OPINION: St. Patrick’s Day has lost its honor
St. Patrick’s Day occurs annually on March 17 in observance of the death of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. What began as a religious feast day in the 17th century has evolved into a variety of festivals across the globe celebrating Irish culture with parades, special foods, music, dancing, and a whole lot of green. (USAF)
Saint Patrick’s Day, the designated feast day of the patron saint of Ireland, is a recognized American holiday. We celebrate this holy day by getting plastered beyond belief and causing mass chaos. It is a day where one of your coworkers or distant acquaintances drunk posts how they’re proud of being 1/32nd Irish, and are honoring their heritage by doing green jello shooters dressed as a sexy leprechaun.
Americans go all out for March 17, from Chicago dyeing its local flowing body of water bright green to McDonald’s alarmingly green Shamrock shakes.
Those who don’t enjoy getting hammered will see this day as the 17th day of the third month of the year. We are the ones who are baffled by the socially sanctioned day of mass public intoxication with either indifference, annoyance or contempt. It is a day where some are forced to watch 50-something year-old men trying to relive their college days with beer pong and drinking games.
My resentment towards St. Patrick’s Day results from forgetting to wear green in fourth grade and was set upon by rabid classmates clad in green who formed a pack mentality and proceeded to pinch me relentlessly. Despite my efforts to fend off their attacks with scowls and tattling on them to the teacher, I was later labeled the resident narc of the classroom.
Another reason why I do not enjoy this holiday is because I personally believe it continues to perpetuate negative and denigrating stereotypes of the Irish. America is a patchwork of cultures and ethnic groups and we should be celebrating those identities in a mindful and respectful manner. And then there’s a very small amount of individuals who have taken the time to look past the stereotypes that surround the Irish culture.
I have attempted at one point or another to teach myself Irish Gaelic and find enjoyment in binge reading the stories of Fionn mac Cumhaill, Cú Chulainn and the Tuatha Dé Danann for fun. Ireland has faced a lot, it was raided by vikings and was forced to produce food that they were not allowed to keep because of British imperialism while they faced mass starvation, disease and famine in the 19th century.
Instead of celebrating the resilience of the Irish, Americans tend to celebrate the stereotypes we have attached to them. The point is that Americans have a bit of a bad habit of only taking part of an event or something of culture significance and we ignore the reality behind it. Americans should at least try to learn about cultures to have a general understanding, rather than accepting watered down half truths and caricatures.
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