"I'm not a troll. I am drunk so I am in no fit state to answer, but tomorrow I will." Troll, pole, flycast or dropline, begob McBoyne yer an honest man & to be commended for it. (Personally I think you're *always* in a fit statelet to answer, heh heh heh :)

"Someone here mocked the 12th. Why? Are they so different?" Well since I'm the Someone: yeah, they are. Because, the 12th-of-July Orange parades are much closer to your characterizations of St. Paddy's, than St. Paddy's ever was. Exclusionary, triumphalist, oppressive, racialist, etc. (*I* won't say "nazi", a term whose peerless horror is wrongfully diminished by its careless application to various & sundry latterday authoritarian pipsqueaks.) The St. Patrick's Day parades, by contrast, here in the U.S. nowadays are in fact quite ecumenical, multicultural & largely nonpolitical. EVERYBODY marches. On March 17 EVERYone claims to be Irish. //Yes, the 3/17 parades are significantly *silly*; seldom Saintly at all, at all; & have way too much Beer. The latter borders (you should pardon the expression:) on the idolatrous. But, of *your* charges, they are innocent. (Nameless Guest, re homophobic NYC parade: I agree. That needs to change. The time is gathering when it will. The policy now is, gays & lesbians can march, but not under their own banner. Why the Hell not?? That IS prejudice. Like other such, it will pass.)

McB. - "I wonder if jews would have so much sympathy if they had chosen Ireland to settle instead of Palestine." Well, they will tell you that it was not *they* Who chose their ancient homeland to which the Zionists sought return. Unlike your ancestors in the Plantation of Ulster, who claimed no divine instructions to drive the natives to Hell or to Connaught. (For which invasion No, I do not blame *you*.)

"Never forget Ireland's support for the Nazi's during World War II! Britain fought against them, when they had no need to..."
Had no NEED to??? Terror-bombing of London. Battle of Britain. Look into it. / Ireland did not support the Nazis. Ireland was neutral.
"Please, get your facts right. Ireland was a republic during WWII, so why would they want a shot at freedom?" Please, get your facts right. Eire proclaimed itself the Republic of Ireland under the Republic of Ireland Bill adopted by the Dáil in November 1948 and effective Easter Monday, April 18, 1948.

Look, Willy. Protestant Ulster Irishmen have indeed made huge contributions to civilization and to the world, just as you say. No question. So have those other, "green", Irish. Why denigrate & condemn? Can't we all get along?

Peace
Pooka