Quote Originally Posted by Alan H
If you ask me, "Being Scottish" is not a genetically inherited thing any more. "Being Scottish",or "Being French" or "Being Japanese" or "Being Mongolian" is a function of where your interests and heart and soul lies. My allegiance is to the United States of America. My heritage lies spread out all over Europe and Canada. My INTEREST and my heart lies in things Celtic.
Good points, all. I would add, though, that one definition of "Being Scottish",or "Being French" or "Being Japanese" is a function of citizenship laws of individual countries. I am Canadian, in this respect, because the Canadian goovernment says I am. No more, no less. It really isn't my doing at all. This is generaly true of all citizens around the world. Each country makes it own rules and decides who will be it's citizens. But as you correctly point out, when one is speaking of ethnicity or connection to a culture, there is really no way to consistently distinguish one person from another.

Kevin