Coming Tomorrow

[mbarrick]

Last Sunday was the 2nd annual "Celtic Festival" parade, which as I mentioned last year would have been a disaster in less politically correct times. While the parade was fun, it was was also a tad bizarre given the reasons mentioned before, and (as with last year) the sheer amount of people marching in it that represented the Imperial forces oppressing Ireland for the last several hundred years and the very reason Irish Catholics didn't move to Canada in large numbers like they did to the U.S., and of course, the usual utterly out-there, only in Vancouver weirdness. Toss in the main reason someone thinks this is a good idea is that American cultural imperialism through T.V., movies, and other media has somehow ingrained the idea that St. Patrick's day is something we should be celebrating because it's done in New York, Boston, Chicago and other "world class" cities -- so we need to have one too to prove we're just as good (or something like that). It all adds up it to a decidedly Canadian event. Some samples:

Irish

Not Irish

Only in Vancouver

Comments

[replicant6.livejournal.com]

yeh. I had a big laugh at the dragon boat. haha. oh-kay...


D

[sovietnimrod.livejournal.com]

the sheer amount of people marching in it that represented the Imperial forces oppressing Ireland for the last several hundred years

LOL! Maybe they are Ulster Loyalists? To Catholic eyes, Imperial forces and Loyalist Irish seem like one and the same thing.

Actually, it kind of pisses me off that we Europeans cannot have our own cultural celebrations without the obligatory inclusion of non-Europeans lest we be branded "racist". But the reverse doesn't hold true.

[bitogoth.livejournal.com]

i imagine it's a bit like living in new orleans during mardi gras. i took today off to get some errands done inclduing picking up valerian's ribbon, only to realise that today is the 17th and it will be impossible getting in, around, or out of the city due to inebriated f*cks screaming bad gaelic, who painted themselves like Braveheart running around in kilts and hurling in the gutters. *seethe*

i went to the parade once because a friend of mine was playing with his gaelic group at paddy o'reily's. loathe, loathe, loathe st. patrick's day in new york.

[saturnina.livejournal.com]

?? I thought Gung Haggis Fat Choy was a celebration of Robbie Burns Day and Chinese New Year not St. Patricks Day! Close enough I guess??

[mbarrick.livejournal.com]

Seriously, it is so messed up that it really shouldn't be questioned. Scottish + Chinese = St. Patrick's Day? Only in Vancouver!

[mediavictim.livejournal.com]

And we should also have the KLAN march during black history month becasue if it weren't for people like the Klan - the blacks wouldn't have united.


At that outdoor festival last week - I found all the chinese run booths selling Canadian tourist crap and the east indian Henna tatoo booths kind of out of place.