AIBU to be slightly miffed that "throwing a paddy" refers to Irish people ?

[scuzy]

If having a paddy meant being drunk, i'd understand. but to associate it with having a tantrum when of recent years at footballs games, riots etc its the english that are the ones more deserving of this title.

not sure what it would be called then.

any suggestions? having a ....????

[lolaflores]

2shoes who got your goat? No need for that.

[DrSeuss]

As a person of Scots-Irish descent, I had always assumed that it was to us that the phrase referred. However, since I do not live in a country where my gender means that I am forbidden to drive or vote, as I will never actually starve through famine or die from drinking dirty water, will probably not be killed for my religious beliefs or political affiliations and am unlikely to have to maim my kids so that they can beg more easily, I refuse to get excited about it. The Potato Famine was some time ago and it is quite a while since boarding houses banned dogs in the same breath as the Irish. I short, by all means get Po-Ed but why not choose a more worthwhile target and try channelling the anger into something constructive?

[2shoes]

perhaps I am not keen on your posts slagging of the english, any other country and you would rightly be pulled as racist

[scuzy]

"Who said I didn't accept it? You can't expect people to ignore it just because you changed your mind and said you didn't mean it."

[Moominsarescary]

Lola my son who I was referring to earlier who dp refers to as having a paddy is called tommy,

Changing it to having a tommy probably wouldn't work in this house though as he's named after his Irish grandfather

[scuzy]

i agree lola

[scuzy]

thank you SoupDreggon.

[lolaflores]

2shoes calm down dear. How is she slagging off the English? Enlighten me? She may have been clumsy in some of her posts but I did not see her being intentionally offensive. Still, your comment does not prove you are in anyway more articulate to form an intelligent response, so, do pipe down

[Aboutlastnight]

'everyone's definition is racist is different'

So when you make a comment is isn't racist but even someone else uses a negative stereotype it is?

[lolaflores]

I think racism can be defined by intent. A decision to be offensive. A negative stereortype that has been in common usage for centuries sometimes needs re assessing. Is that not what we are talking about.

[Aboutlastnight]

And DrSeuss I absolutely agree.

[scuzy]

lolaflores you said it better than me. I have only learned off this phrase and its multiple meanings today, some interesting, some stereotypical/racist.

i am sure some people have been saying it, using it every day language and not realised what it meant.

[SoupDreggon]

"soupdreggon you are in the same pot as 2shoes and worse still that you can possibly put your name below such a thick remark. Shame on you both"

By far the thickest remark is from the OP.

And you are clearly in the same pot as her. Shame on you both.

[bugster]

I can understand the Irish being annoyed about 'throw a paddy'. It is offensive. I've heard it quite a lot but I think it's a stupid expression.

'paddywhack' has also been bothering me as in the song "'with a nick nack paddywhack give the dog a bone'. It is on a CD of children's songs that we have. What is that about? What is meant by 'paddywhack'? Bashing Irish people?

Unfortunately I think some of these expressions do have anti-Irish origins. The stereotype of the Irish being drunk.....my grandmother certainly believed it. When I asked her about her family tree, she didn't know too much about it, but thought she had some Irish relatives, because her name was Kathleen Mary and.....because she could remember that her grandfather was often drunk.

[lolaflores]

Soupdreggon are you simply an echo in here.

[scarletforya]

I heard the word 'Hooligans' came from the Houlihans who were a rowdy Irish family in London. I think the point is there are loads of words and sayings which may have had a racist origin but have fallen into common usage and the original meaning is lost and the people who use it now would be unaware of the original connotation.

That's the way language goes. Hooligan

[SoupDreggon]

"How is she slagging off the English?"

That will be in the very first post.

[scuzy]

"Hahahaha" bran. I wasnt originally offended as I didnt know what it meant, but the more I thought of it I was slightly annoyed as I had read it on here many times.

I felt it was worth a debate. Christ!

[SoupDreggon]

As are you, Lola. An echo of utter nonsense.

[SoupDreggon]

So, a phrase is considered to be potentially racist and offensive and you think that it is "worthy of discussion" to try and attach it to a different nationality??

[lolaflores]

sourpdreggon as I said earlier, clumsily put, surely not an outright attempt to insult or provoke anyone. Just clumsy. Calm down fighty.

[scuzy]

is no one allowed change their mind or take on board other's opinions on an initial first post and change their mind? and dare i say apologise??? obviously not!

or else people arent reading the thread.