Cultural Appropriation?

[O'Callaghan]

The trouble is that the children born in America with American parents, for example, who have Scottish roots, but are in fact American, or wherever, often have an annoying habit of calling themselves Scottish, when it suits them! No Scot in Scotland that I know, will accept that in any way shape or form. It is a cause of friction on this website on occasion and is a cause of modest amusement when a visitor who is plainly not Scottish claims that because his G, G, G, G, Grandfather"s wife was half Scottish then they are Scottish! No way!

Americans in general have an annoying habit of claiming other nationalities without being entitled. If you ask them, they will say that's not what they mean, but they will generally say they are Irish or Scottish or Italian when they really mean they are distantly descended from same. AFAIK nobody else does this.

Now, Scotland not having left the UK (yet) the question becomes: are they entitled to British citizenship via Scotland? If their mother or father (or for those born before 1987 their father or paternal grandfather) were British born, then they are British. If they were born in the UK and their father or mother was British or Irish (but not necessarily born in the UK or Ireland) then they are also British. OTOH, unless one of those specific links is via Scotland they are not Scottish. They might even be British, but, for Example, if their maternal grannie was a Scot, that does not make them Scottish.

The Republic of Ireland is a different matter, because their laws are different. If any of their parents or grandparents was Irish, then they are too. If they were born in Ireland (even in the British part) and one of their parents was British or Irish, then they are Irish. And here's the thing, if their parent had Irish parents of their own that registered that parents birth before the grandchild was born, then they are Irish.

A little thought will reveal that the route I mentionned last can be kept going for in infinite number of generations who have never even seen Ireland, although it usually isn't. For example, my maternal grandfather had grandparents who were born in Ireland, which automatically makes him Irish. However, as far as we know, he never registered my mother's birth with the Irish Embassy in London. If he had, she could have been Irish, and so could I, and my kids, and their kids, until the crack of doom, as long as all the births were registered. But we aren't. Of course, although my grandad was Irish in fact, I don't think he ever considered himself Irish. After all, even his parents were not born there.

The implications are that there are a lot of people who are in fact Irish but are not recognised as such by what you might call the court of public opinion, at least not by Irish people. This is complicated by the overlap with the casual habits of some Americans who appropriate whatever nationality they claim descent from. If they have an Irish grandparent then they are Irish, but may say they are Irish meaning only Irish American, not even realising that they really are Irish, LOL!

[ASinclair]

I agree with Jock. No one who is not a Scot should claim they are Scottish. I am a 'Merican, a proud citizen of the Excited States of America (as my cousin Father Bill calls us). I do not call myself Scottish, but I do blame my habit of pinching pennies on my Scottish DNA. I celebrate my Scottish Highland heritage by convening for Clan Sinclair at Highland Games, and I proudly wear my kilt in Sinclair tartan, but I would never say I am Scottish.

[Steve Ashton]

Well, I tried in a nice way to warn that a flag would be raised on this thread and I gave you the reason that I thought it would be raised.

The flag has been raised so this good thread now has to go to the Cooling Off corner while the Moderators deliberate over the flag.

What a shame.