Is anybody celebrating that this year? I’m out of touch with the pagan crowd any more. I think the St. Patrick’s Day parade here in Atlanta was canceled because of the tornado Saturday. I was at home all day, so I didn’t bother wearing green or even thinking about it. One of the “daily quote” emails I received included this bit of wisdom:
I have no idea how I got there, but I found myself reading Stuff White People Like. I’d never heard of it before, but from the number of comments on every post, I must be in the minority!
Most of the time, white people consider celebrations of European heritage to be racist unless they omit large swathes of the 16th through 20th centuries. But since the Irish never engaged in colonialism and were actually oppressed it is considered acceptable and encouraged to celebrate their ancestry. For this reason, 100% of white people are proud to claim that they are somewhat Irish.
A big part of St. Patrick’s Day is having white people feel particularly upset at the oppression of their ancestors that has in no way trickled down to them. If you find yourself talking with a white person who tells you about how their great grandfather was oppressed by both the English and the Americans, it is strongly recommended that you lend a sympathetic ear and shake your head in disbelief. It is never considered acceptable to say: “but you’re white now, so what’s the problem?”
I’m still confused by the recommendation that the reader learn the lyrics to “Jump Around.” For one thing, are they “lyrics” when they are rapped more than sung? And, um, okay–I looked at the video, which seems to have something to do with a St. Patrick’s Day parade. The lyrics don’t, though, that I can tell.
I’m happy to say that, according to the Full List of Stuff White People Like, I’m not a typical white person any more than I’m a typical anything else. I’m happily me.
