the opposite of true luck is as follows...reality.

while tagging in clothes at work the other day, my automation became disjointed when the fog of work was briefly interrupted by a the cling-clanging of metal on a ceramic tile floor. staring up at me, the last remnant of the recently passed observance of st. patrick's day existed in the form of a green coin with pictures of shamrocks and the phrase luck o' the irish imprinted upon it.

it was then that the absolute and utter stupidity of this phrase hit me. i mean, taken in a historical context, does anyone truly want the luck of the irish? we're talking about a people whose story is wrapped up in a bloody struggle for independence from colonial rule and the forced immigration brought on by a potato famine. does this sound "lucky" to anyone else? i mean, really? why don't you just wish upon me the historical plight of the african american or the "luck" of the ethiopian while you're at it? seriously, i love violent struggle for civil rights and extreme, death inducing hunger. please, wish that upon me...thanks, buddy.

the only thing lucky about the irish are the boston celtics. in fact, i would argue that in their 75 year history, the celtics have probably had more luck than the irish have had in their entire million year history. drafting bill russel, stealing larry bird by exploiting a poor rule and drafting him a year early,(in the second round! no less)hell, getting paul pierce at number 11 and stealing k.g. exhibit more good fortune than does a clover over dover. really, what the heck do the irish have to offer...bono?

now, this is no way meant to be offensive to the irish, who are, like most groups of people, a generally good bunch of folks. this short essay is merely meant to question the validity of the phrase, "luck o' the irish." after all, if you guys consider yourselves lucky, then that must mean that an average white dude in america like myself is blessed by the hand of god by comparison.

and i am not quite ready to admit that about my situation just yet.

but i will say that for now it is all good...
just so long as pricks like bono keep their hands off my lucky charms.