Here’s the thing about Irish stereotypes on this day.

It’s not that Irish Americans have no sense of humor, by and large. And most of the white Irish-Americans (plenty aren’t white, of course) are aware that we are white people and have privilege this way. I laugh at a lot of cute and funny images on St. Paddy’s Day.

But sometimes it goes beyond humor into viciousness. Not only jokes about car bombs, which seem fairly obviously offensive and hurtful — I know people who have lost dearly beloved family in The Troubles. The one that gets me and so many others are the drunken stereotypes — many of our families have been torn apart by alcoholism. Whether it’s because we come from a colonized people or it’s genetics or culture or what, you guys are pointing at some of our deepest, most personal wounds and laughing when you pull this shit. So if you want to laugh and tell us to lighten up, maybe don’t stick a burning ember in our eye, first.