Interesting email from an Irish fellow about Irish kilts.

[cavscout]

One side of me can sympathize with the sentiment of the emailer. When I see the oafish drunks acting like idiots on St. Paddy's Day and Cinco De Mayo.

On the other hand, equating heritage to steel, I'm reminded of this line from Conan the Barbarian:

"but in their rage, the gods forgot the secret of steel and left it on the battlefield. We who found it are just men. Not gods. Not giants. Just men. The secret of steel has always carried with it a mystery. You must learn its riddle, Conan. You must learn its discipline."

Does this mean that to be a good Celt you have to wear a kilt? No. Some have said in other discussions that just because Scots or Irish don't wear a kilt or parade their heritage around doesn't make them less respectful of their heritage, and I agree. But, it seems at times that the desire of opinions like the emailers is that heritage should be confined to museums and reserved for an undefined select few.

Just as their tendency may be to value their heritage by keeping it personal, there's nothing wrong with respectfully celebrating it publicly either. If those who cherish it do not defend it, it will be corrupted by those who are ignorant of it's meaning and significance.

[Carolina Kiltman]

One side of me can sympathize with the sentiment of the emailer. When I see the oafish drunks acting like idiots on St. Paddy's Day and Cinco De Mayo.

If those who cherish it do not defend it, it will be corrupted by those who are ignorant of it's meaning and significance.

I heartily agree with both, and especially the latter. I have whole boxes of family photos that I can only guess as to who they are (Most taken in the early 1900's) To celebrate one's ethnic history is to preserve it! The only danger is that it can be romanticized all out of any resemblance to the reality.