St. Patrick’s Day Parade: A Reminder of Journeys Without Free Stuff

From before the American Revolution, the Irish celebrated and paraded their heritage. No floats or balloons, yet as always on this sunny but brisk St. Patrick’s Day Parade, New York City streets were packed with millions of observers. Visitors come from every ethnic background to see the marching bands with iconic bagpipes, shamrocks, and all manner of Green-Dress: green stuffed animals, beads, necklaces, horns and you name it green, green, green.

And do not forget, an Irish Flag alongside the flag of the United States of America.

2024 St. Paddy's Day Parade. Photo by David Pambianchi
St. Patrick’s Day Parade: Iconic Bagpipes. Photo by David Pambianchi

St. Patrick’s Day and American Dream

Whenever America needed labor or opened its doors to refugees, many immigrants took harsh paths across land and sea to make the story of Freedom and the “American Dream” their reality.

Like so many, the Irish celebrate and continue this pursuit. Despite hardships, they endured and earned a place in American society, a difficult journey of hard work that could translate into success.

But along with their special day of gratitude and acknowledgment for their contributions to America, they are not alone. They are “in common bound” to all those who came for a better future and a new life.

5th Avenue St. Patrick's Day. Photo by David Pambianchi
5th Ave. at The Frick Collection museum. Photo by David Pambianchi

Ethnic Parades

New York weekends are flooded with ethnic Parades. Throughout the nation’s history of immigration, individuals were expected to assimilate into an American ideology with its rule of law and Constitutional values.

While struggling to adapt as well as sharing their traditional foods and lifestyles, they rarely received anything for Free.

To quote my mother, an Italian immigrant, “No one ever gave us anything, except the March of Dimes.” That was a wheelchair for my disabled brother, and that was the only organization my mom donated to thereafter.

But recently from the world of politics, the southern border mobs entering the nation have no expectation of assimilating. However, they have a great expectation to reside with every benefit from food, to housing, to medical at the expense of all those who came before or their descendants.

So, when those pushing the “Everything Free for the Unvetted Illegals” from the “Open Border” Party’s agenda, try to make a comparison from yesteryears immigrants, guide them to reality.

St. Patrick’s Day is a reminder of how things used to be, when people worked for what they got.

A Proud Heritage. Photo by David Pambianchi.
A Proud Heritage. Photo by David Pambianchi.
David Pambianchi
David Pambianchi is a New York writer, who loves to tell stories about the city, the people, the entertainment, the sport and the businesses that catch his attention.Novel: Carrots & Apples: Parenthood, Divorce and Public Corruptionhttps://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VPN482Y/ref=nav_timeline_asin?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1