Samll mindedness

[Thomas H]

I've had numerous battles against me wearing the kilt

but like most Jamaicans I have a Scottish surname (Ferguson) it only changed due to old Adoption laws to something more English. I have relatives living in Scotland, and I live in an area of North London called Scotland Green, and do contract work for the police at Scotland Yard. Proof enough for me

If she's got an issue with you wearing the kilt, best be rid of her, IMHO

COOL Man I did not know you were a Ferguson -So am I and I am from
Illionois, United States and Norway ,The only Scottish I have is the love of the Highland Wear and My Grand Mother was a Ferguson. SMALL WORLD

[Baldybrown]

Burns night is not big in all parts of Scotland but that is not to say a person couldn't adopt it as a "new" tradition simply for enjoyments sake.

Please don't tell my family that. I have them convinced it's a REQUIRED Scottish holiday and therefore we MUST eat the haggis!

[auld argonian]

Hey, you get this from all sides...remember that Chicago is incredibly ethnically diverse so I've seen this from all sides.

I have a Polish surname...the Polish side of my family came over in the late 19th Century and we are about as assimilated as you can get. You meet recent immigrants and people who are Polish second generation and they're insulted that you don't speak Polish....***? Lots of the Lithuanian-Americans that I've met are really serious about keeping their culture alive...it gets scary somethimes.

Come down to this newly re-born South Side Irish Parade and get a load of the folks who are not just second generation Irish but third, fourth, fifth and sixth generation...they are unbelievably Irish...I've been out drinking with people who are from Ireland and after they find out that I live on the South Side, they aks "What's with those people? We can't understand them...".

Remember that our current President had an issue with not being "Black" enough...again: ***? This happens with almost everybody...you do the natural thing and assimilate into the culture that you're living in and there will always be somebody connected to your original culture that will get huffy.

Think about this in the context of this forum. It's been pretty well established that the Native Scots usually have one or two kilts...we've got people here with several dozen...you've got to think that SOME of the Scots are thinking, "What is going on here?". I recently heard the expression "Scottier than thou" used in reference to some of the Americans who do go overboard on the Scottish Culture thing...face it...point well taken.

I know that I, as a native all-my-life Chicagoan, get a kick out of the transplants and tourists who move here and think that they have to get Chicago-ized and start trying to speak Chicago-ese and such.

So you're going to get this stuff...go back and read all the past stories about forum members who have gotten castigated at Highland Games by some character that comes up out of nowhere (usually with several shots of whisky in him) and gives him a lecture on how he shouldn't be wearing that tartan or shouldn't be wearing a kilt at all. Dudes...do we have a good laugh at that kinda thing here? Damn right we do.

Ah, well...don't take it so seriously and try to make some ammends in a small way...bring some scones to work, ask the dear lady about her childhood experiences....offer the old girl a dram off your sporran flask...roll wi' it.

Best

AA

[Richard]

A funny story, I was working in the south of England and I was told to find a man named Jock, so there's me looking for a fellow Scotsman, only to find out he was wearing a turban dark skinned and looked like a Pakistan to me, but sure enough he was born in Scotland.

[Piipriker]

And only Geeks should be allowed to use computers.

yep

mv "small mindedness" /dev/null

[shannon]

Today, Greeks can not even afford their own Olympics.... (I know bad financial joke)

[Peter Crowe]

A couple of months ago we moved into a new building and I met a lady with a lovely Scottish accent.
To begin with she was very friendly and we spoke about kilts, Scottish sweets and food, etc.

For some reason she now seems to have decided that as our family celebrate Burns and St Andrew's Tide, wear the plaid, etc., that as I wasn't actually born in Scotland thanks to dad not taking a job in Edinburgh but in Kent, that as we're 'more Scottish' than her family is, to totally blank me everytime she sees me now or glare at me.

Its always amazes me how small minded some people can be. Rather than accepting that people can admire and immerse themselves in another culture, they get all huffy if you're more "x" than they are.

How few of us on here were actually born in Scotland? How many of us on here weren't born there, but have links or just a love of the culture, etc.?

Even the UK government have now decided that 'nationality' is now a state of mind and not what it says on your birth certificate.

Its not going to change me one bit but wondered if anyone else has come across this?

Martin, You raise many interesting points and questions arising from the frostiness you have encountered from the lady at your work. I can only offer the following observations/answers to your questions.

From a recent poll in another thread it seems very few XMTS contributors were born or brought up in Scotland, probably less than 10%. However, for every born Scot who objects to the interest shown in kilts or other aspects of Scottish life and culture(s), there are others like me who take the contrary viewpoint.

Scottish Culture(s) is not nor ever has been something that exists in a vacuum. To take Burns as an example he often spoke of the English writers and wits of Queen Anne's reign very highly (Shenstone and Pope). Incidentally Burns (as far as we know) never wore a kilt in his life, although their is a contemporary description of him at 23 wearing a fillemot coloured shepherd's shoulder plaid.

All sorts of people with all sorts of attitudes to their own culture inhabit Scotland.

Scotland has always had both an inflow and outflow of people, ideas, and trade.

There is also a phenomena in Scotland called the Caledonian Cringe whereby certain aspects of Scottish culture are seen as embarrassing or worse inferior, held by a sizable proportion of the population. This reaction is no doubt conditioned by many factors (one of which I will speak of below) but is no doubt influenced by some of the nonsense kitsch promoted at the tattier end of Scotland's tourist industry.

There is a Scots tradition of flyting or in more modern parlance ridiculing anything perceived as outside the norms of a given time and place. At it's best it satirises pomposity or overweening power and vanity. However, at it's worst it amounts to verbal bullying (social exclusion) of anyone who dares to be different or who cocks a snook at some folks preconceived notions. To put this in context, remember that Scotland is a very communitarian and egalitarian society (which are virtues to be sure), however, certain expressions of individualism can be seen by the more narrow minded members of society as a challenge to it's prevailing orthodoxy.

It would seem to me the lady you met has issues surrounding particular aspects of Scottish cultural identity, and feels confused and challenged by your interest and identification with it.

Speaking as a native born Scot (and only for myself), I am glad to share my culture with anyone, and also to partake in some of theirs.

[cessna152towser]

Being born in Scotland and living in Scotland I am honoured and delighted to see others adopting the Scottish culture, indeed helping to keep Scottish customs and traditions alive.

I would say if the lady has chosen to blank you then that's her loss, she isn't worth knowing.

[Laird_M]

Compaguy - ditto what others have said - it really suits you, or do you suit ?

Thanks for the replies folks. Like I said, I'n not going to let her attitude in any way stifle my love of Scotland, its culture, food, beautiful scenery, friendly people, music, etc.

Everytime I've worn my kilt (my only one so far - any donations readily accepted), I've always drawn admiring looks and comments and my eldest is always told how handsome he looks, despite the fact that his only connection to Scotland is by being my (step)son.

I don't really care if others are ashamed of their lack of 'Scottishness', I'm proud of hailing from the Line of Leod and will enjoy my kilts, and everything Scottish for as long as I'm able to.

Vivat Scotia!
Hmm, no-one has made a Saltire waving smilie yet - come on guys! Shows us yer code!

[Chas]

I've never quite understood the "dog in the manger" attitude. She doesn't want it herself, but she doesn't want anyone else to have it.

Yes, you are quite right - small minded.

Keep on keeping on!

Regards

Chas