The New York Times is trending on Twitter right now. After the appalling tragedy in Berkeley, California where six Irish students tragically died in a crumbling balcony, the newspaper thought it appropriate to highlight how Irish students have regularly mired the country in controversy.
I won’t linger on the obvious. It was wrong to publish the piece. However, I will point out that a 19th century cultural stereotype seems to be making a hate-filled return.
We’re not drunks in Ireland. I’m sure there are people suffering from alcohol and other substance addictions in your country.
We no longer subsist on potato. We have a diverse supply of staples. We’re actually quite good at agriculture and are renowned for best practice in that space.
We’re also well educated. We can read and write now. We also have PHDs and a raft of internationally recognised qualifications. Other than our sensible corporate tax rates there’s a reason why Google, Facebook, Apple, Twitter and Linkedin are here. We have the brains here too.
I’ll end this rant with some cuts from a defunct publication, also from New York, Harper’s Weekly. I wonder if a Thomas Nash-esque cartoonist is about to get a gig in 620 Eight Avenue?
