Well it is only a couple days UNtill the famed Scranton St. Patricks Days Parade. Irish men and women of scranton will be out in full force to show their pride not only in their Irish heritage but also in their beloved area. I live in Fla now and I can tell you, Scranton is a great place. I miss the people everyday and I miss all of the little things I used to think I hated. I enjoy the weather of florida and being 5 mins to the beach but there is much missing from this area. I miss the Italians and the irish and other ethnic pride that was all over the city. I miss the fact that people take pride in the heritage that has been in that area for years.
All in all I guess i wanted to say no matter what they spew about how awfull Scranton is and how they hate everyone, that is kind of what I like about scranton. We are known for our fiestiness. We are fighters because that is how we are bred. Scranton produces some true talent despite how unpolished they may be and I am proud of that. No one gives a **** about local politics here, and trust me it is corrupt as all get out. I am proud to be IRish and from Scranton. Up The RAH and have a fun time at the Parade. I will be at Bennigans in florida telling people about Scranton!
Thank you Tim ... even if you can't be here ... your spirit will be ... I will raise my glass to you on Parade Day ... and again on St. Patrick's Day ... as I will be out an about until the wee hours of the morning.
May the road rise to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face. And rains fall soft upon your fields. And until we meet again, May God hold you in the hollow of His hand.
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I want everyone to stop and think about one thing ... Joe Pilchesky is not a lawyer ... he's just a guy playing a lawyer on the internet. Please don't trust your legal needs to this man.
Tim...you are absolutely right about Scranton. Say what you want about the place...I happen to believe that it is no worse than most other places in many ways...but this city has a certain 'soul' to it that you just don't see in other places.
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Free Speech does't require a multi-paragrah disclaimer Mr. Pilchesky.
I hate to spew some negativity, but I absolutely cannot stand "parade day." I am Irish, and very proud of my heritage. That said, I think many of the event that surround this parade make a mockery of Irish heritage. 17 cent green Coors Lights at 7 am? One, no true Irishman would drink piss-water like Coors Light, and two, I could never imagine drinking at breakfast time. They like to advertise the parade as a "family event," yet who really wants to take the kids to a place where people are already in a drunken stupor, stumbling around, yelling obscenities, fighting, throwing up, and urinating in public by the time the parade starts? I would love to take my kids to the parade, but that's not something I want to expose them to. Parade day plays on all of the negative stereotypes of the Irish. Imagine the uproar if we celebrated other ethnic holidays with similar negative stereotypes? You don't see anyone celebrating Martin Luther King Day with fried chicken, watermelon, and malt liquor specials at the crack of dawn (noth that I would support such a thing, just making a point). That is not acceptable, yet the old stereotype of the Irish as drunken fools is OK?
I'm Irish, and yes I like beer, but I don't drink myself to a stupor, and I would rather drink real beer like Guinness, Smithwick's, Caffrey's, Boddington's etc. But the parade day festivities offend me. More people should be attending the Mass at the Cathedral on Parade Day morning, rather than perpetuating the offensive stereotype that the Irish are drunks and that St. Patrick's Day is about getting drunk. Then maybe the parade would be a better environment to take my Irish-American kids.
Not meaning to flame anyone here, just venting my opinion.
Well said, Sam. My husband is as Irish as Paddy's pig, while I am of another nationality.
Parade day has always been a tradition for his family. Cripes, they break out every bit of green they own. But I have to say, there's NO way I'm hauling my kids out in the freezing cold or even a drizzling rain to stand around watching the politicians tooting their own horns or Adrian and her tuxedoed flock.
On a bright sunny day, though - I Am There ! I'll applaude the policemen, the firemen and certainly our servicemen, but the drunken idiots really irritate me, too. What pi$$es me off though, is some of the vulgar clothing. Don't get me wrong, I love a filthy joke or a rude comment as much as the next guy, but some of the mouths on these kids and the vulgar t-shirts that are worn, my child DOES NOT need to read. No one needs to see your "*uck me I'm Irish" shirt. It's bad enough you want us to kiss thos greasy lips of yours, too.
I think they should put all the bands of pipers in the very beginning of the parade. That way, I can see them all at once and go the hell home and have some kapusta, halupki and kielbasa with a cup of hot chocolate in front of the fire.
Ahhh, now THAT's parade day.
p.s. and what is with the special dispensation for those Mick's to eat meat if St. Patrick's Day happens to fall on a Friday?
Ohhh, Sammy .... yiv gotten me Irish uop now.
-- Edited by His Girl Thursday at 19:10, 2007-03-08
Sam...I hear ya. I haven't gone to the prade in twenty years. I don't mind those that do, but as for myself, I never found it entertaining to watch someone puke green beer into a gutter. But hell, if that's someone's bag then so be it.
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Free Speech does't require a multi-paragrah disclaimer Mr. Pilchesky.
I know what you mean Ag ... and that's exactly why I stay home and watch it on TV.
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I want everyone to stop and think about one thing ... Joe Pilchesky is not a lawyer ... he's just a guy playing a lawyer on the internet. Please don't trust your legal needs to this man.
