Quote Originally Posted by Kilt Wilter
There are some people, I hate to say, that probably have no business being in a kilt. It pains me to say that. Lord knows I am going to get flamed for that statement, but I stand by it. Thankfully, those sorts of people are few and far between. And I will continue to be sarcastic, acerbic, and unpleasant to those sorts of folk in an effort to keep them as far away from me as possible. And when these sorts of scumballs think that by owning a kilt that it allows them into some sort of brotherhood with me, or gives them "kilt privileges" I am going to say something.
I don't want to flame you -- you are a member of this forum, and as such, I respect you. But I disagree with some of what you're saying.

We have all encountered jerks we'd rather not be around, and it's natural to feel resentment towards such people if they are being overly-familiar or trying to identify themselves with something dear to our own self-image. I revere the kilt and all it stands for as much as anyone, but at the end of the day, it's 'just' a garment, and anyone has a right to wear it if they wish to. Even jerks. Wearing the kilt may not really make anyone who wears it part of a mystic 'brotherhood' of kiltwearers, but if they enjoy feeling special in the kilt, and feel that it links them to a great tradition, what harm does it do? If they show their ignorance of the history of the kilt or the proper way of wearing it, etc., then they need a bit of education, and who better to provide it than a 'brother' of the kiltwearing fraternity? (In a friendly way!)

Quote Originally Posted by Kilt Wilter
I want the kilt experience to be as open as possible. I want more people to wear them. Or at least break with conformity. What I don't want are people that will hurt the cause. There are already enough stigmas, challenges, and social obstacles to overcome, with out adding more to our cause. This is not an elitist attitude. It's a protective guardian watching over what he loves. I will do everything I can to distance my self and draw a line between my self and the mindless masses.
When you are openly hostile to someone about his wearing the kilt (or not wearing it, because it's home in the closet), you are 'hurting the cause'! If it's done in public, you may be turning off slews of people to the cause. I think the perception of people overhearing the exchange would be that the 'jerk' is the guy rudely insulting the other guy, rather than the one who spoke up with a 'knowing wink' about having a kilt of his own. Never mind that he might deserve a verbal thrashing -- it won't appear that way to others. As Todd said, you are an ambassador for the kilt when you wear it in public. So, be diplomatic with everyone you meet, if you want to promote 'the cause'!

As for drawing the line between oneself and the 'mindless masses' -- this is a separate issue, of course -- but in my opinion, we are all fools on this ship of fools we call Earth. Not a one of us is perfect. Better to have tolerance for the other fools. Ignore the ones who are merely annoying, oppose evildoing when you encounter it, instruct those who can learn from you, have compassion for those who are weak or injured... always keeping in mind that none of us is really any 'better' than anyone else. We have our strengths and our weaknesses, we make our mistakes, and we all 'put our pants on one leg at a time'! Just because that last statement doesn't apply to guys wearing the kilt does not mean they are actually superior in any way!

We love ya, Kilt Wilter -- to paraphrase Oliver Cromwell -- farts and all!