Hyperreal Film Club
Not All Irish
RECEIVED Wed., March 18, 2015
Dear Editor,
Regarding “What Now for SXSW?” [News, March 13]: “Tuesday also happens to be St. Patrick's Day, an annual holiday reserved for red-faced drunks." I am disgusted with this racist comment by your so-called writer Chase Hoffberger.
Way to go with the stereotyping! There is a tiny Irish population here in Austin, hardly enough to keep EMS busy for the day. Most Irish that I met yesterday were out to enjoy Irish music and culture and, yes, to socialize, as it was our patron saint's day.
Most drunks we met were not Irish, but of the "lets pretend to be Irish for the day and get hammered" variety. Not everyone in a green shirt is Irish.
Regarding “What Now for SXSW?” [News, March 13]: “Tuesday also happens to be St. Patrick's Day, an annual holiday reserved for red-faced drunks." I am disgusted with this racist comment by your so-called writer Chase Hoffberger.
Way to go with the stereotyping! There is a tiny Irish population here in Austin, hardly enough to keep EMS busy for the day. Most Irish that I met yesterday were out to enjoy Irish music and culture and, yes, to socialize, as it was our patron saint's day.
Most drunks we met were not Irish, but of the "lets pretend to be Irish for the day and get hammered" variety. Not everyone in a green shirt is Irish.
Cathy Healy
[News Editor Michael King responds: As Cathy Healy quotes, the passage makes no mention of the Irish at all; indeed, it refers to "red-faced drunks" of the same sort she describes – using the excuse of the holiday to get hammered.]