Interesting take on Tartan Day

[Phil]

The Tartan Day celebrations in America have not attracted much media coverage here in the UK. Here is something from today -
http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/...by_tartan.html

[Rex_Tremende]

Sounds like an essayist got up on the wrong side of the bed on Tartan Day.

We've had this argument here at XMTS over what it means to celebrate one's heritage, and, if I recall, it was insoluble so it eventually got locked down. I hope we don't repeat that.

Regards,
Rex.

[Frank McGrath]

I would much rather celebrate who we are rather than who we were. My "roots" go back 5 generations without an immigrant. On both sides of my family. Either I haven't dug deep enough or my forebears weren't proud enough (or smart enough) to write anything down. I moved to this area because I had roots here. My mother was born and raised in Carroll County, Md. My roots are in another county due south of here. Why am I on this site? because I wear the tartan. I don't claim to have a great Scottish Heritage. I don't feel the need to go out and get drunk on every holiday. Except maybe Cinco De Mayo. Some Americans feel that we as a nation can celebrate All nation's holidays. Why not? We came from everywhere else. It's 5 am. I am rambling. The writer of the article has some good points. I have never been to Scotland of Ireland. But if I do, I will make it a point to respect the culture, Just as I have done in my trips to Germany and Austria. I travel to learn aboaut other cultures. It makes me realize my own culture.

Ramble over. I will probably regret this when I read it this afternoon. After Tea.

Rex is right. we all have history. Enjoy it. Revel in it. Learn from it. But be the best you that you can be while you are here. Ok . Ramble really ofver. Must go to work.

[RobertParker]

Interesting take. I can understand the writer's position. Still, certain items of clothing will always evoke stronger-than-average responses from people, not just kilts. When I wore a black leather motorcycle jacket it high school, people always asked me "Where's your hog?" but I wore it because I liked it (for lots of reasons). If I wear my cowboy boots and stetsons, I tend to get looks unless I'm back home in Nashville; I'll get questions about whether I'm a real cowboy (no, I'm not. My family has horses and I ride when visiting, but that doesn't make me one). But any garment with distinction will evoke certain recognitions, regardless of whether the wearer actually uses them for their intended purpose or identification. I don't get upset if someone who's never seen the inside of a barn wears boots and a hat, but I feel a different sort of affection for western-wear than someone who's never put it to it's intended use.

My point is that I'm not an idiot: I know that I'm not Scottish - it's been at least 5 generations (and might as well be 50) since I had any Scottish ancestors. Wearing a kilt doesn't make me more so. I'm an American, and am happy to be. But I get frustrated with folks who decide that being one nationality means you shouldn't identify with some part of a different one. I identify with ceratin aspects of Scottish history/heritage, with other aspects of English, German, American Indian, and Southern. The only one of those I am by birth or nationality is Southern, but each of those have traits that I admire very much and feel a connection to. So I'll wear a Robertson tartan in recognition of my mother and her connection through name. I'll hunt and commune with the land and God identifying with my father's name (Parker) and some small part of the American Indian symbiotic relationship with nature, while loving German potatoes and Wienerschnitizel (which is actually Austrian - gasp!), and being a good Southern boy! I won't force it on anyone, and if someone dislikes that, they are welcome. They're the ones who have to live with being unhappy.

[pipesndrumsnun]

Perhaps not the best example, but...

McDonald's and Coca-Cola have been exported/imported all over the world, yet we in the U.S. don't decry the rest of the world for "trying to act American", we never refer to folks from other countries as "plastic Americans" or "fake Americans", and we seem to be generally happy that our "culture" is enjoyed by people around the globe.

AND, I for one was happy to be able to get my "Coke Lite" in Italy, Vatican City, Germany, France, Switzerland, and Canada during various travels throughout my life. I always found it to be kind of "neat" that people far away enjoyed some very small part of American history/culture (be it Coke, music, movies, or myriad other examples).

Maybe the world needs to take another cue from the Americans, swallow a bit of Prozac in the morning, and be happy!

Like we learned in Kindergarten (which, I believe we borrowed from the Germans)...it is GOOD to share and to play nicely with others! Let's get along, be kind, and stop the cranky complaining.

When children and eldrely are starving, violence is found anywhere, and the world is in a state of unrest, whining about people wearing tartan or displaying shamrocks or any of the other various things that people gripe about seems really SMALL, PETTY, and RIDICULOUS! The rants about "plastic Paddys" and "fake Scots" are really getting old and tired, especially when there are such bigger and more important things that should upset us.

I think I'll go wear my kilt, listen to some Irish music, and have a Diet Coke.

Peace!

P.S. I'm not expressing any displeasure toward the posters here, just toward the guy who wrote the article and people like him!

[Galician]

I totally agree with the Reverend Sister about priorities in perspective. I would just add that it does seem to be universal for residents of "Old World" nations to see themselves as the "true" members of that ethnic group.

When Americans and other natives of colonized nations try to identify with the homelands of their ancestors, they are generally dismissed as poseurs by those natives, rather than embraced as distant cousins. Unless, of course, that nation would like these "cousins" to support its economy.

[Panache]

America is still quite a young nation. We are a true "melting pot" of all the cultures of the various peoples that came here to seek their fortunes.
How wonderful it is to live someplace where we can celebrate all these different cultures and their influences. If others find this amusing and laugh, well perhaps we should be as Dickens once wrote:

"...wise enough to know that nothing ever happened on this globe, for good, at which some people did not have their fill of laughter at the onset"

And like Scrooge we should "let them laugh, and little heed them".

Cheers

Jamie

[Phil]

I omitted to say in the original post that I find very little if anything in the article that I can agree with. The few examples he gives are typical of what can be found anywhere and I have experienced similar questions when in England because they know someone who lives in Edinburgh and ask if I know them. I just put it down to them looking for some common ground, nothing else. And I think most of what he says is the same. He fails to mention all the people here who dress up as cowboys and engage in quick draw contests, go to the "Grand ol' Opry" or engage in other such trans Atlantic activities. The majority of members here seem to take the trouble to find out about the things they are interested in and I couldn't attribute any of the attitudes described to them.

[TatterDel]

I too have no known Scottish heritage... non that has been documented that is.
But I do love men who wear kilts! I love the way they stand with pride and laugh with vigor.
I have lived in Germany as a small child and we always celebrated Christmas with a number of German traditions. I don't put food color in my beer on St Paddy's Day and I think green meat is just 'Wrong!'.
I think it is wonderful that we as Americans are open minded enough to want to learn about and celebrate things from other nations. We are a melting pot but I am American. Red White and Blue, through and through! Perhaps that is why my husband and I have not opted for a clan tartan based on name.
When I wear a tartan it is MacLaren because of my Woodbadge/ Scouting. I am a member of the World Brotherhood of Scouts and as such MacLaren is my tartan. I always make that distinction when asked about my 'clan' not because I wouldn't be proud to be part of clan MacLaren by blood.. or any other... just because the fact I'm not.

[AtagahiKC]

It seems odd that no one in America celebrates being English while the Irish and Scots are widely celebrated.

I think the obvious answer to the essayist's quandary is that the US and Canada are nations of immigrants (Native Americans and First Nations, aside) with large land masses and a relatively short history. Those differences from the European homelands from which both nations drew their populations allow for people to look fondly back at homeland cultures while still being proud of being citizens of their new country.

Large waves of Scot and Irish immigrants came within the last 150 years to both countries, making memories of the homeland relatively recent. The waves were large enough to create pocket communities in every large city that enabled the celebration of their former familiar culture making the adaptation to the new culture easier.

The large land mass in both countries created plenty of room to absorb the immigrants without adding pressure to the dominant culture. The entire U.K. for example, fits into the State of Kansas or Oregon, for instance.

By having enough elbow room, the dominant culture didn't feel as challenged as it might have were it so small. There was enough land to give away to settlers to create farms and new towns across the new states as the waves of immigrants settled across the broad expanse of both nations.

Finally, we have implicit permission to retain and celebrate our cultural differences in both Canada and the U.S. There isn't the level of cultural paranoia that seems to be the case in Europe. Our culture is always changing and adapting as a result of being nations of immigrants as each new culture adds something new to the mix. We've learned to live with the cultural changes.

We aren't perfectly accepting by any means (such as each country's debate on official languages proves). Each new immigrant group has to run the gauntlet of suspicion and prejudice. But once through the crucible we accept the immigrants and enjoy their contributions to the national culture.