Friday, May 05, 2006

Focusing on the problem

I read the comments, I listen to the countless media points of view its good to talk but when peoples lives are affected every day by this then we have to focus on the problem. We need to legalize our Irish that are here, for whatever reasons they are here, they want to be here and have stuck it out through thick and thin. So now we know they are here and they have no available way to get legal can we not all just put every drop of energy into legalizing them.

If a bill exists that will do that then no hodge podge that is the bill for us. Get on the phones, that is the effective way to lobby and insist that the newcomers are a vital part of America. Solidarity is the key and hidden agendas won't help. The only agenda is to "legalize the Irish" no other t shirt will do, this is not about individuals it is about the group and the group must stick together and support one another. The Irish immigrants have always strengthened America and not weakened her this flock will be no different. They are more educated than their ancestors and they choose America for a better life, it wasn't war or fear or famine that brought them here they wanted to come to America, it was their desire for America that motivated them.

America will always attract immigrants it always did, please stop pretending that the elephant is not in the room. They cut off the Irish quota and they kept coming anyway time is well overdue to reinstall the quota and let the Irish stay.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ok, let me get this straight. You're saying the Irish should get special treatment because of Conan O'Brien and George Clooney? What about Timothy McVeigh and the Irish Brigade who deserted during the Mexican-American War? Is there some way you can quantify the good Paddy vs. the bad Paddy? Say, over the past 200 years we tally up points for all the Irish who have waited in line, served in the military, paid taxes, contributed to charity, attended mass every Sunday, had 2 or fewer children, and then subtract points for all the Irish who have shirked their visa terms, married American women and conveniently dumped them after the green card came through, regularly populated the bars and pissed in our streets, worked off the books, haven't paid health insurance, avoided the military, committed crimes, have had many children with many women, served prison time.....etc

Now tally those numbers in your head. I think it's a wash, don't you? We owe you nothing, so get off of your high horse. I can't believe your attitude.

Yes, let's focus on the problem - you are the problem!

Anonymous said...

Hi Paddy O before 1965 the Irish got seventeen thosand visas a year now we get 100 from the diversity lottery, you come across as plain old prejudice and racist against the Irish immigrants and that is your own issues, a wise man once said people are like dogs there is good and bad in every breed. We are not looking for special treatment just equal a quota of visas every year.

As for the Mexican American War well perhaps a little history lesson at the start of the war some Americans expressed concern about the large number of Irish-born and Irish American soldiers in the army and whether they would fight against Catholic Mexico. They recieved their answer almost immediately as the first news reports of the early battles listed large numbers of Irish names on the casualty rolls and several Irish men cited for exemplary action. Reports by officers made it clear that the Irish indeed would fight for their adoptive homeland. Sergent Major Maloney, along with Corporals McFarlen and Farrell were commened for leading a group to seize an artillery piece defended by a large force of Mexicans. The Irish in America were keenly aware of the low regard in which they were held by native born Americans in an observation carried in the Albany evening Journal it was quoted that to the people who thought the Irish would not fight for America "we have it in the long and fatal list of killed and wounded. It is only necessary to read the names to see that two-thirds if not three-fourths of all who shed their blood in that galant action were Irishmen."

The Boston Pilot added " in times of peace we Irish are not fit to enjoy life liberty and the pursuit of happiness, but when the country needs our aid we are capital glorious fellows." In the following years of the war Irish soldiers, with the exception of those you referred to who joined the San Patricio regiment, demonstrated a steadfast commitment to the American cause. (Michael Hogan the Irish soldiers of Mexico).
So do not insult our Irish dead, or living for that matter the Irish here deserve to be legalized stop clutching at straws and sterotyping these people it makes you look ignorant.
Samantha.

Anonymous said...

But despite the Irish who fought gallantly for the US, the deserters of the San Patricio regement are the ones most remembered. Ever time I hear "gringo" I think of them. Isn't it always the few bad apples that spoil the barrel.

(sam, you're not calling me a racist, are you?)

Anonymous said...

paddy o, you were fortunate enough to have come to these conclousions by your own solitude and scarce imagination, I assume. However, a vast majority of humanity, let alone US citizens,unfortunately do not have this right. I ( like countless others)am humbled by this god given right, every day, as I pledge alegence to this great nation, a nation whoes very foundation stands on our fellow,great brothers and sisters. May I suggest to you, I absoutely urge you to go back to the drawing board with your rantings. Perhaps you could (for everyones sake)do a lot more research before you feel the need to engage this space with all of your above.

Anonymous said...

jojo;
I don't intend, in any way, to restrict my contributions to this forum.

BTW, what is your own political status? Local? Import? Inspected? Rejected? Dejected?