Comments on: I’m Black Irish and I’m Proud

By: susan

susan — Sun, 21 Nov 2010 22:14:46 +0000

I am Black Irish. My DNA results said that I was Native American. Can anyone else out there tell me if you are Native American also or does Black Irish mean different things to different people? I would like to learn more about it. Please email me. brokenarrow8984@gmail.com

By: Büyü

Büyü — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 11:05:08 +0000

Amen to the first part!

And, thanks for sharing that story. It touched me deeply.

I’m fairly new to your blog and have loved reading your writings about skin color and racism. It’s hard to find someone who talks about these things, and when I find them, they are usually ranting and raging. You speak with passion and logic which I love and find very different from most others who dare to talk about these real issues.

Thank you very much.

By: Heidi

Heidi — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 02:46:55 +0000

Amen to the first part!

And, thanks for sharing that story. It touched me deeply.

Thank you very much.

By: Annie

Annie — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 18:46:09 +0000

So, I found you on Twitter and then just checked out your site. I then saw this post and I am so happy I did because I saw that painting at BlogHer and it moved me even though I didn’t know the backstory at the time.

As everyone has already said, that story is shocking and heart wrenching. It is also something people should hear and hold onto as they go on with their lives. Thank you for taking a private, family story and sharing it with the world. This is one that can make a difference.

And as far as being let into the secret racist circle because you pass, I am white myself but still have a moment of shock every time this happens to me, as well. I once went on a date with a guy from Ireland. I taught in Baltimore at the time and as we were driving through town at one point he said “Lock your door, we are going through n***er-town.” I told him he was a jacka** and to take me home immediately. He was in disbelief and told me I was making him feel “like a monster or something.” I told him his feelings were correct-he was a monster. He told me that all white people feel the same way he does, whether they are honest about it or not. I told him he was wrong and kept arguing back and forth, as he drove me home.

Looking back, I guess that could have gone much worse since I was alone in a car with an angry racist and started a fight with him, but thankfully, he did take me home.

I am now the mom of two beautiful, bi-racial boys and I am actually thankful that The World’s Worst Date happened to me. The people I surround myself with daily are very open-minded, but it is important to remember that there are still plenty of people like that guy out there. I need to teach my children to look for the best in people, but also to be prepared to encounter some hateful, angry people during their lives. I hate that this is the reality, but as parents, especially, we need to be aware and realistic.

And thankfully, you are right: Children of mixed backgrounds are going to take over this country soon enough…in a good way.

By: Mocha Momma » New York Stories

Mocha Momma » New York Stories — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 13:48:33 +0000

[...] Kati Sellers, an artist whose work, I believe is found at this website, chose my piece entitled “I’m Black Irish and I’m Proud” to watercolor paint. Here is one of [...]

By: Single Mom Seeking

Single Mom Seeking — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 23:26:03 +0000

Thank you for writing this honest post. I found you via BlogHer, and I’m so glad I did. I’m the single mom to a biracial daughter (I’m white — Irish/Polish — and her father is black). It has been quite a journey so far with my amazing kid — both in my family, and in society.

By: Mo

Mo — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 13:53:02 +0000

This is a thought provoking post. Thanks for sharing your story. I’m Irish, probably transparent white, as you describe your children. Should that fact alone implicate me in the racist agenda? Certainly not! But, my new neighbor must think it does. In telling a story the other day, he referred to one of his co-workers as “the colored guy” and then another as “that damn Hassidic.” What?! I guess he doesn’t care that I have a black sister-in-law, an Asian Hawaiian sister-in-law and a Jewish brother-in-law. And, I love them all. Won’t my neighbor be surprised when I say, “guess who’s coming to dinner?!”

By: Kelly @ The Startup Wife

Kelly @ The Startup Wife — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 00:28:26 +0000

Thank you for posting this. I’m half Chinese, and I’m all too familiar with the concept of ‘passing.’ The history of Chinese-Americans is in some ways very different than the history of African-Americans in the States, obviously, but I recognized some glimpses of my own family’s story in what you wrote.

But how heartbreaking. How devastating for your young father. My heart breaks.

I just posted about something kind of similar (a visit with a racist great-uncle last week: http://tinyurl.com/27m4h86).

Wonderful post. Thank you.

By: Mocha Momma » Awards and Whatnot

Mocha Momma » Awards and Whatnot — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 00:21:58 +0000

[...] blog entry that was nominated was “I’m Black Irish and I’m Proud” and it might be weird to say, but it’s one of my favorite posts that I’ve written and [...]

By: andrew s

andrew s — Sat, 15 May 2010 11:25:39 +0000

I thought you guy’s in the States had solved your racism problems and were front runners to a perfect, fair, just society of whom everyone else follows.

Seems asthough the British racists have poisioned the minds of the Americans.