If Americans are so deadset against stereotyping, why do we celebrate St Patrick's day the way we do?
608162
It's the day that we Irish Americans celebrate our heritage. Sadly, our ancestors decided to lose their identity and come to America. Unfortunately, here we are in the politically correct cesspool, that is over-sympathetic and over-sensitive towards every cause on the face of the earth, but there's nothing that I can do about it right now at least. The land of the free-ride and the home of what used to be a great, united nation. The America that my father grew up in and the one that I grew up in seemingly disappeared. It's getting to where I don't even recognize my own hometown anymore.\n\nAlso, about the actual holiday: They do celebrate it in Ireland. I have a friend who went there this year and he celebrated it there. He said that he had the time of his life.    \n\nSo.....with all of that being said, HAPPY BELATED ST. PATRICK'S DAY! ERIN GO BRAGH! Don't forget, make the world a better place and buy a Patty a Guinness, lol. Slan!
465701
because we are american
286865
Because they want to get in everyone's faces about their gayness.  Just look at the St. Patrick's Day Parade in New York.  You do not see banners saying "Irish-American Animal Lovers" or Irish-American Headbangers" or "Irish-Americans Who Watch Cartoons" or anything else like that, because the parade is not about any of those things.  But the gays think they should have their own banner, so the attention will be focused on them.
57337
because Americans do things our way regardless of other countries
49946
I see very little outside of the United States, so I will limit my remarks to my country.  Our culture has become very diverse.  As a consequence, there seems to be a wider span of beliefs and thoughts about the proper and socially acceptable behavior.\nOn one hand are those who are steeped in traditional moral value, but have been lead to believe that military action in the middle east is acceptable behavior.  On the other hand are the rising minorities who are coming to the realization that the “American Dream” may remain just a dream for them.\nToo far?  We, as a society, are too divided to solve our own problems.  We are rapidly building walls between ourselves and each other as well as the rest of the world.  We seem to have forgotten tolerance in favor of getting “in each other’s face.”  The seeds that we sow now shall be reaped at some future time, perhaps when our national debt is owed to the rest of the world.
346172
Americans that are Europhobic are so because they are ignorant.  However, I do not believe being "europhobic" is the case most of the time.  I think it has to do with the many difference between the different cultures.  If you have relatives who immigrated not too long ago from Europe then you are more likely to be accepting and fit in with the European differences in our two clutures.
537091
Yes, I have always said it was my favorite. Some don't understand if they are not of Irish decent. The Irish are proud, strong, God fearing people, and St. Patrick's Day is a day to celebrate our Heritage! If you're lucky enough to be Irish, you're lucky enough.
703831
We're Celtic and Germanic and proud!  Just because we follow some desert rat religion that originated among a bunch of dumb sheep fornicators doesn't mean we should totally divorce ourselves from our culture.  Besides in the rush to get Europeans to convert to the religion, "the church" morphed itself and its religion to appeal to Europeans' culture.  Halloween isn't sinful, the church simply incorporated it into its system by making a similar holiday from a Christian perspective, hoping to thus co-opt the celebration to its religious philosophy.
835655
The Irish are wonderful people and many of the immigrated to the USA many years ago........You know you all celebrate St. Patricks day.....You know Luck of the Irish.....The pot of gold at the end of the rainbow...this is all Irish folklore.....Since we are in the immigration forum I will side with my fellow questioner in saying and agreeing that all governments like to keep their public blind by spreading propaganda...happens everywhere.  The history of my family is that when we came from Ireland and mind you we immigrated in accordance with the laws of that time AND we were received and percieved just as America today accepts the Illegal Immigrant... With Racism and Hatred.
349299
I'm with Leanne on this!  I do like Americans, rather more than is fashionable in the UK at the moment, but I really don't mind that I'm not one.\n\nI get the impression of rather more national pride in America than we see in the UK.  In recent years our flags (the Union Flag and England's St. George's Cross in particular) have been hijacked by racist groups. This does not encourage the more recent immigrants to the country to adopt the national symbols as their own.  As a result we have a collection of sub-cultures which are not really well integrated into the whole.
746336
The vast majority of Americans want it recognized as a federal holiday, so ... that's the way of it.\n\n.
899490
st patrick's day in ireland isn't as big as it is in the states.  sure, there are parades and drunken-ness, but since it is a national holiday, most things close so there is less to do.  but school is out, so that is a plus :).  i assume it is similar to mardi gras in france compared to new orleans...\n\nit's funny.  no one in ireland eats corned beef.  i had never heard of it until we visited america.  and nothing on st. patrick's day is dyed green - no rivers and no beer... guiness is too dark to dye anyway :)
146041
For a couple of reasons. Americans fall victim the very human instinct of being afraid of that which they don't understand. If they are not gay, then they don't want gay people around, because they make the "straights" uncomfortable.\n\nAlso, it makes people feel like they belong to something to exclude someone else. That is the root problem in the cases of slavery, sexism, and homophobia.\n\nLastly, Americans resent being told what to do. It's part of our nature. So when people in government make laws FORCING us to accept a certain lifestyle, or laws that PROMOTE one group over another, there is a dangerous backlash in retaliation. \n\nGood question, but be careful not to limit your vision to the faults of America. It isn't just us-and it isn't all of us.\n\nGood Luck!
1181662
The United States is a diverse country, and as a result Americans celebrate many different holidays. Many holidays and observances recognized as national, or federal, holidays. On these days, most schools, businesses, and many shops are closed. \n\nFederal holidays include: Holiday Date \nNew Year's Day  January 1  \nMartin Luther King Day  Third Monday in January  \nInauguration Day  Every four years on January 20  \nWashington's Birthday (Presidents' Day)  Third Monday in February  \nMemorial Day Last Monday in May \nIndependence Day (Fourth of July)  July 4  \nLabor Day  First Monday in September  \nColumbus Day  Second Monday in October  \nVeterans Day  November 11  \nThanksgiving Day  Fourth Thursday in November  \nChristmas Day December 25 \n\nAmericans also celebrate several other holidays or observances that are not recognized as national holidays. On these days, schools, businesses, and shops remain open.\n\nMost of these holidays fall into a group of non-religious observances. This group includes:\n\n? Groundhog Day (February 2)\nThe day when the groundhog comes out of his hole after a long winter sleep to look for his shadow. If he sees it, he regards it as an omen of six more weeks of bad weather and returns to his hole. If the day is cloudy and, hence, shadowless, he takes it as a sign of spring and stays above ground.\n\n? Valentine?s Day (February 14)\nThe day when Americans show friends and loved ones that they care. Candy and roses "the flower of love" are exchanged as are ?valentines,? greeting cards named after the notes that St. Valentine received in jail. Valentines can be sentimental, romantic, and heartfelt or funny and friendly.\n\n? St. Patrick?s Day (March 17)\nAn Irish holiday brought to the United States by immigrants in the 18th century. Festivities to mark the holiday of Ireland?s patron saint include everything from parades to the ?wearing of the green? to the serving of green beer. If someone doesn't wear green on St. Patrick's Day, they might get pinched.\n\n? April Fool?s Day (April 1)\nAmericans play small tricks or practical jokes on friends and strangers alike on the first of April, a tradition dating back to 16th-century France. Whatever the trick if the innocent victim falls for the joke, the prankster yells, ?April Fool!? The most clever April Fool?s joke is the one where everyone laughs, especially the person upon whom the joke is played. \n\n? Earth Day (April 22)\nThe day when Americans say ?thank you? to Mother Nature and do their part to help conserve, protect and celebrate the environment. Typical observances include recycling projects, fundraising concerts, and litter cleanup efforts. \n\n? Mother?s Day (second Sunday in May)\nThe day of the year when children, young and old, try to show in a tangible way how much they appreciate their mothers. American children of all ages treat their mothers to something special, such as breakfast in bed, handmade gifts, or flowers. \n\n? Father?s Day (third Sunday in June)\nOn this day, fathers all across the United States are given presents, treated to dinner, or otherwise made to feel special. \n\n? Halloween (October 31) \nThe day when American children dress in costumes and knock on their neighbors' doors and yell, "Trick or Treat" when the door opens. The holiday is not just for kids. Americans young and old join in the Halloween festivities by carving jack-o'-lantern pumpkins, attending parties, playing games, and telling scary stories. \n\n? Kwanzaa (December 26-31)\nAn American holiday based on the African celebration of the first harvest of the year. Founded upon the Nguzo Saba, or the seven principles of unity -- self- determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith. Kwanzaa encourages African Americans to think about their African roots in addition to their present-day life in America. \n\n \nHa Ha I cheated ;))
248949
Even though I am an American I have to agree with you.  So many people in this country take what we have for granted.  The south has always been labeled as an area of high discrimination..but I have been all around this country and trust me..it exists just as much in the north and out west as it does here..I think its the American philosophy of me me me..and if you are not like me then you are against me..its a sad thing but luckily not all Americans are like that!
207528
Wearing of the green originated when Irish Americans fought to obtain political status in the United States. Up until the mid-nineteenth century, most Irish immigrants in America were members of the Protestant middle class. When the Great Potato Famine hit Ireland in 1845, close to a million poor, uneducated, Catholic Irish began to pour into America to escape starvation. Despised for their religious beliefs and funny accents by the American Protestant majority, the immigrants had trouble finding even menial jobs. When Irish Americans in the country 's cities took to the streets on St. Patrick's Day to celebrate their heritage, newspapers portrayed them in cartoons as drunk, violent monkeys.\n\nHowever, the Irish soon began to realize that their great numbers endowed them with a political power that had yet to be exploited. They started to organize, and their voting block, known as the "green machine," became an important swing vote for political hopefuls. Suddenly, annual St. Patrick's Day parades became a show of strength for Irish Americans, as well as a must-attend event for a slew of political candidates. In 1948, President Truman attended New York City 's St. Patrick's Day parade, a proud moment for the many Irish whose ancestors had to fight stereotypes and racial prejudice to find acceptance in America. \n\nSource(s):\n\nhttp://www.historychannel.com/exhibits/s...
273869
I'm pretty sure it doesn't mean eating corned beef and cabbage and drinking green beer.\n\nTo any and all of you who may be looking in on YA from the Emerald Isle, I imagine you all having a serious laugh on the ridiculous way us Yanks celebrate St. Patrick's Day.  I have Irish blood in me, and can only imagine the kind of heartache many of my fellow Irish men and women have known in the centuries of "the troubles" you have endured.