Over at the whiner blog Irish Voices, they think we should return the Statue of Liberty, showing a severe misunderstanding about the meaning of the icon. (The historically literate know the inspiring statue was NOT an immigrant welcome mat, but instead honored republican government.)
An Irish newspaper attempted a sob story about a graphic designer downcast about her unlawful status, but didn't have any expertise with utilizing sniffly details that would properly tug at heartstrings. It instead emphasized how easy life has been for the new New Yorker:
Foy said her illegal status had little impact on her daily life. She has a bank account, a retirement plan, a social security number and a driver’s licence. She has never had any difficulty finding work in the design industry. [Immigration bill failure leaves Irish eyes unsmiling, Sunday Business Post - Ireland 7/1/07]
The recent setback demands a change in strategy. When the illegal Irish thought the comprehensive scam was their ticket to a free ride, they generously professed "a sense of commonality" with their Mexican compadres. But as the Business Post also noted, "Campaigners on behalf of undocumented Irish immigrants in the United States will now press for a special immigration deal for Ireland."
In fact, the Irish believe they are too special to have to follow the law like other people. We can expect Ted Kennedy to agree.
