Wannabe Scot

[michael steinrok]

I'm Irish american, I was born that way. Most people should try worrying about themselves a little more and not worry about what other people wear or do.

[GMan]

I like being who I am, I don't wannabe anything else!

[GlassMan]

Plus let's not forget that often its those who are separated from their homeland that hang on to their traditions most zealously.

[davedove]

Plus let's not forget that often its those who are separated from their homeland that hang on to their traditions most zealously.

I've heard before that a Scotsman's blood turns tartan as soon as he leaves Scotland.;)

[mbhandy]

I use to have aguments with my grandfather Satchfield about being scot-irish.
I looked up the name and all i got (He was born in La. North of New Orleans) was a place close to Gatwick airport. The town is no longer there but the church is. I allways told him "Hay" we were born in America first Then our heritage. Till the day he die He was Scot-Irish. He was a non drinker So I guess he was not Scotch-Irish ;-)
There will always be intollerance. Rise above it.

I am sure I not the first to say or write that saying.

MrBill

[Mike1]

I think that we would all agree that Scots that look down on wearing the kilt except in situations they consider appropriate are denying their heritage to some extent.

Mmmmmm, maybe we wouldn't all agree, Graham.

As an American, am I expected to wear homespun shirts, breeches and tri-corn hats to prevent your making that same observation of me? Or maybe I am supposed to be in buckskins and a coon-skin cap?

A portion of my family immigrated from Germany and I don't wear lederhosen. Ever. Am I denying my German heritage?

I wear a kilt when I choose to wear it, so I reckon I fit into that 'appropriate situation' category. Does this deny my Scots heritage?

If you feel that Scots are to wear a kilt daily, then are you denying your own English heritage, by dressing as you feel Scots are intended to dress?

This is a subject that seems to keep coming up and the not-so-subtle comments about Scots not wearing kilts are well beyond needing addressed.

If you take a look at some of the commemorative events that take place in Scotland, you're more likely than not going to see men dressed in belted plaids, not in your latest and greatest, teflon-coated, PV fabric, Velcro-enclosure casual kilts. Now this isn't to suggest that there is anything wrong with that type of kilt, but there's a whole lot of that 'heritage' lost in this style of kilt.

Try telling these fellows that they are denying their heritage -



I know the seven men in that image and of the seven, four are wearing belted plaids. I know two of the others are wearing their only kilt, but neither of them are 'casual' kilts.

At least four of these men had marched nearly five miles that afternoon, tracing the route that Mar took, leading his troops to the Battle of Sheriffmuir. When this picture was taken, they had just returned from a nearly four-mile round-trip march from the Sheriffmuir Inn to the Macrae Monument and back. In -5° C weather, no less. Yessir, there was a whole lot of heritage deinial going on with this lot.

These men hold their heritage VERY dearly and they spend considerable amounts of money promoting and attending commemorations. Would they better serve Scotland's heritage by sitting at home, saving their money to buy more kilts, so tourists could feel more comfortable?

Here's another group of Scots at another commemoration -



There's not a man in that photo wearing anything but a belted plaid. The young lady in the center is wearing an arisaid.

Do they appear to be denying their heritage?

The day of the Wallace Homecoming, I was wearing a terribly expensive, 9-yard, hand-sewn kilt, crafted of Lochcarron wool. Graham, I've got $657.65 USD in JUST the wool for that kilt. I could get Rocky to sew me up two kilts for what I paid to have this one sewn. And the young lady that is wearing the arisaid in the image above told me that I needed to get a length of material, so that I could just wear a plaid, rather than "that dress kilt".

So whose standards are we supposed to meet, while demonstrating our heritage? Yours? Hers? Mine?

Does a clergyman have to wear a tabbed collar, 365 days a year? Is it OK for a police officer to remove his badge? Have you ever bumped into a doctor not wearing his white smock?

Does a Scots-born resident of Dundee or Stirling or Edinburgh have to wear a kilt 24/7, to prove his heritage to anyone, particularly the tourist that is visiting for a week or two?

Graham, I respect your right, your choice and your ability to wear a kilt whenever you like. I just hope that you don't cross a line where you fail to respect others for making those same decisions for themselves.

[macwilkin]

Well said, Mike! You raise some very valid points.

I do not wear a kilt everyday -- for me, the kilt is a symbol of my heritage. I do not want it to become just another garment in my closet.

Cheers,

Todd