In these United States, a minor phenomenon according to author Celeste Ray in her book Highland Heritage, has established itself. She calls it highlandism. It’s similar to the tartanization of Scotland during the era of Sir Walter Scott.

She has researched the often overzealous love of tartan & clans by Americans of Scottish descent and especially those in the American South.

As a result of highlandism, many now cherished (and incorrect) beliefs have become thoroughly entrenched. These would include the Mc v. Mac argument, authority to wear specific tartans, kirkings of tartan, and in this case the right to don an image of the Rampant Lion.

Almost no matter where I go decked out in Highland finery, there’s some eedjit who’s gonna tell me what/how I’m wearing something, piping a tune, ad nauseum is somehow incorrect. And almost always he knows just enough to be dangerous. Too often he’s an insufferable boor.

This is how Jack Daw arrived at his conclusion – I must agree as well. Wearing will make the owner an eejit magnet. Even wearing the saltire may draw the wrath of some jughead.

Slainte yall,
steve