Why Trump’s Irish Merchandise Broke My Irony Meter

I think my irony meter just broke.

The Trump team released Irish themed “Make America Great Again” hats.

Does no one on Trump’s team know anything about the history of immigration? The Irish were incredibly reviled! The Irish were spoken of in the nineteenth century the way Trump and his supporters talk about Mexican immigrants today. Possibly worse, actually—they were seen as literally sub-human.

In fact, Irish immigrants weren’t just spoken about the way Mexican immigrants are today, they were also viewed the way Trump and his team view Muslim immigrants—Catholicism was seen as an un-American subversive fifth column. Could a Catholic ever adopt American values? Um, no! Absolutely not—or so was the claim at the time.

But you don’t have to take my word for it! Have a look at the cartoons below:

In using Irish marketing for a “Make America Great Again” hat, the Trump team presents our nation’s Irish heritage as valid, important, and part of a “great” America, despite the fact that at the time of Irish immigration to the United States, the Irish were viewed in the same way Trump and his supporters view Mexicans, Muslims, and refugees today.

The level of introspection in evidence here leaves something to be desired.

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