Pretending to be a Scot

[Alan H]

I fall somewhere in between Dixie and the majority. Much depends on how those words were spoken. When I first read what meinfs wrote, her words came off as harsh and condescending. On the other hand, if what she was thinking was that lots of the square dancers were "pretending" to be cowboys and cowgirls, then "pretending" to be a Scot by wearing a kilt is not an illogical conclusion to come to.

She might have been being a real jerk. Or, she might be guilty of no more than not expressing herself well, or picking an unfortunate set of words.

If in fact she was being a jerk, then we have choices. We could go Rons route, with a concise and clear two-word response. Or we could choose Panache's route, which would be do disarm her with a set rhymed couplets, flair, and cordial restraint along with presentation of a dandelion for her bonnet and a business card with directions to this web site.. More likely, most of our responses would be somewhere in between.

It s hard to tell exactly how the crucial words were delivered by this woman, and therein lies the bugbear.

As for apologising to her, though....I rather doubt she's reading this website and so no harm done.

[Spartan]

In the initial post, Mein stated, as fact, that he felt insulted. That is a key to how she stated her declaration. No matter how she meant it, that was how it was received. I don't think Mein is an over reactive person.

Each of us can identify with Mein's feeling. We've come up with a list of comebacks that we would not necessarily choose to use in every occasion. This forum does give us an opportunity to vent off some steam. It's helpful for us to think about how we would respond if we were presented with the same situation.

Mein handled this incident in a courteous manner as a teaching moment. Mein is being who he is. No pretense.

If there's a problem, it's her's.

[Alan H]

In the initial post, Mein stated, as fact, that he felt insulted. That is a key to how she stated her declaration. No matter how she meant it, that was how it was received. I don't think Mein is an over reactive person.

Each of us can identify with Mein's feeling. We've come up with a list of comebacks that we would not necessarily choose to use in every occasion. This forum does give us an opportunity to vent off some steam. It's helpful for us to think about how we would respond if we were presented with the same situation.

Mein handled this incident in a courteous manner as a teaching moment. Mein is being who he is. No pretense.

If there's a problem, it's her's.

My gut feeling is pretty much the same as yours, I gotta say. I'm just trying hard to see other possibilities.

Not that I think those possibilities are extremely LIKELY, mind you!

[robthehiker]

You are most correct but was in Brantford Canada that he invented the telephone (nice kayaking area). He went on to work on many other great things in Canada including work with the deaf, hydrofoils the first flight in Canada (that we just celebrated the 100th anniversary) amongst numerous things. truly a great and remarkable man. We're claiming him as our own .

As we are with claiming you as our own Grant.

[piperdbh]

I think the Scots invented tele-marketers that call during the supper hour.

Maybe, but they're a few hours ahead of the U.S. and Canada, so for them it's bedtime.

[10buckstew]

I am a Stewart, a name that usually can claim to be as easily recognized as Scots,----- as a Mac in the first syllable, (or many others!).
I have reddish-blonde hair, a fairly red beard(lotta grey too now) and many freckles.
BUT!!!!!
I was in London and an englishman jeered me, immediately as I got out of the train staion, wearing a hat with my family tartan-
"YOUR NOT SCOTTISH!!!" he yelled, in front of many people!
I was horrified! I felt bad because I'm not technically- I was born in California.
"YOUR NOT SCOTTISH!!!!" he yelled even louder, seeing me taken aback, and my wife staring at me like; 'what are you going to do?'

I thought of insulting him, the queen, the hanoverian succession; I even remembered abe lincolns story about the Scots boy, working on the railroad--it went like this...

-...A man working on the railroad asked the redheaded boy working next to him if he was Irish, and he just said 'No'. and kept working.

The man dug further, and then said:'Well then, where are you from lad?'
.....'Ireland" the boy said.
The man threw down his shovel, and glared at the boy; "you just said you were'nt IRISH!!" the man said, ready to fight.

The boy calmly said: "Look, if you have a she-cat, and she has kittens in the oven, do you call them biscuits?"
--The story was too long to shout, in front of the crowd at the station,
So, I opted for a quicker response, I put on a fairly good Scottish burr, and said;
"Up yer kilt!!"
He, and his buddies liked it.
I think what I'm getting at is, If you wear your kilt, your tartan, or a fez, a yarmulke, dreadlocks, a sombrero, or what ever-- you're bound to get some wise-acres who want to get you to respond to a roast, whether you are in attire befitting your genetics, nationality, or whatever.
Your getting attention, and you asked for it!
As to whether only Scots, or Celts, should where kilts or tartans I think that EVERYBODY wearing them would be the nicest compliment the attire could hope for!!!
Men used to be the 'dressed like a peacock' gender. Only in the last hundred years have men lost that advantage in society. The kilt is the finest outfit known to me, and I have worn, or seen, them all. A mere Tuxedo is nothing compared to a man 'dressed to the nines' in a kilt. It is for every man! Enjoy!!! And watch the ladies swoon...

[Bugbear]

My only regret is that I don't have a picture of myself wearing a giant sombrero and a kilt.

I still think it's more rooster than peacock with the Highland attire... The red tourie and all...

[YoungMan]

You don't have to be Caucasian to have a legit right to the kilt or even a tartan. You can always remind haters that the Black Watch (indeed the whole Scots Division) contains a very healthy number of Fijians and Indians who do the British army and the kilt proud.

[Roderick]

Meinfs, I think she was being pretty rude. My reaction in any situation when someone is, I fear, being deliberately rude with me is to assume that it's actually unintentional. I then, looking them in the eyes, laugh at them with a good solid hearty laugh as though they've just made the best joke in the world. Then I repeat what they say in a slightly ironic tone ("Yes indeed, madam, I am pretending to be a Scot!") before turning away from them and not thinking on them again.

I do have to say as well, your original post seems to hint at the idea of folks being unaccepting of an Asian man in traditional highland dress. You ought to check out the guy in the picture at http://www.flickr.com/photos/53803790@N00/3239495639/ . That's "Toddish McWong", the guy responsible for Gung Haggis Fat Choy in Vancouver, BC, and now Seattle, WA!

[BruceBC]

I have faced this “pretending to be Scottish” issue. In my case I take a two-pronged approach.

Step one: I say “I am Metis” Those who know what that means usually back off and accept the answer. Those who do not have any idea what I just said are confused and become silent.

Step two: I say “ and by the way.. anyone can wear a kilt…. especially if they are an opened minded person.”

btw – The Métis are descendants of marriages of Cree, Inuit, Ojibway, Algonquin, Saulteaux, Menominee, and other indigenous peoples to Europeans (in my case Mi’kmaq (MicMac) and Scottish) and other ethnicities from around the world, and are one of three officially-recognized Aboriginal peoples in Canada, the other two being the First Nations and Inuit.

The Metis Flag is blue with a white infinity sign - sounds almost Scottish to me.