Tamaqua St. Patrick’s Day.
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Tamaqua St. Patricks Day 20107 comments to Tamaqua St. Patricks Day 2010Leave a Reply |
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This is a copy of an e-mail I received a short while ago that I think all our Irish neighbors would be interested in.
This is a letter written by DA of Kings Co. Joe Hynes.
From: HYNES, CHARLES J.
To: —-Deleted for privacy
Sent: Tue Mar 16 14:11:34 2010
Subject: Great Irish Famine
Thank you Al.
Today as we commemorate the long prayed for conclusion 150 years ago of what is commonly known as the The Great Irish Famine no one of us should ever forget that the cruel policies of the British Government at that time converted the famine into the Great Irish Starvation. That while ample amounts of food were available it was intentionally withheld at the direction of Charles Edward Treveyan the Assistant Secretary of the British Treasury who was appointed by British Prime Minister Sir Robert Peel to oversee the relief operations in Ireland. Peel had decided to feed the millions of Irish famine victims with imported Indian corn. Trevelyan was opposed to this humanitarian solution because it negately impacted the free European market. Soon after Peel resigned Trevelyan took full control over Famine policy and closed all food depots in Ireland that had been selling Peel's Indian corn to the people. Most if not all of you have heard the lyrics of that haunting ballard written by Pete St. John sung so movingly by Paddy Reilly,
"For you stole Trevelyan's corn so that the young might see the morn…" The British Government's irrational hatred directed against Catholics most of whom even during the pre-famine tragedy lived in abject poverty; a hatred which resulted in the tragedy of more than one million men, women and children who did not live to see the morn." It created the Irish diaspora that led to two million more Irish famine victims who fled to England and the United States and in particular to Boston to where my Grandfather emigrated several years later. And it led to thousands more like the young man Michael of "The Fields of Athenrey" who were sentenced to years of transportation at the prison in Botany Bay Australia. At the midpoint of this Irish holocaust in 1847 a half million Irish people were evicted from their cottages either by judicial decree or by tricked into boarding ships for North America with false promises of food, clothing and a new life. These overcrowded ships soon were so overcome by disease that one of five passengers died and they are remembered in infamy as coffin ships. In that same year Daniel O' Connell the great Irish patriot and Member of the British House of Commons pleaded that,
"Ireland is in your hands, in your power. If you do not save her she cannot save herself. I solemnly call upon you to recollect that I predict with sincerest conviction that a quarter of her population will perish unless you come to her relief."
In light of all of this dreadful history how are we to respond appropriately to the extraordinary hallow attempt by Denny's Restaurant to apologize to the Irish community for frivously running a promotional ad offering free french fries and pancakes to as they put it to "celebrate" the 150th anniversary of the Great Irish Famine. This is what they had to say;
"Denny's has a history of humor with its advertising." Where do they find the humor in this tragedy? They continued, "It is certainly not the intention of the Company to offend anyone or any group and we apologize if this spot has in anyway offended. As a result of the feedback we have received from our customers this spot will no longer be on the air after Tuesday. We thank those who took the time to contact us." They actually were flooded with angry calls across the Country and I wonder why they had to wait until that Tuesday to remove the ad. Why wasn't removed immediately?" One answer is that this is the same Company which for years disrespected and humiliated African-American patrons. As a result Rev. Jesse Jackson forced Denny's to place in their corporate structure someone to insure that this type of discrimination had ended permanently.
We can and should not demand less not so much as an employment spot but some recognition by the Company of its insensitivity. I commend the leadership of the AOH and others in the community for calling for a national boycott until Denny's realizes the hurt they have inflicted and takes meaningful steps to redress the hurt.
I hope that today all of you will commit to sending a letter to Denny's and demanding a public and meaningful apology and that you urge friends and relatives who live in a community which has a Denny's to boycott the restaurant until they take responsibility for their actions. It is the least we can do to honor those who needlessly died 15 decades ago and to honor our great Irish tradition here on St. Patrick's Day.
Thank you and God bless you all.
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Thanks for posting that Trainman. I wasn't aware of this "promotion" by Dennys. What kind of idiot would think that was funny? It would be like giving away watermelon to celebrate the signing of the Emancipation Proclaimation. Or for Martin Luther King Day. It's an insult that would not be tolerated by any other ethnic group. I have always thought highly of Charles Hynes and appreciated his service to Brooklyn and NY. What a lovely response to your letter. I have never eaten at Dennys and now I never will, but I will send them a quick letter demanding an apology to the Irish community.
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Who the hell goes to Denny's anyway? LOL
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The picture of that little boy you took should be blown up and framed. Gorgeous kid and great photo!
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That little boy is Ryan McCormick.
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Hey look at me I had a great time LOLOLOLOL
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