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I have a couple of friends who are always pointing out that they are Irish Catholic. I am not although I am a Christian.
Each of them, at least once per conversation will say "being Irish Catholic...we always did this..." Usually it's something that everybody does so I find it kind of funny that they think it's specific to being Irish Catholic. One of them is divorced and the other has had an abortion so they are not really strict Catholics.
I get that they are proud of their heritage but I don't know why they have to keep telling me this. It's not like they are 1st generation.
It's really bothering me and I don't know if I should say something or just ignore it. I would like to understand why people do this. Any thoughts? It's as if they think they are superior or special for being born Irish Catholic.
I have a couple of friends who are always pointing out that they are Irish Catholic. I am not although I am a Christian.
Each of them, at least once per conversation will say "being Irish Catholic...we always did this..." Usually it's something that everybody does so I find it kind of funny that they think it's specific to being Irish Catholic. One of them is divorced and the other has had an abortion so they are not really strict Catholics.
I get that they are proud of their heritage but I don't know why they have to keep telling me this. It's not like they are 1st generation.
It's really bothering me and I don't know if I should say something or just ignore it. I would like to understand why people do this. Any thoughts? It's as if they think they are superior or special for being born Irish Catholic.
As other people have mentioned, this is more about cultural identity and about sharing one's childhood. My childhood was different than most people in our Orange County, Ca. neighborhood because we had an Irish American father who had been brought up by two Irish parents in Manhattan, NY. Catholicism, New York street savvy, kindness on a sweet level, Irish superstitions, alcohol, humor used both against and with one, and a heavy sense of guilt, made us feel AND act differently than our neighbors. Nothing special about that but it is what it is. Your *label*explains you. Or maybe the "Irish Catholic" thang just explains something valuable to them. If you said you were a "sassy and proud Texan" I would get a stereotypical image of your childhood. I may get annoyed if you brought it up all the time, but it would verify that you have high self esteem and a positive outlook on life.
All groups of people have been persecuted at one time or another, but Irish, Greek & Italians have white privilege and could more easily blend in with other whites. That hasn't been the case for blacks, Asians, and many Hispanics, who cannot easily hide their ethnicity.
It is true that blacks, Asians and many Hispanics couldn't hide their ethnicity but you are downplaying the problems that the Irish, Greeks and Italians had in this country BEFORE they assimilated. Read the Gangs of New York or anything regarding the subject of Nativism.
My ex husband's Greek grandfather wasn't accepted into his wife's white 7 Day Adventist family for decades due to his brown skin. Same with my one aunt who married an Italian. My whole Catholic thang threw off my mother in law and her family for years. (again, 7 Day Adventist) No, I didn't think voting for Kennedy, was putting the Pope in the White House, and no, there wasn't anything creepy about confessing one sins in a "box", etc., etc.
Sometimes I feel like if one more person tells me about their Irish, Scottish, Cherokee or "Descended from English royalty" heritage, I think I will scream.
Why can't some of these Americans just accept that they are broadly European descent, or mixed, and that their nationality is American? Why do they have to claim a culture or heritage that isn't rightly theirs? Elizabeth Warren is the worst example, there are many others.
Maybe because when one does her/his family tree, he is never going to find: One half American, one half Australian (for example) as labels for his ancestors. Finding out that on my mother side, we had Dutch ancestors who arrived in New Amsterdam in the 1650's made me read, research, watch videos about early AMERICAN history of that time. Likewise, finding an English immigrant who became a Civil War soldier... I traveled through all the battles and states he went through and learned more about the Civil War than I ever had before.
I have a couple of friends who are always pointing out that they are Irish Catholic. I am not although I am a Christian.
Each of them, at least once per conversation will say "being Irish Catholic...we always did this..." Usually it's something that everybody does so I find it kind of funny that they think it's specific to being Irish Catholic. One of them is divorced and the other has had an abortion so they are not really strict Catholics.
I get that they are proud of their heritage but I don't know why they have to keep telling me this. It's not like they are 1st generation.
It's really bothering me and I don't know if I should say something or just ignore it. I would like to understand why people do this. Any thoughts? It's as if they think they are superior or special for being born Irish Catholic.
I think you should say something if it bothers you.
Nothing wrong with saying, "Why do you think that has anything to do with being Irish Catholic?" Or, "I know you're back is Irish Catholic - you don't have to keep bringing it up." Or even, "You keep mention being Irish Catholic, but you're actually American, and, given the divorce, not very serious about being Catholic."
I look at talking about religion like I do politics. I know how you feel and you know how I feel. I also know I'm not going to change your mind by talking about it all the time and I know you're not going to change mine. But I'll support you 100% on how you believe.
Hopefully on one of the very rare occasions that I broadcast my atheism in public, you happen to be within earshot.
J/k.
I discovered years ago, not to broadcast my atheism. Too many people would get a special gleam in their eye and for the next 10 minutes try to convert me to their own personal way of looking at the world.
Which is what think a religious person's beliefs are: Personal opinions, only.
Sometimes I feel like if one more person tells me about their Irish, Scottish, Cherokee or "Descended from English royalty" heritage, I think I will scream.
Why can't some of these Americans just accept that they are broadly European descent, or mixed, and that their nationality is American? Why do they have to claim a culture or heritage that isn't rightly theirs? Elizabeth Warren is the worst example, there are many others.
Because for many people who do know their heritage, there is no "broad European descent" or "mixing" to the degree that everything is muddled down to very low percentages.
You just sound petty, tbh..
I got 2 castles in Ireland- don't hate
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