Are you Scottish?

[Highlander775]

I usually reply "Yes,isn't everyone?" I was also asked once before The St.Patrick's Day parade in Pittsburgh "If I was a Campbell" because of my Government Sett tartan.







"Bringing History To Life"

[longforgan]

It is not so much the fact that the woman was curious enought to ask about Bear's kilt that puts me off here, it is Bear's too quick ad-lib reply! By saying, "why, do I look cheap?" was he not just perpetuating that old myth about Scots being stingy?
Personally being a Scot, I resent that very much. The Scots because of their hard history became very thrifty; (thrift used to be a virtue in early America. Wasn't it Lincoln who said: "you cannot encourage prosperity by discouraging thrift!") The myth was then used by showman Harry Lauder and it stuck. In reality Scots are known as generous people. I have lost count of the stories I have heard of Americans going into some pub over there and finding that the locals paid for their drinks; Wouldn't let them buy anything. Enough said about that. Back to the real issue here. I consider myself an ambassador to Scotland and do not believe in being a smart-*** about such things. Folks are only acting human because maybe they are not used to seeing a guy wearing a kilt. Be gentle with them. (unless they are just assholes that is.) Think of it this way; You folks are ambassadors for kilt-wearers. Be patient with people. Leave that other person with good feelings about guys who wear kilts! It's all to the good in the end because that person will probably be favorably disposed towards kilt-wearers from that day on. Cheers,- Longforgan (Alan)

[bear]

It is not so much the fact that the woman was curious enought to ask about Bear's kilt that puts me off here, it is Bear's too quick ad-lib reply! By saying, "why, do I look cheap?" was he not just perpetuating that old myth about Scots being stingy?
Personally being a Scot, I resent that very much. The Scots because of their hard history became very thrifty; (thrift used to be a virtue in early America. Wasn't it Lincoln who said: "you cannot encourage prosperity by discouraging thrift!") The myth was then used by showman Harry Lauder and it stuck. In reality Scots are known as generous people. I have lost count of the stories I have heard of Americans going into some pub over there and finding that the locals paid for their drinks; Wouldn't let them buy anything. Enough said about that. Back to the real issue here. I consider myself an ambassador to Scotland and do not believe in being a smart-<font color=ff0000>****</font> about such things. Folks are only acting human because maybe they are not used to seeing a guy wearing a kilt. Be gentle with them. (unless they are just assholes that is.) Think of it this way; You folks are ambassadors for kilt-wearers. Be patient with people. Leave that other person with good feelings about guys who wear kilts! It's all to the good in the end because that person will probably be favorably disposed towards kilt-wearers from that day on. Cheers,- Longforgan (Alan)

Alan,
You've completely missed the point.
I was using one Scottish stereotype to point out another. She asked me if I was Scottish simply because I was wearing a kilt!
Ask a Canadian if he is American.
Ask a Kiwi if he is Australian.
Ask a guy in a kilt if he is Scottish. He might be Irish, or Welsh, or Cornish.
I've explained why I said what I said well enough.
As for being an ambassador for kilt-wearers, I do that in my own way.
I'm not as much interested in leaving a good impression of a guy in a kilt as I am leaving the impression not to mess with a guy in a kilt. That makes it easier for the next guy in a kilt to walk down the street.
Since I started making kilts, I have always been first about making kilts popular. That means wearing my kilt full time, not taking crap about my kilt, showing guys in pants how much girls like guys in kilts, etc.

And if you can't take a worn out stereotypical jibe like Scots are cheap, then you're probably a bit too sensitive.
I know about these things. I'm part Irish and if I wasn't drunk, I'd explain it better.
(Ducks as Jimmy tosses an empty beer bottle.)
(Only Australians toss full beer bottles.)
(I'd toss in an American beer bottle jibe here if Americans made anything resembling beer.)

Now I'm leaving before the Sporranos get here.

[richardljohnson]

I gave up on the long answer sometime ago and just give the short verson..."My family was and I decided to carry on the tradition." The other question is "Do you play the pipes?" My response is, "No, but I drink Scotch. Want to buy me some?"

This get a variety of responses...I'm still waiting for a "Yes"!

Richard-

[Jerry]

On a related topic, one time on my few trips out while kilted, I had a guy ask if I was Scotch. I answered, "no, but I do drink it occasionally", then walked away leaving him to ponder that.

[Anthony]

"No, but I drink Scotch"

What a wonderful Retort!

[Rob]

I had a guy ask if I was Scotch.

A good reply would have been:-

"Are you implying that I am drunk?"

Rob

[Magnus Sporrano]

I've only been at it a few weeks but I get asked that one a lot. Here are some of my standard responses:

Q: Are you Scottish?
A: No, I'm American.
A: No, I'm comfortable.
A: Aye, if it'll win me a kiss, lass.
A: Are you "special"?
A: If you're buying the drinks, I'll be Chinese if that will make you happy.

Q: Is there some kind of celebration or something?
A: My b*lls were paroled for good behavior. That's cause for celebration!
A: Every day is a celebration when you're not wearing any pants.

We ought to put some of the better ones into a FAQ to help newly kilted brethren like me out.

[longforgan]

Aye Bear, maybe I am being a wee bit sensitive but then maybe that's the "flavour" if you will of this thread. My hope is that some day the public in general will just see that there's nothing in the old stereotype. Back tae kilts!- One time when I really took exception was when an anchor on Fox News on seeing a man wearing a kilt with the Queen's retinue in London, remarked: "there's a man wearing a skirt". I emailed him saying that he is insensitive. Would he remark about an Arab, "there's a man wearing my wife's dress!" ? That anchor wouldn't back down. He told me to go and find something worth worrying about. - Longforgan

[macwilkin]

One time when I really took exception was when an anchor on Fox News on seeing a man wearing a kilt with the Queen's retinue in London, remarked: "there's a man wearing a skirt". I emailed him saying that he is insensitive. Would he remark about an Arab, "there's a man wearing my wife's dress!" ? That anchor wouldn't back down. He told me to go and find something worth worrying about.

I bet he'd worry about it if a charge of ethnic discrimination was filed against him! I'd love to see someone like that NOT get away with those remarks.

Cheers,

T.