Irish Central, a website of Irish-American news, showed uncustomary spunk when they objected to Patricia Napier-Fitzpatrick (whether she was born of Irish descent or married it we don’t know & don’t give a rat’s ass) who suggested people in the US show respect to Willie & KKKKaty by bowing & curtsying. Napier-Fitzpatrick is a former cosmetic executive, now owner of an etiquette school that teaches protocol to politicians & corporations so they don’t fart or pick their noses at gala affairs when they’re trying to sew up a deal. Good manners & common decency don’t always come with patrician privilege.
Irish Central gave our Miss Manners quite a history lecture on the Irish & American revolutions but judging from Irish friends she’s of that tradition of utter sycophancy to power rooted solidly among Irish politicians & which we know so well from our own Irish politicians. Irish Central should have let well enough alone with the history lesson but they went on to say the refusal to scrape & bow “is no reflection on the royal couple who have rescued the monarchy after years of titillation & terrible reviews, especially around the issue of Lady Di’s death.” Eyeyey! They suggested Americans give the “royal family the respect they deserve” but chided against servility. Offering your rump for them to kiss is exactly the respect moochocracy deserves & we hope all New Yorkers will take advantage of this lesson in etiquette.
There is another Irish tradition–that of the rebel, freedom fighter, & anti-royalist–& we thank our lucky stars some of those made it off the boat to counter the noxious influence of groveling.