Euronews has replaced Irael with America and they are all jumping on the bandwagon to the extent that there was dancing in the streets of Derry when the space shuttle blew up. I'm trying to decide whether or not to cancel my trip. I love Ireland, but the Irish are brainwashed now, as is all of Europe. Hitler's propaganda minister had nothing on the news-meisters over there right now.

[rugerman]

I take it you're not such a "happy gal"? Or that you were one of the ones dancing in the streets when the shuttle blew up? Or is it that you enjoy seeing tv news reports of dead Israeli babies?

[js1138]

The Irish are coated with teflon as far as most Americans are concerned, for psychological reasons

That's because more Americans are proud of Irish ancestry than proud of French Ancestry.

[Liz]

" If elected, I'll put a fifth of scotch in every liquor cabinet. "

[metesky]

My late mother-in-law (McDonald out of Norton) used to call tham "professional Irish", but I think plastic paddies is much more fitting.

And you're right about Boston, there used to be the donation can in every bar and convenience store.

I always wondered how much money really made it to Ireland back when on the lam gangster Whitey Bulger was in charge of the pickup.

[Happygal]

I take it you're not such a "happy gal"? Or that you were one of the ones dancing in the streets when the shuttle blew up? Or is it that you enjoy seeing tv news reports of dead Israeli babies?

Care to explain?

I'd like to know WHERE you got the impression ANY Irish people dancing in the street when the shuttle blew up. Or enjoying seeing 'dead Israeli babies'. Sweetheart...you need to get out and about a bit...you know NOTHING of the world.

[rugerman]

I have a friend in Derry with whom I'll be staying next month. He is worried about what I'll face there, so he wrote me to warn me of the current anti-American attitude that's getting to be common. He was the one who told me of the dancing in the streets when the shuttle went down. He wrote a letter to his local newspaper condemning the celebration. The fact that you didn't see it in no way changes the fact that it happened. As to what I said about the news reporting of the Palestinian situation and the "Free Yassir Arafat" demonstration, that's what I saw personally (two of my friends took part in it). Sorry if you have a problem with reality, unHappy, but your refusal to accept reality doesn't alter reality.

[MadIvan]

I take it you're not such a "happy gal"? Or that you were one of the ones dancing in the streets when the shuttle blew up? Or is it that you enjoy seeing tv news reports of dead Israeli babies?

I'm British, but I have no hard feelings towards the Irish; unlike you, I can make a separation between the general Irish population and a few loons (Sinn Fein / IRA). In any event, even Sinn Fein / IRA did not celebrate the shuttle explosion nor do they publicly celebrate dead Israeli babies, as much as the IRA is in sympathy with the Palestinians.

Your attack on Happygal is unwarranted and un-called for.

Ivan

[MadIvan]

I have a friend in Derry with whom I'll be staying next month. He is worried about what I'll face there, so he wrote me to warn me of the current anti-American attitude that's getting to be common. He was the one who told me of the dancing in the streets when the shuttle went down. He wrote a letter to his local newspaper condemning the celebration. The fact that you didn't see it in no way changes the fact that it happened. As to what I said about the news reporting of the Palestinian situation and the "Free Yassir Arafat" demonstration, that's what I saw personally (two of my friends took part in it). Sorry if you have a problem with reality, unHappy, but your refusal to accept reality doesn't alter reality.

So your friends are loons. This is not representative of the Irish public as a whole.

Ivan

[Capriole]

Happygal, I am trying to learn here. I see I've really gotten you upset and I regret that very much. Believe me when I say that it causes me distress to think that the Irish people might be against the US, but this is the clear impression given by the Irish papers I have read online. If you tell me I am missing something, I believe you and ask you where to look. Now I will look at the Independent, and I thank you for the information.

As for presenting myself as a big-shot businessman, are you confusing me with some other poster? I am a lady in her forties, raised in Illinois but of Southern heritage, a hard-working and perpetually exhausted divorced mother of two young children. I am far from rich but perhaps I gave the impression that I have money because I speak of riding horses, which is something millions of middle- and lower-income Americans do as well. I haven't had a vacation in eight years but was planning a trip to Ireland. After the death of my father a small inheritance made me think of buying a horse for my daughter, who works so hard and so richly deserves a horse. And where better to buy a horse than Ireland, the place that produces the greatest horses in the world?

As for being trigger-happy: as a woman alone I have twice in my life had to defend myself with firearms, and I do not apologize for that. I have come to regard guns as cherished tools, like my circular saw and my computer. As for being reactionary: Guilty as charged.

[norton]

I've read that if it were not for New York and Boston there would be no IRA.

My two encounters were a guy trying to trade a not-quite-classic car for 'clothing and any old firearms' I might have laying round the house, and being bumped from a job for suggesting that it was time to quit blowing up horses and commuters and get on with life.

[Paulus Invictus]

I agree! This is an excellent article. It would be interesting to hear the response to it by the readers in Ireland.

[Paulus Invictus]

The thing I find repugnant is that Klintoon is a national hero in Ireland! So was Jack Kennedy, our most immoral of presidential immoralists, far surpassing the likes JBJ and WBC. Go figure!