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Irish People& Black People in America.
Race, Religion & Politics / 3:33 PM - Tuesday November 03, 2009

Irish People& Black People in America.

My husbands claims that Irish people were treated worst then black people in America. What's your opinion?


- Asked by A Cool Mom, Female, 36-45, Administrative

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I'm guessing that your husband is Irish.

Irish immigrants were definitely mistreated in this country at one time. But it was nothing in comparison to the way Black people have been mistreated.

So my opinion is that he's full of shit.

- Response by piscesrising, A Thinker, Female, Who Cares?, Boston, Celebrity

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how many husbands do you have? at any rate, they would be wrong.

- Response by jackstraw, A Life of the Party, Male, 36-45, Who Cares?

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Community Rating: Community Star

Absolutely, as soon as they got off the cattle boat they[men]. worked as slave . [every culture has had a price to pay] no one would rent or live by them.] labor to build railroads from E to W across the desert. were forced to enter the civil war. the price of .admission. ppl from the southern regions,of USA treated bad as they went north for jobs.

rent very high in bad neighborhoods. then by the 1950's they bought houses, neighbors did the hillbilly flight. sold cheap to keep from living by them.blacks migrated north on freedom trains in 40s and 50s only to have to live on south side of chicago. was not suppose to be sgregated.

- Response by dreamspinner, A Thinker, Female, 26-28, Chicago

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The Irish had it hard, no doubt, but;

1) They came here voluntarily. Most Black people did not

2) As far as I know, there has never been a law on any books making it illegal for an Irish person to learn to read, or to vote, or to serve in the military

3) If someone REALLY didn't want to be mistreated cuz they were Irish, they could change their name and just be "White." Not quite the same thing as having Black skin.

4) Irish people were never legally considered to be three fifths of a human being.

Your husband needs to read more books...

- Response by rokitman, A Creative, Male, 29-35, Political / Government

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He obviously was not on the receiving end of how the Irish treated the Italians when they moved into town !!!!

Everything is relative - but unless you were OWNED as a slave I think there is little comparison!!!

- Response by rafiki910, A Mr. Nice Guy, Male, Who Cares?, Boston, Body Work

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Let me guess...your hubby is Irish?

- Response by unpredictable45, A Career Woman, Female, 36-45, Managerial

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Japanese, Italians & Germans had all there belongings taken away minus a few things and put in camps in the US. Nobody remembers that. In my opinion Black americans had it hard. But karma has it now they have it better here than in there ethnic origin.

- Response by A Sportif, Female, 36-45, Who Cares?

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The Irish were treated extremely harshly, as were the Italians. But neither of those ethnicities were brought to the US against their will as slaves, and bought/sold like property.

- Response by justpassingthru, A Thinker, Female, 46-55, Financial / Banking

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It depended on where the immigrants landed, if you came in by the Delaware then you had a warm welcome, but people in Boston hated the Irish, which is ironic as that city is now one of the maid supporters of the IRA.. if you want an answer about prejudice on here dont ask and American as they are very touchy about it,,,,al that guilt

- Response by glasgowbelle, A Thinker, Female, 46-55, Glasgow, Retired

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and the Italians and the Jews at times as well

- Response by bigcurt, A Mr. Nice Guy, Male, 46-55, Pittsburgh, Self-Employed

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He's got a point,they were treated like garbage at one point in time in America.

- Response by headscratching, A Mr. Nice Guy, Male, 36-45

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Irish Immigration History:

As the boats were docking, these Irish immigrants to America learned that life in America was going to be a battle for survival. Hundreds of runners, usually large greedy men, swarmed aboard the ship grabbing immigrants and their bags trying to force them to their favorite tenement house and then exact an outrageous fee for their services. As the poor immigrant had no means of moving on, they settled in the port of arrival.

Almshouses were filled with these Irish immigrants. They begged on every street. No group was considered lower than an Irishman in America during the 1850s.

They became chamber maids, cooks, and the caretakers of children. Early Americans disdained this type of work, fit only for servants, the common sentiment being, "Let Negroes be servants, and if not Negroes, let Irishmen fill their place..." The Blacks hated the Irish and it appeared to be a mutual feeling. They were the first to call the Irish "white nigger."

I think it would be a matter of individual prespective as to who was treated worse. The fact of the matter is both were treated poorly in America!

- Response by kdtxchic30, A Thinker, Female, 36-45, Dallas, Who Cares?

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