Irish Joke Thread in Honour of St Patrick ...

[Jerry Freeman]

Hogwash.

Seriously, Bloo.

Notwithstanding your erudition and rhetorical prowess, you're not in a position to understand. Please don't condescend to tell me what I feel. Unbelieveably callous.

Best wishes,
Jerry

I am talking about your argument, not your feelings. If you want to discuss those, just let me know, and I will be as humble and as gentle as I can. I am not condescending to you by responding to your argument with my argument. Nor did I tell you what you feel. Thank you for not reciprocating with condescention by, for example, telling me I am in no position to understand.

As a cultural proposition, I still think you're wrong at least in the sense that "many of us Americans" would feel any more rootless etc. than "many of us Europeans."

I know I shouldn't say things like "hogwash." But I can't always resist. I'm not even serious about that. Sorry: guilty as charged on that count. I should either shut up or tell you outright that I find it unappetizing when you go from calling Peter's post "mean-spirited" to calling for "empathy" to talking about "rightful heritage" and "entitlement" and ending up with "Please. We are one family..."

Probably shouldn't have said that last bit either. Look at it this way: I am paying you the compliment of honesty.

Best wishes,
Bloomfield

Regarding the point of my objecting to your "condescending" to tell me how I feel, I have to stand my ground. What I said was about feelings: "To a great extent, many of us Americans are rootless people who long for a lost sense of place and community."

I don't dispute that there's something that can be called American culture, but that doesn't mean what I'm saying is untrue. The point is, many of us do not feel rooted in that, or any other culture (and many do, too, of course). This is a real malaise, and I'm sure I'm not the only American who feels it deeply.

This comment of yours caught me by surprise:

Americans have much deeper cultural roots than Europeans born after WW II.

You are certainly in a position to tell me how many Europeans feel. It hadn't occurred to me that a similar rootlessness malaise might be affecting Europeans, too. I'm used to us Americans being the ones derided as superficial and without culture. My immediate reaction to your comment, though, is to think the uprooting or rootlessness among Europeans born after WWII might have been much a result of, or at least contributed to by, the disproportionate American commercial and cultural influence after WWII.

Best wishes,
Jerry

[Lambchop]

I've heard some perfectly hilarious comedy on Irish national radio mocking Irish-American tourists. Great stuff. I don't mind, and I didn't find it offensive.

However, there really is a spiritual poverty that's driving much of the=at kind of behavior by Americans, and I wanted to point that out. That same spiritual poverty may also be at the basis of much of the extremely materialistic and superficial appearance oriented behavior that dominates American popular culture.

Best wishes,
Jerry

I have to agree with everything Jerry said.

[I.D.10-t]

As for Americans, they are American, even if they like to think otherwise.

America has the strongest unifying culture, the strongest sense of place and community.

Some are Texans first others are Southerners first; others are Hispanic, expatriates, Christian or Jew first. A nation, a state, ethnicity, heritage, and identity are not the same thing, they all are different in type and magnitude of influence. As for culture, I fear that the world is becoming American and that no matter where I go I will hear the same crappy music on a radio and see the same crappy movies and have to eat the same crappy burgers no matter where I go.

Often I feel that the most unifying thing about America is that we reserve the right to abuse each other and that when anyone else tries we get mad.

Personally, I feel that I am human long before any thing else and my loyalties are such. I do not like the fact that I am given a citizenship at birth and am already labled an American (or forced into any other artificial loyalties) for life.

(So do Irish wear green?)

Edited for clarity by adding the word NOT.
My apologies to the Canadians for using the word American when I mean the United States.

[The Weekenders]

The American Revolution left us with a culture based on the Constitution and the Republic. It demands maturity, responsibility and a sober sense of belonging to an ideal of LAW, not ethnic culture, though there is, of course, the Anglo American and Enlightenment orientation. Even the flag, symbol of so many monarchies and other, takes on a special meaning yet leaves many empty-feeling.

It's not enough, makes many lonely and long for something more familiar. So people go towards their roots, or form new cultural associations. Page Smith wrote about this. He felt that the Mormon church was an attempt by many people to re-connect to something as its converts were of various nationalities. Even though it had its origins in a religious experience, he felt it caught the alienation of the post-Rev, pre-Industrial gap and was a uniquely American phenomena.

One could posit that corporatism was quick to move into the gap as well as regional and state republic identities. I am not sure about all of it, but I think, no matter how attractive it is, one should be wary of putting on an Old World skin, because, so often, it involves adopting built-in animosities.

[chas]

Imagine how hell would break loose if a thread similarly stereotyping, black people, american indians, stupic yanks or whatever would run on the board.

Is there such a thing as a stupid yank joke??? I'd love to hear some! Lord knows we have enough quirks to serve . . .

We Yanks aren't gonna tell Yank jokes in general, but there are a ton of jokes told by residents of one state about residents of another state.

Years ago a Texan checked into a Vermont hotel. In those days, not all states had direct long-distance dialing. This Texan had to make a call back home about his oil well. When he was ready to check out, he saw the charge for the call. He said, "In Texas we could make a call to hell and back for that much money." The clerk said, "Ayuh, but in Texas, wouldn't that be considered a local call?"

Don't some of y'all from other countries have some Yank jokes?

[OnTheMoor]

I am not sure about all of it, but I think, no matter how attractive it is, one should be wary of putting on an Old World skin, because, so often, it involves adopting built-in animosities.

Very true, I've been reading with interest about Mr. Adams' visit to the United States. When I was in Belfast and Derry a couple years ago I heard alot of anger towards the Americans who had wrapped themselves in the Republican cause (and not Protestants). Well to remember that our ancestors came here for a reason.

Never think of calling myself 'Irish' even though all my grandparents were born there. I'm Canadian pure and simple (although I have Irish skin, which is a pain in the summer )

[Jerry Freeman]

Years ago a Texan checked into a Vermont hotel. In those days, not all states had direct long-distance dialing. This Texan had to make a call back home about his oil well. When he was ready to check out, he saw the charge for the call. He said, "In Texas we could make a call to hell and back for that much money." The clerk said, "Ayuh, but in Texas, wouldn't that be considered a local call?"

Later, the same Texan happened to strike up a conversation with a local dairy farmer. In response to a question from the dairy farmer about his ranch, the Texan said, "Well, I can start out at daybreak on one side of the ranch, drive all day long and then stop for the night. Then I can start again at daybreak the next morning and drive until night again. Then I can start at daybreak the third day, and by around one in the afternoon, I'll reach the other side of my ranch."

"Ayuh," said the Vermont dairy farmer. "I used to have a car like that."

Best wishes,
Jerry

[mukade]

I always find it quite scary when people start saying I have this blood and that blood, and I'm proud of my heritage blah blah blah.

I find it difficult to be proud of something in which I had no choice.

The most notable thing my Irish ancestors gave me is an increased risk of skin cancer.

Mukade

[avanutria]

Happy Saint Patrick's Day, everyone.

[Martin Milner]

An Englishman, a Spaniard and a Dutchman are drinking together in an bar in Fair Dublin City.

"I say, pretty windy out today, chaps?" Says the Englishman.

¿"Miércoles? Pensé que era Jueves?" Says the Spaniard.

The Dutchman says ""Ik ben ook dorstig, hebben een andere ronde!"


Happy St Patrick's Day!

[Flyingcursor]

Lots of good points.

I don't identify myself with my ancestry. I've been told that my dad's side comes from Germany somewhere in the early 19th century and my Mom's from England yet I don't consider myself German or English and as far as I know I have no Irish surging through my veins. I don't become Irish on St. Patrick's day. I think people who do so are pretentious.
(I can't verify our family's actual place of origin. The last names of my grandparents were Waldo, Hardesty, Keyes and Slater.)

There was a fad when I was a teenager where everyone seemed to want to outdo each other with how much "Indian" they had in their blood.

"I'm 1/4 Indian!"
"Well I'm 1/2 Indian"
"Well I'm 100% Indian!" That would explain the white skin, freckles, blond hair, blue eyes and of course the name Vanderklok.
Man that used to tick me off.

As a few have already posted there's a pretty wide range of being "American". And as I.D. 10-T said, it seems like it's being congealed into less regional difference and more "American". I blame modern media and the trend for the modular approach to anything.

Concerning jokes. It would be hard to tell American jokes because of the regional differences. Even throughout Michigan there are different jokes for different areas. It's a predominantly Dutch Calvinist descent here so the jokes are usually Dutch jokes. Not real Netherlands Dutch, obviously but Michigan Dutch. I've heard the same jokes applied to different groups depending on what part of the country I hear it.

Michigan and Ohio people love to cast dispersions on each other. Ohioan's are still mad they got stuck with Toledo.

I live in a little town called Vicksburg. One of my favorite jokes is "If a couple from Vicksburg get a divorce are they still brother and sister?"

For those who celebrate, have a happy St. Patrick's day.

[Lambchop]

We Yanks aren't gonna tell Yank jokes in general, but there are a ton of jokes told by residents of one state about residents of another state.

Years ago a Texan checked into a Vermont hotel. In those days, not all states had direct long-distance dialing. This Texan had to make a call back home about his oil well. When he was ready to check out, he saw the charge for the call. He said, "In Texas we could make a call to hell and back for that much money." The clerk said, "Ayuh, but in Texas, wouldn't that be considered a local call?"

Oh, that's right! I think this is why I had so much trouble seeing what the fuss was about . . . Americans poke fun at themselves and each other CONSTANTLY. It's a national pastime.

For people poking fun at themselves, just listen to Garrison Keillor's Prairie Home Companion . . . Minnesota and its populace, particularly Lutherans. Powdermilk Biscuits. Lake Wobegone's strong women and children who are all above-average.

Or to Jeff Foxworthy, who specializes in poking fun at rednecks--a species found nearly everywhere in various forms.

Thanks for the joke, Chas! You have to hear it with the regional accents--the contrast is part of what makes this a good one. It'll be my Joke-of-the-Day at work today.

They're all afraid I'll bring my flute and subject them to Irish music, which they all despise. They consider tin whistles, in fact, to be hideous. Which should show you that not all Americans think Ireland or it's culture is anything to have an interest in.

<Goes off to practice in the shower . . . "Yuh cahn't geat theah from heah . . . ">

[Wombat]

The problem is that we Americans don't have anything other than our foreign roots to identify with.

Duke Ellington, Muddy Waters and Hank Williams would be a good place for me to start identifying if I were American.

[dubhlinn]

That's so true Wombat...

This World would be a much poorer place without the Music that has come out of America over the years..a poor place indeed.

I mean to say..Bob Dylan...'nuff said.

Have a good day y'all,

Slan,
D.

[mukade]

The problem is that we Americans don't have anything other than our foreign roots to identify with.

Duke Ellington, Muddy Waters and Hank Williams would be a good place for me to start identifying if I were American.

Add Woodie Guthrie to that list.

Traditional Irish music owes much to America, too.
I doubt it would be in the healthy state it is today without the American connection.

Mukade