Does anyone out there hate St. Patrick, and most importantly St. Patrick's Day? I am almost embarrassed to say I am half-Irish on a day like today. Yes, it is true that my mother is from Ireland (my father is from Hungary), they met in a nightclub here in NYC back in the 60's and the rest is history. My father is not as close to his family as my mother is to her's so most of my childhood summers was spent in Ireland. This was great for me because I had two cousins' my age and now I have quite a few friends over there. (Oh and the drinking age in Ireland is 18.)
I must admit that back in my high school days I use to enjoy cutting school with some friends and going to the parade. Maybe even have a drink or two and end up in some over crowded bar having some good fun. I refuse to think that I was ever as annoying as the kids today. I mean a few years ago on a workday during my lunch I went over to check out the parade and came across a bunch of drunken teens that were wearing green from head to toe. They seem to think it was OK to shout at the people marching and watching the parade some nonsense about how "gays" should not be allowed to march .... WTF???
However, my hate for this holiday has been building up well before that incident. I really dislike that this holiday is solely associated with drinking and not much else. I hate when AMERICANS who are a generation or more away from their Irish roots never even bother to find out where they are from or anything about the place where their family is from (other than it's the same place that makes Guinness). I hate when AMERICANS who have never even visited Ireland call Ireland "HOME". OH and I can't stand the diddilly Irish music (I mean it's like a drill that just goes right through my head).
But let's talk about this St. Patrick the man behind today's celebration. I mean I heard rumors they wanted to make this a national holiday. WHY? He's just a man from Whales that got captured by Vikings (or Celts) and brought to Ireland. When escaping the Celts he claims to have been spoken to by god in a dream and begun to study Christianity. He went back to Ireland not to drive the snakes out of it but to convert the Celts to Christianity. (Snakes are not native to Ireland.) So my question is Why are we praising a guy who got rid of the Celtic (pagan) religion. I know most of the Celts followed many local gods but they had some cool art and symbols. And what's so wrong with a pagan religion (other than the sacrificing) really? Where's the love. Does anyone see this as a sad day like Christmas a genuine religious holiday that has been so commercialized it's lost its true meaning?
OK I'll stop squabbling nonsense ... go enjoy a pint!
