QotD, This is a PROBLEM, Jimmy-me-lad? Edition.

Jim Geraghty (in the Jolt; no direct link), in the process of deconstructing Toni Morrison’s commentary about Bill Clinton being the first black President.

I’m just saying that if at some point some future president was described as “displaying almost every trope of Irish-American-ness: a heavy-drinking, hot-tempered, backslapping, gregarious chatting, bar brawling, easily weeping, potato-eating boy from the New York City suburbs,” well, I’d be furious. (And probably drunk, perpetuating the stereotype.)

Erm.  These are bad things?  Not that I brawl in bars*.  Or drink heavily, any more (who has time, when you have kids?).  But the rest of that?  Spot on.  I make no commentary on the validity of African-American stereotypes, mind you: but speaking as one the culture has kind of pegged the purebred Irish-American.  It’s just that we Sons of the Sod consider these things to be lovable quirks of our ancient and honorable ethnic heritage, and they’ve certainly not kept us from doing quite well for ourselves in Olde Americay.  Except for that damned excuse for amateur drunkenness holiday that the rest of you insist on celebrating in March…

Well, at least Jim didn’t mention the flatulence.  It’s the potatoes and the whiskey and the beer, you understand.

Moe (15th/16th Irish American**) Lane

*But my father did, while he was still drinking.  Family legend has it that he threw Ted Kennedy out of a bar once, back before Ted was Senator of anything.  No, Ted never held a grudge about it, either: say what you like about the son of a so-and-so, but he understood constituency relations.

**The rest is Canadian Native American (probably Huron) and Scottish.

***Oh, what the hell.

Whiskey You’re The Devil, The Clancy Brothers & Tommy Makem