I identify as multi-ethnic, the descendant of various European cultures who met and mixed in the New York metropolitan area. I derive much pride in the various heritages that I can claim, especially when one of my peoples does something valiant.
That being said, I stand in awe of the Irish fishermen who are planning to disrupt a Russian naval exercise off of Ireland's western shore. The Republic of Ireland has been steadfastly neutral since its inception (not always to the credit of the nation- I can also feel shame as well as pride in my peoples), thus it has never jointed NATO. The Irish navy consists of nine vessels (as opposed to the French Navy, which consists of a yearning, plaintive vocal). Thus, it is up to the fishing fleet to intervene when the naval fleet cannot. Rachel Maddow had some good coverage of this potential confrontation:
Besides disrupting the lives of marine animals, the very resource the fishermen depend on, the Russian Navy has been implicated in sabotaging undersea cables. At any rate, they seem to be up to no good, and the anglers aren't taking this lying down.
These are valiant people, the sort of people who brave the North Atlantic's perilous waters on a daily basis to earn their living. The inhabitants of Ireland's west coast have always been an anti-authoritarian lot- they are worthy successors to Granuaile, who would be proud of their resistance to a foreign oppressor.
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