A question on ethics...

[BLAZN]

Bare with me... I had an odd dream last night, in which I was ridiculed by many people for wearing a Saltire Tartan kilt. Being as I am, not of Scottish decent, I suppose my subconscience is trying to tell me it wouldn't be right.

That being said... what is the opinion here as to the ethics behind, say, a born and bred American of English decent wearing a kilt made from the Saltire Tartan or a kilt made from a tartan representing a clan to which he does not belong?

I supppose I'm doing two things here... 1) Opening a nice friendly discussion, and 2) trying to put an unruly subconscience to rest.

[RockyR]

Rules be damned...

Wear what you LIKE, but be MINDFUL of what you're wearing.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Coming from someone who has studied ethics and morality on a graduate level, I don't believe this is really an ethical question at all, the way you have presented it.

The basic question can be broken down to, "Is there anything wrong with a person of one nationality or descent wearing clothing that might indicate he is of another nationality or descent?" The basic answer is no.

My wife, for example, is more or less Western European (Irish, French, German) with a bit of Lebonese by way of Colombia. Yet she likes Japanese kimonos. She has no connections at all with Japanese culture. She just fancies that style of dress.

I don't imagine anyone would begrudge her that fashion choice. Why would it be any different for an American man of English descent who wears a kilt?

Now, if you were attempting to pass yourself off as being Scottish when you are not, that would be unethical. But in this case it would be the lying that was unethical, not the act of wearing the kilt itself.

[macwilkin]

And, to add to Matt's reply, remember there are a number of options open to you in regards to a tartan choice. Besides the aforementioned US Navy tartans, there are always the various American National and State tartans, as well as several tartans for English counties, such as Durham and Northumberland.

A visit to Matt's http://www.district-tartans.com might be in order.

The district tartan is always an option to those with no clan affiliation.

Cheers,

Todd

[davedove]

Being as I am, not of Scottish decent, I suppose my subconscience is trying to tell me it wouldn't be right.

Actually, you might be surprised. If you're like most Americans, if any branch of your family has been in the country for a while, I would bet you have a Scotsman (or Scotswoman) somewhere in your family tree.

Personally, I don't have a lot of Scottish blood, but it's there. I tell people the recipe for my lineage is a heaping handfull of English, a like amount of German, a splash of Scottish, a splash of Irish, and maybe a pinch of Welsh and French.

[James]

A horrid question, for one the one hand there are no rules: but on the other there are very strong unwritten ones, and on occasion good manners will give rise to an answer being given, with which the giver is not really in agreement.

I'm sorry, but the following is bound to trample upon some toes.

A problem here being that Britain and America are two countries divided by a language: for when many years ago i worked for an American firm here in the UK, that fact soon became apparent. For we were not of necessity ascribing the same meaning to words, or appreciating the cultural nuances behind them. Akin I would suggest to the unwritten British constitution, where positive rights/rules etc are replaced by a tacit understanding amongst those 'in the know'.

Moving back to the question, I like many others would feel very unhappy at the thought of wearing a tartan to which we did not on the one hand have a blood/regimental/band link: unless it was one of the many excellent district tartans, or such like. By the same token I'm not really happy seeing someone wearing a tartan to which they do not have that genuine blood/regimental/band claim: I feeling I know is shared by many. In the same vein I'd not wear an American tartan however attractive it might appear as a tartan.

So whilst there are no rules, and the choice is up to the wearer: it is best if not having a claim as mentioned above if only on the grounds of manners, to look for a tartan such as a district one a choice which cannot offend anyone.

In respect of the Saltire kilt with the flag displayed upon the buttocks-it is one of the most offensive things I have seen in my life. Certainly I'd not sit upon the Union Flag, and manners would stop me sitting on the American Flag or any other such standard. The Saltire is a most noble emblem, and should not, rather must not be demeaned in such a way: and certainly anyone doing so, can only be described as odious.

James

[kiltedjaz]

Good man, James.
Well said.

[LoftGuy]

James,

Well said, indeed.

In the days of my misspent youth across "the Pond", I recall incidents wherein unwitting American male tourists wearing, then very fashionable, Regimental ties, had them forcibly and unceremoniously removed by actual members of that Regiment. Those vetrans, for the most part, being WWII people who were quite dogmatic about such things.

Today, as you quite rightly say, there are no rules other than those of respect and good taste and I also believe it to be in poor taste to wear tartans which have no connection to the wearer's family, etc. Further, I most strenuously agree with you about the Saltire kilts or any kilt so emblazoned with a national symbol.

Bob

[longshadows]

Actually, you might be surprised. If you're like most Americans, if any branch of your family has been in the country for a while, I would bet you have a Scotsman (or Scotswoman) somewhere in your family tree.

Dave makes an important point. For years, I attended Scots events, wishing I were of Scots descent, but not knowing of any--and I had genealogical records on several of my family lines. Well, after starting to wear a kilt, I decided to take a deeper look at my ancestry. Turns out, a lot of what some people call "Irish" are actually Scots, who may have come to this country by way of Northern Ireland (for a generation or two), but were Scots.

Like Dave says, if your family has lived in this country for several generations--especially if your ancestors came through the Carolinas, Virginia or Pennsylvania there is a good chance that you do have some Scots ancestry.

I had to go back ten generations, which certainly waters down my Scots blood, but I found my Anderson ancestor, born in Glasgow in 1678 and died in Pennsylvania.

Check out your ancestry. You never know what you'll find

Good luck.

[Valencian Kilted]

well... as many people said,... this is a free world, so,... do ur own movements, but if u want my own opinion,... i wouldn't feel comfortable wearing a saltire on my kilt (mainly for esthetical reasons) or even wearing another clan or district tartan except for mine or a "neutral" tartan pattern, as i do now with my black patterned one,...

Even wearing a Black Watch tartan seems to me as an intromission, as I'd be wearing the colours of a regiment without having some kind of "membership right" to do so... apart of some ideological controversia about the "governement tartan"

Maybe for some of u this is not at all a reasonable position, but,... well, as I said before this is a free world! so,... act as free as you can, guy!

¡Salud!

T O N O