John Walker Lindh, the American Taliban, seeks Irish citizenship - POLL

Ciara, leaving aside the fact you have rewritten my post about the English language to suit your interpretation of the facts, with regard to the second part of you post, you are talking about criminality and unethical behaviour with regard to the Church, not culture. Culture is something to be celebrated, what you have described is not culture.

Curitiba, so the English language was formed from the adaptation and evolution of other languages which is pretty much how cultures come to exist and overtime they adapt and evolve some more. For example, Ireland was a god fearing country in the 50s and it was common for single women to have their babies taken from them. Priests abused children and others turned a blind eye to this because the church could do no wrong as far as they were concerned. This was part of my countries culture for a long time. Now, this has changed, people have evolved, started to think for themselves and no longer let the church run our lives. This is the evolution of a culture.This can only be a good thing.

Sean, the English alphabet uses the Latin alphabet which originated from the Greek alphabet!

OMG!! Ciara you've done it again the alphabet is from the Arabic not greek.That ethnic hole your in is getting deeper.

Yes, English is a Germanic language, that is not in dispute. What I am saying is that the ancestor of the modern language was imposed on the native British by the invading Anglo Saxons. As for Europe's Royal families, they are all very closely related as they intermarried a lot over the past 1000 years, so you could legitimately pick a King or Queen of Europe as they are all one large extended family across the Continent. However, each European country's population have not been nearly so mobile, which is why their identities remained intact for so long.

English is a Germanic language so it didnt even originate in England. The English alphabet evolved from the Greek alphabet so the English language for example is a result of integration of cultures and people. Even the quintessential English family, the Royals are a mix! On the issue of the Travellers, its not my theory, its a proven scientific fact. You should be able to get that programme I mentioned online.

No Ciara, I didn't say that. I said that the main body of modern day English people are Celtic in origin, but have been heavily influenced by comparatively small numbers of other groups such as the Anglo Saxons, who had little impact on their genetic make up, but had a disproportionate effect on the language, culture or both. Take the Normans, for instance, who basically enslaved the English for 300 years. They made up the entire nobility, while reducing the natives' status to that of powerless serfs. French was the language of power in England at that time, English was just some gibberish that the serfs spoke. However, because the Norman overlords cared so little for their subjects, they did not try any make them speak French, then the Black Death came which ended the feudal lords absolute power over the peasantry, which is why the English language survived. Again, being the ruling classes and being comparatively small in number, the Normans had little genetic effect on the English as they ruled over them, but did not really intermarry with them. As for the Travellers, that is the first time I have heard that theory of yours. I was always led to believe that they are no different to contemporary Irish people, except that as travelling tinkers, moving around the countryside a lot, they became separated from mainstream Irish society and started to associate more and more with each other until they formed a distinct group.

In the United Staes, we have two categories: race and ethnicity. Race is biological, genetic, and usually related to skin color: white (Caucasian), black (African), yellow (Asian), brown (Hispanic),red Indian). It is often asked on employment applications and other legal documents. Ethnicity refers to culture, language, beliefs, nationality. A person who says he is an "Irish-American" is stating ethnicity, not race.

Pittsburgh kid, you are a bigot through and through. No one decides to become gay you fool.

Curitiba, the English are a mix of celts, Anglo saxons,norman french? If thats not a mongral nation, then I dont know what is! Irish people are a mix of all those things too! I have said on here before that people need to watch the programme 'Blood of the Travellers'. It categorically proves that the ''ethnic'' irish are the travellers. They rarely married outside their own communities hence a lot of the metabolic disorders we see in the Travelling community. We have the highest cases of haemachromatosis and CF in the world which proves there was a lot of 'inbreeding' over the years but we are not this 'pure blood ethnic' group people on here seem to think we are!

Thanks also Seanomelb

I'm happy to set the record straight, Oaklongan.

Ciara ethnicity was not mentioned by me or is it relevant and your "1000yr country" is so historically wrong it's amusing.Dublin is over 1000years old. The children of Irish born parent (and the grandchildren)are entitled by law to an Irish passport and Ireland has benefitted greatly from this arrangement.Most country give citizenship under the same system.BTW well said curitiba

antoman, john walker lindh looks to be in bedclothes, indeed! the women in burkas look like Beekeepers in Black...

Curtiba,Thank you for your the historically Accurate post.