to be proud to be Irish - Biden reportedly wants The Chieftains for his inauguration.

[Shuddawuddacudda]

www.irishcentral.com/culture/entertainment/joe-biden-irish-band-chieftains-inauguration?fbclid=IwAR2hHpONAH86n_voO69ZwFK8gooFuU8rByZQnbMGXIDU4_w43_zQVggfPGU

'Reported by media'.

Good to know whose corner he's in.... Only the other day, Sky News were gloating that Boris got a phonecall from Biden before Ireland lol.

I think Obama was a fan of The High Kings too. Might have had them at Paddy's Day or something at the WH.

Big honour for The Chieftains if true!

I didn't expect U2 to be asked- hope Bono is not too disappointed. Please no miming of the Star Spangled Banner as Beyonce did with Bill Clinton's inauguration.

Leann, something being tradition doesn’t make it defensible. It isn’t okay for a police force in one of the most multicultural cities in the world to have a white ethnic group over-represented because of events over a century ago.

Traditions have to change if we want racial equality.

@Griselda1

www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-31930414 Imagine if he had referred to any other section of society in this way. He may think he's Irish but that's an appalling attitude,as was his weird reference about the bbc recently.

Its not an appalling attitude. It was truthful. Biden has been honest since the 80s that he would rather have a unified Ireland. Thankfully he is willing to let that go in favor of the GFA

@Stripesnomore so Irish people are to blame for police brutality and any racism in the police force? Bit of a reach there.

@Stripesnomore

Leann, something being tradition doesn’t make it defensible. It isn’t okay for a police force in one of the most multicultural cities in the world to have a white ethnic group over-represented because of events over a century ago.

Traditions have to change if we want racial equality.

First time I've seen the Irish accused of being some enemy of POC. As a suppressed nation we're pretty darn sure on what side of that argument we sit.

Biden might be Irish but he's as about as corrupt and fake as you can get. He is a bit spaghetti fingers round young girls and half has brain is senile. Of all the Americans that was the Democrats best effort? Or, is he just a puppet for the globalist elites...?

No Lion, I didn’t say that.

Biden isn’t Irish anymore than Trump was Scottish. They are both American.

Their ancestral claims are just about American Imperialism and interference in other countries.

Perhaps in the UK we should not throw stones about election choices. We had the choice between a 'friend' of Hamas and the IRA, a party that wanted to cancel a referendum without one, or a party led by a man who left his wife whilst she was undergoing cancer treatment and will not acknowledge how many children he has fathered.

Lots of people are interested in their ethnic / cultural roots.

I have a pet theory that, as we continue to lay blame for past historical ills at the feet of aggregate cultural identities like "British" and "American", we will see more and more people shifting their primary sense of identity to something that helps to sidestep being identified as an oppressor.

In short, more people identifying more strongly with their ethnic roots, particularly where those ethnic roots offer some protection from being lumped in with the oppressors.

That's my crackpot pet theory. I think it's contributes (modestly) to the uptick in Scottish / Welsh nationalism, and the growing tolerance to the idea of Irish unification even in the north. Britishness just ain't fashionable anymore.

@Baaaahhhhh

Sorry, but I find Biden's obsession with his Irish roots a bit odd. Biden is of English, French and Irish descent. His Irish roots are very distant in modern terms, his great-great grandparents on his mothers side. I have to say I think it is a bit odd that he sees himself as so Irish, when he is absolutely an American of mixed European descent and is actually only less than 1/5th Irish.

Yes it's odd, but not unusual. There's mountains of Americans that claim to be Irish despite it being quite far back on their family tree.

You know what's even odder. Pence is "more" Irish than Biden. So much so he could be put on the foreign births register. 😮. A granny from Clare and a grandfather from Mayo. (Or it's possibly grannies. )

Funnily, unlike Obama and Biden, not much is made of Pence's Irishness in Ireland 😂

‘In short, more people identifying more strongly with their ethnic roots, particularly where those ethnic roots offer some protection from being lumped in with the oppressors.’

I think there was a study of this showing the number of Americans identifying as Irish rather than English compared to the truth of their actual ancestry. Overall the general trend is an increase in Americans describing their ethnicity as American.

I find people claiming ancestral ethnicities to other countries less silly in the identity politics race than the ‘I am a citizen of the world’ people.

Rejoice, your thread has been validated, for the bots have arrived! I suppose it's a step forward that they're accusing the President-elect of only groping children rather than eating them like the previous candidate, eh?

Fascinating conversation about Irish identity still outnumbers the weird interjections though. Do carry on. I'll just lurk and get educated (I'm terminally English and quite alarmed at how we seem to be alienating our UK and European neighbours at a rate of knots - dammit, I liked being English, British and European).

I'm a little disappointed it turns out Biden is not outing himself as a Warcraft fan by booking the Tauren Chieftains though

Chieftans are fantastic live.
He is very old traditional American proud Orish.
Good anything is an improvement on that useless yellow turnip Trump.

@Dissimilitude

Lots of people are interested in their ethnic / cultural roots.

I have a pet theory that, as we continue to lay blame for past historical ills at the feet of aggregate cultural identities like "British" and "American", we will see more and more people shifting their primary sense of identity to something that helps to sidestep being identified as an oppressor.

In short, more people identifying more strongly with their ethnic roots, particularly where those ethnic roots offer some protection from being lumped in with the oppressors.

That's my crackpot pet theory. I think it's contributes (modestly) to the uptick in Scottish / Welsh nationalism, and the growing tolerance to the idea of Irish unification even in the north. Britishness just ain't fashionable anymore.

I think what you say has some merit - but it's a course not open to be as, like another poster on here, I am terminally English with no roots to trace anywhere else as far back as I can go, so no chance of me getting an Irish passport.

I have at least introduced an Irish component though - DD is half Irish.

Pence is a distant cousin of mine.

I never ever tell anyone 😂

Apparently I'm a bot because I'm not kissing Biden backside. Go figure!

Actually @SidSparrow it was your ‘puppet for the global elites’ that gave it away!

It seems that Irishness is very important to those whose ancestors fled the famine. An oppressed nation where food was exported and its native people were starving to death has links to the president of America. It is the American Dream they try to sell.

@MadameMiggeldy

Pence is a distant cousin of mine.

I never ever tell anyone 😂

Won't like had a bit of a panic when I heard his background. Checked the family tree - pretty sure I'm safe

And the anti Irish gang are out! Just in case anyone thought anti Irishness was left in the past.

@Stripesnomore

Leann, something being tradition doesn’t make it defensible. It isn’t okay for a police force in one of the most multicultural cities in the world to have a white ethnic group over-represented because of events over a century ago.

Traditions have to change if we want racial equality.

If POC want to work for the NYPD they are free to sit the exams and go through the academy. Many of them do. In fact 38 percent of NYPD is made up of POC. I recognize that can be better but its up to the individual to pick their career. The entrance requirements are the same no matter what ethnicity you are. Why should people be banned from following in their parents footsteps based on the color of their skin? Are you saying that since the majority of the US military is Caucasian that my children shouldn't be allowed to make their own career choice and follow in our families tradition of serving because there aren't enough POC joining?

@SunniCameHomeWithAVengeance

It seems that Irishness is very important to those whose ancestors fled the famine. An oppressed nation where food was exported and its native people were starving to death has links to the president of America. It is the American Dream they try to sell.

Nah Biden's not a republican

I think a police force should mirror the population it serves, so about 70% POC for NYPD, in leadership as well as general policing. I don’t have any particular opinion on the military.

@Stripesnomore so you do think that a white person shouldn’t be allowed follow a career path they want to take unless they fit the quote of 30% ‘other’

Wow that is outrageous.