Subjected to 'racial abuse' while kilted - sorry if length and/or content offends

[Bryan]

I dunno, are you guys sexist a***oles that objectify women and treat them like dirt? Cause if so, you'd fit in nicely where I was last week...

I meant the fight.

[highlander_Daz]

I was once out with some friends (one of which is a gay man) and a guy from Newcastle (Im assuming by his accent) said something to me about my kilt something about being gay or a poof or something , my gay friend scolded the guy and said "how can he be gay? he hasnt even got a moustach!!!" the Geordie wandered off looking bewildered!

[BonnieT100]

I'd love to visit. At my next assignment - in a couple weeks - I'll be living at a base that your army visits frequently. We are sort of borrowing their battle space, keeping the highways safe. They set up shop there. I'm looking forward to it from that perspective - maybe they have a piper with them - even though it means losing my platoon, and my current position as commander of a similar base. Oh well, that's promotions for you.

[Graywolf]

Am I missing something here? We have a young male, from a Middle eastern culture, I assume Arab, making comments to someone wearing a kilt. Let me think, the traditional Arab garb for men is a long flowing robe. Not only does he appear to ignorant of Scottish culture, he appears to be ignorant of his own.

I would hope that I would ignore him. I would not bet on it - I would likely react in the same way- but I would like to think I wouldn't.

[Troy]

Am I missing something here? We have a young male, from a Middle eastern culture, I assume Arab, making comments to someone wearing a kilt. Let me think, the traditional Arab garb for men is a long flowing robe. Not only does he appear to ignorant of Scottish culture, he appears to be ignorant of his own.

I would hope that I would ignore him. I would not bet on it - I would likely react in the same way- but I would like to think I wouldn't.

Folks,

My problem was not that the aggressive little yob was Middle Eastern/Arabic - what surprised me was the fact that he referred to his ethnicity while trying to pick a fight with me. I honestly don't believe he had any cultural issues or baggage - his only problem was that he is an ignorant & aggressive little twerp who can count himself lucky that I was sensible enough not to thump him.

The way I look at it is like this - if I walked past anyone, irrespective of their clothing, ethnicity, or whatever, and mouthed off at them the way this little toe-rag did, I would reasonably expect to get a smack in the mouth for my trouble. By ignoring this type of behaviour I believe we run the risk of tacitly approving of it.

One of the ironies of the whole situation is that if I would be the first to intervene if I saw anybody racially attacking his parents.

Cheers,

Troy

[Kiltman]

As a fellow-Aussie (now in the U.S.) You handled it perfectly. "Slur for slur' does not have the same connotations there as it does here in the U.S. Racism is endemic in U.S. history, and is still alive & well-even if improving.

To judge from today's news (Sept 20, 2007) racism is still a major part of the US. Emmett Till's fate is all too immediate still.

Australia is only just beginning to have interracial problems, which ironically are actually being instigated by certain Middle Easterners of a certain religion & culture.
Mature Aussies tend to use their tongues first, and fists as a reluctant last recourse. Many fights are avoided with a buit of verbal one upsmanship.
Good on yer mate! You told him - & he backed off.

Won't it be great when all this disappears and we all can get on with being humans?

[Archangel]

Won't it be great when all this disappears and we all can get on with being humans?

Carbon Unit Infestation.


No, really, your sentiments/wishes are right on.