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PaperclipPerfector  27d ago (text post)   26064 thread views

Culture War Roundup for the week of April 22, 2024

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I’ve always been taught that anti-Catholic sentiment in America went hand-in-hand with nativism. The Catholics were from strange lands with strange customs like Ireland, Italy, and Poland.

Strange customs like the Irish? Three 19th century American Presidents were Irish, but they were Protestant Irish.

The main issue was that Catholics were seen as having a supra-nationalist loyalty to the Pope. Even in the 1960 election, Protestant figures like Billy Graham argued that JFK would take orders from the Pope. (The Pope couldn't even restrain JFK's sex life, let alone his policies.) There was also fear of Catholic schools and other sectarian institutiins, which even sought funding from Protestant taxpayers. The Catholic Church was also seen as too anti-black in the North (due to its silence on slavery) and too pro-black in the South (especially by the KKK).

Three 19th century American Presidents were Irish, but they were Protestant Irish.

That's not really 'Irish,' though. Scots-English Yeomanry from Ulster vs Celtic peasantry from County Cork.

That's not really 'Irish,' though.

They were in the eyes of Americans at the time, specifically Scotch-Irish. Also, Scots are Celts, though views about that at the time were sometimes complex.

Aside from their Catholicism, there was little to distinguish a typical Irishman from a typical Protestant Highlander. (Their languages would have been slightly different, but equally alien to an English American in 1850.)

Also, Scots are Celts

Highlanders, yes. Lowland Scots are Anglos with a funny accent and some Celtic wives.

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