Peggy Noonan on Rev. Wright

Peggy Noonan is an old school conservative that I've always admired. I don't always agree with her thoughts. But, she is consistent, fair and has been a strong champion of limited government even in the face of a pseudo-conservative administration that has increased the size of government to levels that would make LBJ seem like Ron Paul . Of course, today's Republicans are more likely to listen to big-government Republican flamethrowers like Ann Coulter.

But I digress. Ms. Noonan writes today on the whole Rev. Wright issue. She presents a unique perspective in today's Wall Street Journal.

"I have been watching America up close for many years – if you count a bright childhood, for half a century. I have seen, heard and respected the pain of a people who were forced to come here when they did not want to and made to live in a way that no one would want to. Who could deny them their grief or anger?"

She likens Rev. Wright's speeches and sermons to the Irish Catholic folk group Wolfe Tones; whose music has Irish Nationalistic undertones against British rule. She discusses why a 20 year old Irish-American who has never personally been supressed would still listen to their music.

My 20-year-old friend has lived a good life in America and is well aware that he is not an abused farmer in the fields holding secret Mass in defiance of the prohibitions of the English ruling class. His life has not been like that. Yet he enjoys the bitterness. He likes going to Wolfe Tones concerts raising his fist, thinking "Up the Rebels." It is good to feel that old ethnic religious solidarity, and that in part is what he is in search of, solidarity. And it's not so bad to take a little free-floating anger, apply it to politics, and express it in applause.
He knows the dark days are over. He just enjoys remembering them even if he didn't experience them. His people did.
I know exactly what he feels, for I felt the same when I was his age. And so what? It's just a way of saying, "I'm still loyal to our bitterness." Which is another way of saying, "I'm still loyal." I have a nice life, I'm American, I live far away, an Englishman has never hurt me, and yet I am still Irish. I can prove it. I can summon the old anger.
Is this terrible? I don't think so. It's human and messy and warm-blooded, as a human would be.

I wonder if Irish Catholics like Sean Hannity and Bill O'Reilly listen to Wolfe Tones? Are they full of hate because of this?