Some Irish-American guy tried to tell me that his ancestors coming to the US faced as much discrimination?

Question

as blacks did. How laughable is that?

Phasek, you need to up your reading comprehension. This question refers to PAST events.

W.Belch- There's a difference between race and nationality.

People, people. Never did I state that no one else faced discrimination....it's just a question I thought after talking to an Irish FRIEND OF MINE. Lighten up. It's Friday.

"Imean, sure the Irish people weren't enslaved for so many hundred years or anything like that"

PEACHY KEEN- that is truly laughable. Slavery was just a little inconvenience.

Answer 1

It is true that the Irish weren't ripped from their homes and families and forced onto ships in chains. In that regard, they were lucky and not as unfortunate as the black people. (Slavery, by the way, is one of the biggest wrongs in the history of mankind!) However, they did have to leave their homes because they were starving. They were going through a terrible famine and they emigrated in droves to the US. There were so many Irish and they were willing to work for next to nothing. Lots of American citizens were having a hard time finding good-paying work because of this. (Yes, the Irish were the Mexicans of the 19th century.) After a while, the Irish were severely discriminated against, denied jobs and pretty much treated like vermin.

I wouldn't say that they had it quite as bad as African slaves, though. At least the Irish were allowed to keep their culture and their families. It's a well known fact that African slaves were sold away from each other and often combined with people from different tribes who spoke different languages. This was done to keep them from communicating and forming plans to escape. They were stripped of their families, their homes, their languages, even their names. Horrible, horrible stuff. The Irish never had to go through that. But they still faced discrimination.

Discrimination is still demoralizing for the group that feels it, no matter what the degree, or why. I think both you and the Irish-American guy you were talking to make a valid point. The Irish were treated poorly, so in that regard, he's right. The black people were treated horribly, to the point that it seemed they were losing their humanity, so in that regard, you are very right.

Answer 2

actually, aside from the slavery part, it is true! There were signs everywhere that said "Irish need not apply" for jobs or homes. There were editorial cartoons depicting Irish as drunk, abusive, poor, illiterate, savage people just a half step from being wolves who could barely speak and certainly incapable of living an honest life. Study some history and you'll learn. Also Jews (um...Russia, WWII, Europe, Middle East, etc. etc. for thousands of years more than Blacks) and Asians (Even more than Jews or Irish) were descriminated against. I know blacks were descriminated against a long time, but they weren't the only ones, despite what they think. I just wish everyone would forget past grudges and live in the present. Then maybe they wouldn't think they are victims all the time and that the world owes them.
By the way, no matter what you think, you should never think anyone's history or ancestory or discrimination is "laughable"

Answer 3

The Irish were discriminated against when they came to America - they were not considered white. They were considered to be diseased and drunkards and had a difficult time finding jobs or fitting into society. Only the WASPs (White Anglo Saxon Protestants) could be anything other than low class.

I wouldn't say it's the same situation as that blacks - not by a long stretch. But it is discrimination just the same.


A good movie that depicts this is Gangs of New York.

Answer 4

It's not laughable at all. It's true. Not only do I also come from Irish decent, but I'm also a history major. When my ancestors came to America they were immediately discriminated against. The Americans at the time would sometimes wait at the docks all day for ships carrying Irish people just so they could throw things and call them names when all they wanted to do was get away from the potato famine and start a new life here in America. I mean, sure the Irish people weren't enslaved for so many hundred years or anything like that, but they still faced just as much hatred as black people did back in those days. Americans back then thought black and Irish people were among the lowest forms of life on earth. Like I said, it's not laughable at all.
Please read up on your history.

EDIT: L-Boogie, you too should read up on your history. Irish people were in fact lynched, raped, murdered, tortured, etc. just because they were Irish. They in fact did not have voting rights. They were not allowed to walk on certain streets because those streets were reserved for Americans. Many of the things you stated in your answer actually did happen to the Irish people. As I said, you too should read up on your history.

EDIT2: You know what I meant when I said the Irish people weren't enslaved. All you're doing is putting words in my mouth. What I meant was, black people were enslaved for hundreds of years and that was truly horrible. But, although the Irish people weren't slaves, they were treated the same way black people were when they came to America. Besides, were YOU a slave? No, I don't think so. I know it happened to your ancestors and everything, but quit acting like it happened to YOU. I don't constantly complain that MY ancestors were hated and tortured. I'm glad you thought what I said was laughable, but I stick to what I've said many times in my answer: you should read up on your history.

Answer 5

When they arrived, they were sectioned off from society. Forced to live in squalid areas of cities. Denied work. They were not allowed to eat in restaurants with other folk. They were not told to use the back of the carriages, they were told to walk. They were not allowed to use the toilets, but told to use the streets instead. It is documented that there were places especially in the North, where employers were encouraged to hire blacks to keep the Irish out of the job market.

However, many of them were quick to lose their accents in most cases and except for those with red hair or unable to change their talk, they soon passed as 'normal' folk.

The discrimination continues in some places, but in most places it only lasted about 75 years.

Not that any form of discrimination is right.

Answer 6

I asked this question as quickly as and became into shocked how a lot of human beings observed themselves as Irish or Italian first then American 2nd and theory as you reported it is rather divisive and found no different worldwide places persist with this type. i'm from Australia and we are Australians and the only those that do placed words previously that are Aboriginals and that in the process itself has led to a area of interest between them and us which we are able to do with out. To Michael above me i do no longer comprehend the place you reside yet I went to college with many Italians and Irish they never spoke of as themselves Italian or Irish Australians those words are not in our vocabulary. You what the unhappy element is Michael is they're probaly 2nd technology Aussies whose mothers and dads comprehend what hassle is and labored perplexing to grant them a extra suitable existence and that they stuff it up with the aid of going around with chip on their shoulder.

Answer 7

It's laughable only to those who don't read history. The " Micks, Harps" were second class citizens in the eyes of the English and Dutch who were firmly settled before so many Irish left Ireland because of starvation when the potato crops failed because of blight.
History is very interesting. Pick up a book and do a little research before making stupid remarks.

Answer 8

It's not laughable. African Americans are not the only ones who were discriminated against. Asians....Irish...Italians all had it rough. Not as rough as the African Americans, but it was no cake walk. I am American Indian and we have had it the toughest of all...at least you didn't get thrown off your own land...killed and imprisoned...at least nobody stole your country and then forbid you to speak your own language. At least the government didn't put you on a reservation where there is limited and poor education...no jobs....half the houses don't have plumbing....heat...or electricity. Believe me the African Americans have it way better than the American Indians. Nobody really cares about the indignities that we are still suffering with to this day.

Answer 9

My friend's grandparents were Irish immigrants and she told me this story when I was complaining about the Indians.
Here is the story:

My great great grandma was an Irish immigrant and she was sent over to work for this man in Coffeyville Kansas. He was very rich and had a lot of servants. She was young and beautiful and he used her for sex. She had no way of sayiing no to his advances he used many of the servant girls that way. When she got pregnant he sent her to montrose Colorado which was the wild west at that time so no one would know what he did. She had the baby and he told her she had to give the baby away. So she cried on the train out to colorado.
This lady came to comfort her and said, why are you so sad?
She said, "If I had a beautiful baby like that I would be very happy." So she gave her the baby girl.
Went back to work for him, later it was learned not only how he raped them repeatedly and made them give the babies away. But he also beat them and locked them in a room when they disobeyed. Even killing one of the girls.
Rich people could pretty much do to poor people what they wanted in those days. So he never was prosecuted for what he did. My great grandma wrote an article for the Denver Post telling about the abuse and women's suffarage.
At that time the English treated the Irish it was written worst than slaves. Slaves were given food and clothes and aplace to live that was safe. They gave the Irish land that some starved to death trying to make produce enough to live on.
The only reason they did that was so that they could be a buffer between them and the Indians. Whom they also mistreated. In England they mistreated the Irish and even made them give over every virgin girl before she could marry to be used by the english aristrocrats. Just to be mean to them. And because they were pigs.
They worked an Irish man all day for a potatoe. They were starving to death that is why they risked it all on those terrible boats knowing half would die and not make the trip.
Then getting here had to fight the Indians. Who the English had mistreated like they did them.
So your friend is right the English didn't only hurt black people they hurt the Irish, scotch and then went to Africa and took their land. Finally being out number in Africa left there.
I know I will get violated but look it up it is history and the truth.

Answer 10

Actually if you truly search history, Irish immigrants, German Immigrants, etc. received a tremendous amount of discrimination. Discrimination is what it is. You are either discriminated against or you are not. Who determines a level of discrimination? Look at women's rights and the things that were done to our own American women just trying to stand up for their rights. They were locked in prisons and treated worse than animals. It is unfortunate that we live in a day where we compare who was discriminated against more.