Old-Time Goodness

razz
Originally uploaded by CBlock.

This may be kind of old news (as it’s literally old news), but bear with me. Last Thursday, on St. Patrick’s Day Eve, the night we all hang our pint glasses by the chimney with care, the NY Times ran a page one story about Irish immigrant groups bringing heat to the issue of immigration reform (presumably because they’re white). This is already old-timey enough, conjuring thoughts of hard-drinking, knife-fighting Irish immigrants circa 1902, wearing funny hats, dancing jigs and being mercilessly beaten by xenophobic mobs. But then comes this turn of phrase just before the point the article flies away from page one to some section no one cares about: |

"Some in the immigrant coalitions resent being passed over, and worry that the Irish are angling for a separate deal. Others welcome the clout and razzmatazz the Irish bring to a beleaguered cause.

Yes, that’s right. The much-needed commodity Irish immigrants bring to the immigration debate that’s been roiling America since. . . well, before we were ever “Americans” is “razzmatazz.” But will they have the moxie to get America off its Cross of Gold?

Seriously, though a Google News search proves this word to be less out-of-date than I thought. . . who is writing at the Times? Mr. Burns? James A. Garfield? I won't go all crazy and invite the Grey Lady into the 21st Century, but maybe the mid-20th?