Scottish Festival Peeves?

[Bugbear]

Well, by changing your handle, you came off of mine, but now you just went back on it.

Thank you, Alan. Our carier waves don't match up... in fact, I think I'm posting in single side band at this point...

[Semiomniscient]

>snip<

You just wouldn't want to see the Irish there. Interesting how you're tolerant, but not.

Seriously? My wife's maiden name is Murphy. I don't mind Irish folks coming to whatever they want to attend. However, why should the entertainment by Irish at a Scottish event? Similarly, if there was a Welsh festival, why would Scottish dancers be invited to perform? Why would there be Contra Dancing at an African festival? It doesn't make any sense...
Let's get over the insinuation of bigotry because I care about my ancestral culture and am man enough to state my opinion.

[Lallans]

Actually, I've had laser eye surgery (PRK about 6 years ago) and, though I'm glad I don't have to wear contacts/glasses any more (or pay for the "support system" that goes with them), I HAVE to wear sunglasses when I'm out & about in the daytime - doctor's orders. Laser eye surgery thins the cornea ever so slightly, which can cause some severe retinal damage if you're exposed to sunlight (especially bright sunlight) for too long. I'm actually more light sensitive now than I was with my contacts.

I also get the 'halo' effect at night (streetlights and headlights), so I don't like driving at night like I used to.

I really appreciate the feedback, since most people who get their eyes lasered don't want to say anything bad about it afterwards- even though you hear they're having problems. If our Celtic ancestors had actually had sun, plus of course the appropriate technology, they would have worn sunglasses.

[Tobus]

Seriously? My wife's maiden name is Murphy. I don't mind Irish folks coming to whatever they want to attend. However, why should the entertainment by Irish at a Scottish event? Similarly, if there was a Welsh festival, why would Scottish dancers be invited to perform? Why would there be Contra Dancing at an African festival? It doesn't make any sense...
Let's get over the insinuation of bigotry because I care about my ancestral culture and am man enough to state my opinion.

I understand your point. I think what some others here are missing is that you're differentiating between someone who shows up wearing their particular ethnic apparel and someone who is there as part of the official sanctioned events. The former should always be appropriate, while the latter should be limited by the organizers to be appropriate for the event.

[Andy Proffitt]

Seriously? My wife's maiden name is Murphy. I don't mind Irish folks coming to whatever they want to attend. However, why should the entertainment by Irish at a Scottish event? Similarly, if there was a Welsh festival, why would Scottish dancers be invited to perform? Why would there be Contra Dancing at an African festival? It doesn't make any sense...
Let's get over the insinuation of bigotry because I care about my ancestral culture and am man enough to state my opinion.

Huzzah! Maybe some people should just organize a Celtic-Dutch-Czech-Portuguese-Morrocan-Mongolian-Andorran Festival and RenFair, where whatever anyone does is ok because they are having fun.

[Geoff Withnell]

OK, a new top pet peeve for me - from this weekend's PA Celtic Fling. Yes, I know it's not really Highland Games, but I suspect the issue does apply at genuine Highland Games as well. Men (I intentionally do not say gentlemen) who do not learn to move and sit so as not to let the entire area know first hand whether or not they are regimental. Fellow in a kilt obviously not a rental "costume", (not a usual tartan, amoung other clues), sitting on the ground, legs crossed at the ankles. Knees pulled up. Facing a main path, with families with children walking by. I went over, and quietly told him he was flashing everyone, and received a rude gesture for my trouble. NOT upholding what I would consider the best of Highland or Celtic manhood.
Bah!

Geoff Withnell

[auld argonian]

OK, a new top pet peeve for me - from this weekend's PA Celtic Fling. Yes, I know it's not really Highland Games, but I suspect the issue does apply at genuine Highland Games as well. Men (I intentionally do not say gentlemen) who do not learn to move and sit so as not to let the entire area know first hand whether or not they are regimental. Fellow in a kilt obviously not a rental "costume", (not a usual tartan, amoung other clues), sitting on the ground, legs crossed at the ankles. Knees pulled up. Facing a main path, with families with children walking by. I went over, and quietly told him he was flashing everyone, and received a rude gesture for my trouble. NOT upholding what I would consider the best of Highland or Celtic manhood.
Bah!

Geoff Withnell

Interesting...I think that there's a certain mindset that comes over some individuals who wear the kilt whereby this business of "flashing" or the "naughtiness" of there being a chance that they might flash is "part of the fun". Hence the rude gesture? You rained on this naughty little man's parade by politely pointing out that he was grossing out an entire Fest? Fella should have just been told to leave by the officiating organization...he's an embarrassment to the side.

Best

AA

[Nighthawk]

Doh! That does it! I'm putting myself on my own ignore list!

* Oh Ruxpins, it won't let me do that...

Yeah, I already tried it, Ted. I couldn't ignore myself, either.

I understand your point. I think what some others here are missing is that you're differentiating between someone who shows up wearing their particular ethnic apparel and someone who is there as part of the official sanctioned events. The former should always be appropriate, while the latter should be limited by the organizers to be appropriate for the event.

The issue, as I saw this weekend at the games in Billings, Mt, is that Scottish dancing seems to be less common, and that Scottish dance groups are harder to come by. Had there been no Irish dancers this weekend, there would have been no dancers at all! So there is that to consider- a simple lack of resources. We don't have more than a small handfull of Scottish dance groups in Colorado, and without the Irish dancers, we'd have little to no dancers here, as well!

[Bugbear]

Yeah, I already tried it, Ted. I couldn't ignore myself, either. ...

Perhaps, some day, the scientists will create a way that you can put people, out in the real world, on an ignore list in your brain. Put someone on the list, and they look like a blurry blob and sound like a muffled trombone when they talk. Better yet, you could have a mute button, and you don't hear them at all...

The part that worries me, Nighthawk, is that Alan said my user name changed took me off of his list... That means it must have taken me off all those other people's lists. I've been bothering all those people for months now, and didn't even know it!

[Geoff Withnell]

Interesting...I think that there's a certain mindset that comes over some individuals who wear the kilt whereby this business of "flashing" or the "naughtiness" of there being a chance that they might flash is "part of the fun". Hence the rude gesture? You rained on this naughty little man's parade by politely pointing out that he was grossing out an entire Fest? Fella should have just been told to leave by the officiating organization...he's an embarrassment to the side.

Best

AA

And slowing down the acceptance of the kilt as a proper gentleman's attire.

Geoff Withnell