My Annual (St Patrick's) Question

Like 40 billion people on the internet use hyperbole to make their points...

 

You guys are amusing me this morning, but please continue. I've had my coffee.

 

At least we're doing something useful then!

 

Amen.

I'm all for a Cinco de Mayo banner too.

 

My original post was a grumble, a question that I have asked myself and others for years on these boards. I am not angry or overly offended by the St Patrick's Day banner etc.... I was merely asking the question - which I assumed was what Comms was for. Having spent much of my time in The Senate, I assumed I would ignite a lively, respectful discourse. On the whole this has happened but it saddens me that some here have to either trivialise the issue because they deem it unimportant or argue that because the majority here are American they have a right to patronise us. Maybe, I'll stick to the Senate in future.

IMO. What I love about the JC/FF is that it endeavours to be a global community of SW fans. On almost every level it appeals to and tries to attract members from all the continents. The other JC "celebrations" all have an international feel/theme to them. The one that doesn't is predominately Irish/ American is St Patrick's Day. It doesn't fit, imo, with the ethos of the JC/FF. It is the only non-internationalist theme here.

It seems to me that the people defending St Patrick's Day here are the ones becoming more offended and harping on about mountains and molehills. It could be argued that one man's molehill is another's mountain! And it shows a complete lack of willingness to understand where we, the "minority" are coming from. Is this how you would treat any minority with a small issue you deem unimportant?

I have not mentioned politics or religion as a reason for against St Patrick's Day. I have not stated that I disagree with or hate any "national" celebration yet some people here are implying that we are. I find it ridiculous that I have to mention this but this is what some of the "voices for the majority" have brought this discussion to.

If people think that they are going to be patronised for bringing issues up in comms how do you think thing will ever change for the better, evolve or new ideas be shared and developed?

For the record, most of Ireland did not immigrate to the US. Many Irish did so to flee the famine but what I think many people in the US are unaware of is that many British migrated too. You will also find that we Brits are still one of the largest group of migrants to your country today - I hope they are not treated with such disdain if they dare mention something as trivial as this!

No one is trying to take away fun - but how about fun for all? If you have any knowledge of international relationships (as opposed to relations) you would probably find it difficult to find a Scottish man willing to celebrate St George's day. Even if I did argue that it was "fun? and excuse to "drink" and anyway, who cares because the English are the majority in the UK so we don't need to listen to your little molehill of an issue!!!!!!

All I ask for is empathy, yet I fear it is too much to ask here.

EDIT: Edited for typos.

 

I think we're in danger of taking all this a little too personally. Most people want to hang on to St. Patricks Day because it means something to them personally and I suppose if you enjoy something, you can't understand why everybody else doesn't want to join in with the fun.

However D_A, you were perfectly right and entitled to ask this question. At this stage, we won't get the answer we want, but at least the question has been asked and discussed seriously and generally in a good natured way. Also, I can assure you that the administration will have noted our concerns, even if the final result is for a continuation of the status quo. Moreover, if George Lucas Day proves as popular as I think it will, and becomes a JC tradition, this debate will probably be long remembered in JC history, so even if St. Patrick's Day remains unchanged on the Boards, the discussion here has already achieved something far reaching.

 

Maybe the poll is a good idea.

That way, the majority opinion will rule.

I see no reason why a minority opinion should take away something that everyone else is fine with.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and there's certainly nothing wrong with you if you don't like St. Patrick's day, and don't like the banners and icons, but if the rest of us do, there's no reason for them to go away.

 

For me personally, its not that I don't like St Patrick's Day. I mean, I'm completely indifferant to it really. There is Irish history in my family on my mothers side, so in theory I could actually celebrate St. Patrick if I wanted to.

But I don't hate St. Patrick or anything like that, honestly!

 

Except that in a completely uncontrolled environment, the results of any poll cannot be trusted, especially when there is a weighted outcome (search for the old JC Election Game threads for more understanding).

 

It's better than nothing.

 

DA, I don't think anyone is purposely being patronizing and I can tell that the subject means something to you. But all I can you is that as a MS we are discussing the situation, but honestly it's a whole year away at this point and at most we've decided to look at a couple more inclusive holidays like "Thank the Maker Day" and maybe the JC anniversary. We haven't decided to do away with St. Patrick's Day at all, rather focus on what would come next, like these holidays.

 

i would still content that St Paddys, albeit rooted in irish culture, has now blossomed into a truely international event, encompassing the US, Australia, NZ, Canada, etc, be it justified or not. and because of this it deserves its place as a once a year theme and should be regarded completely at home as part of this international community of ours. amen.

 

rhond, I understand the fact and I am thankful that it was even being discussed by the MS. You were one of the few people in this thread, imo, who was not patronising and offered sincere and sensible posts. But I am surprised at the number of members who were too dismissive about a "minority's" views and that is a shame. But, as has been noted, there has been some respectful debate and as a result we see the beginnings of a new international SW based celebration! That is great news - I wonder if I hadn't brought my trivial "mole hill" concern to the attention of Comms we wouldn't have this.

So much for mountains and mole hills.

Here's to (an internationalist) future

Vive la minorité!

 

Your views were heard and not dismissed in the slightest. We have discussed it as a group. After discussion, I created a poll asking whether this banner and icons will be uploaded for next year and the future. The vote is still going on. At this point, 92% of the mods have voted yes to continue this JC tradition. So understand no matter the outcome, we did hear you and listened to you, we continued discussing it, went to a poll, and whether the decision agrees with your position or not we respect your point of view and ask you to respect the decision.

 

Why do I feel like I am banging my head against a brick wall?!!! Why do people still insist on being patronising???

My previous post has nothing to do with the discussion in MS but everything to do with certain comments passed by certain members in this thread. Of course I will respect the outcome - what else am I going to do? I didn't claim they were dismissed by the MS but they were dismissed by some members who lack empathy, empathy because they are the so called all powerful and all conquering "majority" - that was my point! Did I expect a vote to go any other way? Of course not. Again, that isn't the point. But where if not comms, can a minority air their views - something that certain members of the "majority" seem should not be allowed or at the very least deem as trivial.

In closing - there is no need to request my respect of the administration's decisions and I am grateful that my issue was discussed (quite frankly Sape it must come down to semantics and lack of tone in typed messages because that last sentence came across as one of the most patronizing )

It amazes me that people seem to think that I am anti-Irish, anti-American, anti-St Patrick (even though he was British), anti-fun, anti-molehills, anti-respect of decisions, anti-drink and anti-religious purley because I happen to moan about a non-internationalist "holiday" being celebrated on a so called "global community" forum.

I'm stopping posting now before I get banned or worse still before get labelled as anti-aeverything else

 

Hey, now. We can talk about everything but anti-drinking. (Is that Rogue-one-and-a-half I hear?) Actually, DA, Sape puts those at the end of most sentences to be nice, I believe. He's actually the one that brought up your point in MS. I did want to point out that you are correct in the fact that had you not brought this here we wouldn't be discussing some of the truly exciting things about Thank the Maker and the SW Anniversary, and you're right. That's what this place is for.

 

Cheers Sape. Even though the vote is going to be for keeping St. Patricks Day on the Boards, I strongly appreciate you putting it to a vote and generally displaying that Mod Squad is taking this matter seriously - As I knew you would do, of course. Its this kind of fairness that makes you such a great Mod.

And D_A, there really wasn't anything patronising in Sapients post. Maybe it read differantly to how it was intended, but I can assure you Sape is one of the most genuine people I know.

 

Well, that all depends on where you're standing Fett.

Anyway, I've already stated that I appreciate Sape's and the MS' actions on this. I am truly grateful for them discussing it. Something good (Thank the Maker) has come out of it.

 

Darth_Asabrush, in no way whatsoever was I trying to patronize you nor did I mean to imply it. The smilie I used was genuine. I'm sorry if you took any part of what I said that way. It was not my intention.

The MS completed voting and it has been decided that the St. Patrick's Day banner and icons will be uploaded next year and beyond.

 

Sape, by what percenatage was it decided?

 

According to the most recent figures in the poll, it was 77% for and 22% against. That 1% is still undecided I guess.

 

Oh, quite close then?

 

The margin actually went went down as the poll went on, so I guess so.

 

I was being ironic.

Actually 22% is better than I was expecting for the NA's. It does show that theres a reasonable minority of Mod's that also have doubts about St. Patrick's Day being celebrated on the main forums. It will be interesting to see if theres any changing of opinions about this issue over the next few years.