St. Patrick’s Day allows us the chance to remember how, generations ago, the Irish were reviled and hated by many in this country. They were “Otherized” and made the secular scapegoat for all the ills of their society in that day.
But this morning, the great-grandchildren of Protestants who spewed racial epithets at the Irish, left for school wearing green. Later today, scores more descendants of Irish-haters will hoist a green beer, and drunkenly wax about how “we’re all Irish.”
These are strange little social observations, to be sure. And it’s hard to call them victories for progress.
But they give me an odd sense of hope for the long view…
That one day, the great-grandchildren of border-guarding “Minute Men” will happily enjoy their Cinco de Mayo margaritas, while the descendants of Fred Phelps wear their rainbow colored tshirts to public schools on Pride Weekend.
It’s not exactly “the wolf lying down with lamb.” But maybe it’s as close as we get in this life.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day.