A memory from my middle-school years

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Maxirad

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I remember my eighth-grade math teacher refusing to wear green on St. Patrick’s Day because of all the years of violence between Catholics and Protestants in, if I’m not mistaken, Northern Ireland. He didn’t want to honor the violence. I had previously had him from drama class in sixth grade, and he described himself as Eastern Catholic. Was he wrong in refusing to wear green because of the reason he gave?

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The same could be said about celebrating Columbus day, if anyone did anything remotely close to what he did in modern times, they would be arrested and likely put to death, definitely not go down in history as a hero.

Another example, every July 4th, we celebrate all the patriots of the US and the things they did, but if anyone in modern times even attempted such things (even if they were doing their constitutional duties), they would be quickly arrested, and labeled a domestic terrorist, even worse, Id bet the majority of people would actually side with the Govt and not the person…???

Seems like we are a bunch of hypocrites.
 
mikekle said:
The same could be said about celebrating Columbus day, if anyone did anything remotely close to what he did in modern times, they would be arrested and likely put to death, definitely not go down in history as a hero.

Another example, every July 4th, we celebrate all the patriots of the US and the things they did, but if anyone in modern times even attempted such things (even if they were doing their constitutional duties), they would be quickly arrested, and labeled a domestic terrorist, even worse, Id bet the majority of people would actually side with the Govt and not the person…???

Seems like we are a bunch of hypocrites.
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What did St. Patrick do that was so horrible? He probably didn’t really drive out snakes. It’s unlikely that snakes ever lived in Ireland in the first place.
 
To equate a struggle for independence and reunification with a battle over religious differences is disingenuous. True, most of the people who wanted Ulster to stay with the UK are protestants of English descent, and most of the people from the ROI are Catholic (practicing or not), but it wasn’t, by any means, a religious war.
 
I think his reasons were overblown and simplistic. How were Catholics at fault for fighting for their freedom against usurpers and conquerors? Sure, some used questionable tactics and for some their cause became a reason to murder and hate. But to blame all Irish for the actions of a few is simplistic and unfair.

Besides this, to impose his ideas on young students, making those who did wear green feel like they were doing something wrong, was irresponsible of him as a teacher. If he didn’t want to wear green, that was fine but he should have kept his reasons to himself when discussing such matters with impressionable young people.

Nearly every historical figure can be vilified for things s/he did by those outside their time who have different sensibilities. Sure, some did horrific things that shouldn’t have been done even within the contest of their culture/laws. We have to balance their accomplishments against their other objectionable actions. There will always be groups who want to blame their present problems on actions taken long ago instead of dealing with the world in which they now live.
 
Maxirad said:
I remember my eighth-grade math teacher refusing to wear green on St. Patrick’s Day because of all the years of violence between Catholics and Protestants in, if I’m not mistaken, Northern Ireland. He didn’t want to honor the violence. I had previously had him from drama class in sixth grade, and he described himself as Eastern Catholic. (emphasis added)
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There is no reason that I can think of why a self described Eastern Catholic, in particular, would refuse to wear green on St Patrick’s Day by virtue of being Eastern Catholic (other than perhaps not being of Irish origin). That said, there are many Eastern Catholics in America who come from areas torn by violence and oppression, and your teacher may have made that connection somehow sympathetically or otherwise.
 
Maxirad said:
I remember my eighth-grade math teacher refusing to wear green on St. Patrick’s Day because of all the years of violence between Catholics and Protestants in, if I’m not mistaken, Northern Ireland. He didn’t want to honor the violence. I had previously had him from drama class in sixth grade, and he described himself as Eastern Catholic. Was he wrong in refusing to wear green because of the reason he gave?

[Note to moderators: If this thread is inappropriate for this sub-forum, move it to a sub-forum where it **is
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appropriate.]

Your eighth grade math teacher probably had no business expressing that political view in a math class. He had the right to wear whatever he preferred. But, I think that discussion would be more appropriate to a history or social studies course, with a teacher prepared to explain all sides of the problem.
 
Irish_Cabbie said:
With white (for peace) in between.
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:aok:
Maxirad said:
I remember my eighth-grade math teacher refusing to wear green on St. Patrick’s Day because of all the years of violence between Catholics and Protestants in, if I’m not mistaken, Northern Ireland. He didn’t want to honor the violence. I had previously had him from drama class in sixth grade, and he described himself as Eastern Catholic. Was he wrong in refusing to wear green because of the reason he gave?
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I don’t think he was wrong at all. That was his conviction - he felt that recognizing something Irish was supporting the violence. I have to wonder, though, if your middle school memory isn’t clear or if maybe he wasn’t clear… my mother never wore green or orange on St. Patrick’s Day because she was embarrassed by the violence and (at the time) their inability to compromise for the sake of the Irish people. Her maternal grandfather was Protestant and her grandmother Catholic, which is why they emigrated to the US (my grandmother was their first child born here). As a family, we still celebrated St. Patrick’s Day and she never discouraged my sisters and I from wearing green or orange.

Interesting to note, both my mom and her sister married Lutherans and that’s how I ended up Lutheran. 😛
 
The liturgical color on St. Patrick’s feast day this year was violet.
 
zab said:
The liturgical color on St. Patrick’s feast day this year was violet.
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:eek:
Actually, isn’t it almost always violet? I don’t think St. Patrick’s feast day ever falls outside of Lent.

Even worse, though… St. Patrick is NOT IRISH! Who knew?
 
The liturgical colour for a feast day during Lent is usually white. This can be confirmed by checking the diocesan Ordo for the appropriate day: it will denote the colour of the vestments, possibly abbreviated as P (Purple), W (White, sometimes Gold is substituted), R (Red), etc.
 
DexUK said:
The liturgical colour for a feast day during Lent is usually white. This can be confirmed by checking the diocesan Ordo for the appropriate day: it will denote the colour of the vestments, possibly abbreviated as P (Purple), W (White, sometimes Gold is substituted), R (Red), etc.
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Okay, good point. But I don’t consider the feast days typically part of Lent, they stand on their own. Right?
 
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