Kakki said: >> Most all ethnic groups in the U.S. hand down their stories through their families. It's a common American tradition. I think where this bothers you is that the stories of Irish hardship inevitably makes the English look less than good.<< You read me wrongly, Kakki. I really can't imagine why you think I am, or should be, bothered by the fact that tales of Irish hardship makes the English look bad. I think the English (British?) have acted disgracefully in Ireland for a long time and deserve to look bad. I hope that their looking bad will make them change their policy towards Ireland, but I doubt it. Either way, how England (Britain?) is portrayed doesn't bother me (my being Welsh, for what it's worth), and certainly does not lead to my being anti-American in any way. If I were anti-American in any way it would not be in retaliation for Noraid money being used to blow up civilians and soldiers, including friends of mine.
>>You probably feel that this has been perpetuated long enough and that it has led to nursing old grievances which can translate into money being sent by American Irish to the IRA, etc. I can understand your feelings. Again, you are trying to second-guess my viewpoint here and I'm afraid you are way off beam. Please don't tell me how you think I probably feel. You cannot and do not understand my feelings; your last two comments make that clear. >>But then do you really expect for a naive soft-hearted Irish American to know that they (NORAID) are (using money to buy weapons) ?<< I do not believe that Irish Americans are naove or soft-hearted. That would be stereotyping. >>I am willing to reconsider how we are viewed by the world and the reasons why and I only hope that the Europeans would also try to reconsider us on some things, too.<< That is what we are here for and I agree with your closing comments and the spirit in which they were made. Thanks for keeping this going, but no more analysis, please. mike
