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38
Irish American Mocks A British Guy, Gets A Reality Check After He Waves Passport In His Face
Almost every country has stereotypes about its people. Americans are dumb, the British like to eat crumpets and drink tea, and the Irish are drunkards who love starting fights. Why did I name these three specifically? Well, because they’re particularly relevant to this story.
One British-Irish bloke took to Reddit to express his frustration about a recent encounter with an American. The guy kept pestering the bloke with British stereotypes, claiming he has the right to do so because he’s of Irish ancestry. Unfortunately, that only lead to an epic Irish-off, after which the bystanders blamed the author for being a jerk. So he went looking for vindication online.
RELATED:
A man kept throwing insults based on stereotypes at a British guy, justifying it by having Irish ancenstry
Image credits: mstandret / envatoelements (not the actual photo)
But the guy wasn’t having any of it because he himself was Irish as well
Image credits: Evisa Express / flickr (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Kindly-Discussion270
Most Irish people agree that Americans of Irish ancestry have a lot in common with them
Image credits: RDNE Stock project / pexels (not the actual photo)
Many people in the U.S. come from Irish ancestors. Over 31.5 million claim to have Irish ancestry, making one in 10 Americans of Irish descent. Irish Americans are only second in numbers to German Americans; they proudly take first place at 43 million.
However, Americans calling themselves “Irish” has been a longtime debate. Does having Irish ancestry count as being Irish? Shouldn’t they just call themselves “Americans?” According to one poll, Americans think that they have a great deal in common with the Irish. And, thus, perhaps deserve to call themselves Irish.
59% of Americans with Irish ancestry say they are similar to Irish people in Ireland. The Irish are mostly on the same page too, with 55% agreeing. But when it comes to who has the right to call themselves “Irish,” it’s a bit trickier.
Those whose both parents are Irish are safe, as 61% of Irish people say it’s okay for Americans to describe themselves as “Irish.” They’re less welcoming to those who have only one Irish parent, one grandparent, or one grand grandparent. If a person has only one grandparent, 51% of Irish people say it’s okay to describe yourself as ” Irish-American.”
Irish ancestry is still important to many Irish Americans
Image credits: Joaquin Carfagna / pexels (not the actual photo)
Perhaps the problem is semantics – what Americans actually mean when they say “I’m Irish.” In reality, most Irish Americans don’t want to describe themselves as only “American.” The same poll showed that 40% of those who say they have Irish ancestry feel like their heritage is at least somewhat important to them.
Many don’t claim to be “Irish,” but would like to call themselves Irish-American. Some of them travel to Ireland looking for their roots, visiting their ancestors’ homes, and wanting to connect to the homeland of their grandfathers or grand grandfathers.
When Rosita Boland, a writer for The Irish Times traveled to Boston and spoke to those identifying as Irish-American, she found that when Americans say they identify with the Irish, they mean those who came and settled in the U.S. many years ago. Not the Irish people living in Ireland. “Ireland itself, the country, is the abstract, romanticised receptacle of dreams and green fields, and the place that will soothe a lifelong ache,” she writes.
People associate certain traits with certain nationalities. For many Americans, being of Irish descent means that you’re a hard worker. “The Irish faced oppression abroad as well as at home, but powered through the stereotypes to dominate both US law enforcement and the mafia,” a journalist and an Irishwoman living in New York Sarah Moran writes. “Claiming Irish heritage allows one to covertly say: ‘I came from nothing, I worked my way up.'”
America is a melting pot of different cultures, races, ethnicities, and nationalities. If you’re not of Indigenous ancestry, saying you’re an American doesn’t exactly describe your ancestry. When trying to describe the American identity, historian Philip Gleason said: “The universalist ideological character of American nationality meant that it was open to anyone who willed to become an American.”
“He’s not ‘Irish,’ he’s a Yank,” people pointed out in the comments, rallying behind the author
Other commenters, however, thought that both blokes were being jerks here
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What do you think ?
Chewie Baron 1 year ago
Americans who have ancestors from Ireland in the 19th Century are American with Irish Ancestry, they are American, not Irish. They are no more Irish than I am Nigerian. On a side note, my mother was Irish, but not my father. I’m only half Irish. I’ve always acknowledged that I’m only half Irish. Still, I can claim an Irish passport which is cool.
Endcensorship 1 year ago
I hate that people think it's OK to be unpleasant to people just because of something their country did before they were born. It's not ops fault that the UK occupied Ireland, so why should it be OK for him to suffer for it?
Lou Cam 1 year ago
It's not as black and white and your country did this etc either. The industrial towns and cities of Northern England found their populations boosted by average of 60% during the Irish famine. Even now in families who think they've no ties to Ireland come up 30-40% Irish in genetic tests and often more so for working class. I myself come up at over 50% Irish genes and not just from my Irish granny but my Dad's side who had no idea. So to say to someone English from these areas that they're the oppressor well chances they were they were the oppressed too. It's not good vs bad people is mixed history.
Load More Replies...
Calunii 1 year ago
Recently saw a thread about Americans with Irish ancestors gatekeeping Irish culture. Attacking people of non-Irish descent when they partake in Irish culture. Meanwhile the actual Irish people were ensuring people that it was okay to participate in Irish activities or to wear jewellery with Irish symbols etc. I'm guessing it's because Americans want to feel some kind of belonging and want to have a culture that is not just plain American. It's fine to reconnect with your roots, but know your place.
Acruss 1 year ago
They're trying to gatekeep it to feel special. They're not even using anything Ireland related, nor do they know the culture, celebrities Ireland holidays, unless someone else organize it. They just want to feel special by not doing anything.
Load More Replies...
StumblingThroughLife 1 year ago
That thing where peeps poke and poke and poke and then act all hurt when the bear pokes back. Hate peeps like that, trying to make out their - continued - insults were just a friendly joke when they finally get a negative reaction. OP = NTA. That bloke and the peeps who chastised the OP = AHs.
Alex Luiz 1 year ago
It is estimated that 10% of non-Irish UK residents have at least one Irish grandparent. That makes 7 million British people much more Irish than most 'Irish' Americans. I know it's not supposed to be a contest, but I'm sick of Americans claiming a nationality that isn't theirs. The cut-off should be grandparents. Any further back and it doesn't count.
Lou Cam 1 year ago
It's way higher than that in the northern cities, more like 50-60%. The industrial revolution needed fodder for mills and factories. It was easier for a displaced Irish person to travel to what was then another part of the same country than to emigrate to the US/Canada.
Load More Replies...
Sarah Léon 1 year ago
I don't understand why Americans always try to prove they are not American and in the same time claim USA is better than anything in the world. If you love your country so much, why don't you want to be from here ? I mean I'm French, pure whitey white French. I'm so white I shine under the sun ! My mother was from Les Landes, a place which was invaded by Arabs and British over the centuries. And my father was from Normandy and again, white as the whitest thing you can imagine. So chances are I have Viking and British ancestors. That's not an excuse to go to London and yell at every Brits that we must be cousins !
G A 1 year ago
No one who is born in one country can claim they are from another. End of. No extenuating circumstances. This is like claiming you 'identify as'. The whole 'Boston Oirish' and 'Pennsylvania Dutch' thing deeply irritates me. They have f**k all to do with their great x 8 grandparent's nationality. And getting upset about it is pathetic beyond belief. It does seem to only be Americans that do this.
ZGutr 1 year ago (edited)
Who can explain? I'm curious ...I read this a lot....Americans fiercely stating to be Irish or Swedish because someone 4 generations back came from there, and they know nothing of the country let alone been there. Never have I read someone from Belgium stating "i'm Italian, because my great great great grandma is Italian".
Slapdash1 1 year ago
Ah, the proud Irish American, first of his family to go to ireland in the past 200 years or so, doesn't speak a word of Irish, can't name but one city but will insist on being irisher than any paddy. Not sure if they realise that the saddest thing in the world is someone who is unaware of how funny they are.
Secret Squirrel 1 year ago
I agree it's ridiculous to claim to be part of a culture when you don't know anything about it. But speaking Irish is not a good bar to set. Most Irish-born people don't speak Irish. It's coming back, but aside from random phrases from primary school, if you dont live in a town that speaks Irish, you don't speak it. It's a poor test of irishness.
Load More Replies...
- 1 year ago
If you're going to joke about someone's ethnicity, know the person a little, pick something innocuous and obscure, use a little imagination, and only do it once. Then move on.
- 1 year ago (edited)
Example: A Canadian with parents from France was ribbed by their boyfriend's Belgian aunt: "May I put the salad in the same plate as the main course or will you be very upset if I do that?" The Canadian took it well and the conversation continued as normal. The salad got on fine with the main course and ditto for the Canadian and the Belgian aunt.
Load More Replies... Chewie Baron 1 year ago
Americans who have ancestors from Ireland in the 19th Century are American with Irish Ancestry, they are American, not Irish. They are no more Irish than I am Nigerian. On a side note, my mother was Irish, but not my father. I’m only half Irish. I’ve always acknowledged that I’m only half Irish. Still, I can claim an Irish passport which is cool.
Endcensorship 1 year ago
I hate that people think it's OK to be unpleasant to people just because of something their country did before they were born. It's not ops fault that the UK occupied Ireland, so why should it be OK for him to suffer for it?
Lou Cam 1 year ago
It's not as black and white and your country did this etc either. The industrial towns and cities of Northern England found their populations boosted by average of 60% during the Irish famine. Even now in families who think they've no ties to Ireland come up 30-40% Irish in genetic tests and often more so for working class. I myself come up at over 50% Irish genes and not just from my Irish granny but my Dad's side who had no idea. So to say to someone English from these areas that they're the oppressor well chances they were they were the oppressed too. It's not good vs bad people is mixed history.
Load More Replies... Calunii 1 year ago
Recently saw a thread about Americans with Irish ancestors gatekeeping Irish culture. Attacking people of non-Irish descent when they partake in Irish culture. Meanwhile the actual Irish people were ensuring people that it was okay to participate in Irish activities or to wear jewellery with Irish symbols etc. I'm guessing it's because Americans want to feel some kind of belonging and want to have a culture that is not just plain American. It's fine to reconnect with your roots, but know your place.
Acruss 1 year ago
They're trying to gatekeep it to feel special. They're not even using anything Ireland related, nor do they know the culture, celebrities Ireland holidays, unless someone else organize it. They just want to feel special by not doing anything.
Load More Replies... StumblingThroughLife 1 year ago
That thing where peeps poke and poke and poke and then act all hurt when the bear pokes back. Hate peeps like that, trying to make out their - continued - insults were just a friendly joke when they finally get a negative reaction. OP = NTA. That bloke and the peeps who chastised the OP = AHs.
Alex Luiz 1 year ago
It is estimated that 10% of non-Irish UK residents have at least one Irish grandparent. That makes 7 million British people much more Irish than most 'Irish' Americans. I know it's not supposed to be a contest, but I'm sick of Americans claiming a nationality that isn't theirs. The cut-off should be grandparents. Any further back and it doesn't count.
Lou Cam 1 year ago
It's way higher than that in the northern cities, more like 50-60%. The industrial revolution needed fodder for mills and factories. It was easier for a displaced Irish person to travel to what was then another part of the same country than to emigrate to the US/Canada.
Load More Replies... Sarah Léon 1 year ago
I don't understand why Americans always try to prove they are not American and in the same time claim USA is better than anything in the world. If you love your country so much, why don't you want to be from here ? I mean I'm French, pure whitey white French. I'm so white I shine under the sun ! My mother was from Les Landes, a place which was invaded by Arabs and British over the centuries. And my father was from Normandy and again, white as the whitest thing you can imagine. So chances are I have Viking and British ancestors. That's not an excuse to go to London and yell at every Brits that we must be cousins !
G A 1 year ago
No one who is born in one country can claim they are from another. End of. No extenuating circumstances. This is like claiming you 'identify as'. The whole 'Boston Oirish' and 'Pennsylvania Dutch' thing deeply irritates me. They have f**k all to do with their great x 8 grandparent's nationality. And getting upset about it is pathetic beyond belief. It does seem to only be Americans that do this.
ZGutr 1 year ago (edited)
Who can explain? I'm curious ...I read this a lot....Americans fiercely stating to be Irish or Swedish because someone 4 generations back came from there, and they know nothing of the country let alone been there. Never have I read someone from Belgium stating "i'm Italian, because my great great great grandma is Italian".
Slapdash1 1 year ago
Ah, the proud Irish American, first of his family to go to ireland in the past 200 years or so, doesn't speak a word of Irish, can't name but one city but will insist on being irisher than any paddy. Not sure if they realise that the saddest thing in the world is someone who is unaware of how funny they are.
Secret Squirrel 1 year ago
I agree it's ridiculous to claim to be part of a culture when you don't know anything about it. But speaking Irish is not a good bar to set. Most Irish-born people don't speak Irish. It's coming back, but aside from random phrases from primary school, if you dont live in a town that speaks Irish, you don't speak it. It's a poor test of irishness.
Load More Replies... - 1 year ago
If you're going to joke about someone's ethnicity, know the person a little, pick something innocuous and obscure, use a little imagination, and only do it once. Then move on.
- 1 year ago (edited)
Example: A Canadian with parents from France was ribbed by their boyfriend's Belgian aunt: "May I put the salad in the same plate as the main course or will you be very upset if I do that?" The Canadian took it well and the conversation continued as normal. The salad got on fine with the main course and ditto for the Canadian and the Belgian aunt.
Load More Replies...
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