Slap the cuffs on me...I want my lawyer.

[NewGuise]

How often do you get the fashion police accosting you when you're NOT wearing a kilt? "Excuse me, but your tie is tied way too short." Or "Your trousers are hemmed too long." Or "You're supposed to wear that kind of shirt tucked in..." ... Just doesn't happen. (Or does it? At least I have not had that...)

It does happen, especially in high schools, if a little differently. ("Waiting for the flood?" "Your momy dressed you this morning?" "That is so last year.") Some just never grow up.

[Santa Wally]

Maybe we need an X Marks Get Out Of Jail Free card, to present to people who are attempting to enforce the kilt statutes.

If you have ever seen a Public Defender's business card, it will frequently quote the Miranda warnings on the back. One side of our card could say that the bearer is entitled to wear his kilt as he pleases, that he has given some thought to it and that he is prepared to disregard the self appointed authority of anyone who wishes to correct him.

On the back:

"The Highland dress is essentially a 'free' dress -- that is to say, a man's taste and circumstances must alone be permitted to decide when and where and how he should wear it... I presume to dictate to no man what he shall eat or drink or wherewithal he shall be clothed."
-- The Hon. Stuart Ruaidri Erskine, The Kilt & How to Wear It, 1901.

Now that's an idea... but would it have any affect? After all, "A man convinced against his will, is of the same opinion still"

[Jack Daw]

((CHCHCHCH)) APB on Longhuntr74...APB on Longhuntr74 ((CHCHCHCH)))

[BuchananBiker]

There were times in my life where the Kiltcop would have received a percussive correction of his attitude.
What can I say? My wife and religion have been good for me.

[privypiper2002]

Reminds me of the comment that goes,

"Arguing with such a person as that is like wrestling with a pig in the mud. After some time you realize that the pig enjoys it."

Well done on your part.

[Highlander31]

Reminds me of the comment that goes,

"Arguing with such a person as that is like wrestling with a pig in the mud. After some time you realize that the pig enjoys it."

Well done on your part.

Well said, I'll have to remember that.

[Father Bill]

I was thinking about the original post of this thread a few moments ago while downstairs ironing handkerchiefs and altar linens, and had what is perhaps an insight. Now some of this may offend a few folks out there, but remember please that I'm trying to describe this phenomenon from the point of view of mainstream thought since that will be most familiar to most folks.

So, here we go:

There is a group of people "out there" whose image of their own importance is so slight that they seek to enhance it through the announcement of personal possession of knowledge that is ostensibly superior to that of others. In the field of religion (and I use this only because it is a fairly well-known example of which I can speak from some knowledge, not to try to convert anyone) they are fairly obvious. Theologians call them "gnostics" and they have been labelled heretics. "Gnosticism" refers to "knowledge", and they are the ones who claim "secret knowledge" of God through such spurious documents in Christianity just for example, as "The Gospel According to Pontius Pilate," or "The Gospel of Peter" (both real doozies!) or the "Secret Book of Mark." I have a collection of over thirty "Gospels" here. While interesting to the student, none have any kind of credibility whatsoever.

In the wider world today, these are often conspiracy theorists. They may claim to know what's really in "Area 51" (I think that's the number) to know the "secret of the pyramids" or to know about a supposed world-wide conspiracy for power under groups such as the "Illuminati" the "Priory of Zion" the Freemasons, or their own government. Of those, only the Freemasons and the government would appear to actually exist today, and both have problems of their own, sufficient to fill their time without trying to run the whole world. Please consult truly respected and reputable sources for the background story on any of these, and you may find it very difficult to believe in the possibility of such a conspiracy.

Now, I am sure that I have offended a few members of the forum by now, and that's not my intent. I'm not suggesting that you are stupid, and whether or not your theory is correct remains to be seen. Indeed, sometimes these gnostic folks manage to enlist some very reputable and very mainstream sources to support them. Remember how the National Geographic Society became so excited about the "newly discovered" "Gospel of Judas" ... and then having rushed to publish it in time for Easter, discovered that it was utterly fraudulent - much to their embarassment.

Now, having set a few examples only to explain my theory of "Kilt Kops," to return to the real world of real kilts. These are often the people who descend upon us, often clad in trousers, and demanding to know if we're wearing our kilts as "True Scots," to tell us that we're wearing them too high or too low, that our stockings are improper, that our jackets or plaids are wrong, or that you can't possibly wear a Sgean Dhu with clergy tartan. (Did you ever see an unarmed Celt in traditional portrayal, regardless of tartan?)

Perhaps the best bulwark against such folks is to calmly remember that they are insecure gnostics trying to buttress their own self-image by proclaiming secret knowledge that they once read on the Internet. Their shreiks are in reality, shreiks of personal pain, and sadly insignificant like themselves unless they become annoying to the ears, or physical. In either of those cases, the Provosts may be able to help.

Pax!

Bill+

[MacLowlife]

OK, so we have discussed at length the problem of unwanted advice. Here is a twist:

What would you do when you unexpectedly ( say in a Mall or an otherwise non-kilt situation) encounter a stranger wearing a kilt and
HE IS WEARING SOME PART OF IT WRONG?

I am not talking about some minor difference of taste, such as how long or low he wears it, or what kind of tie he has on. I am talking something easily fixed and glaring, like pleats in the front or sporran in the back. Do you take the person aside or do you simply greet him or maybe ignore him entirely?
What if you encounter him in the Men's room?

Is a kilt necessarily a license to converse? Do we know and automatically expect when kilted that strangers will be looking at us more than the guy in jeans?

[Thomas H]

I have seen this and I was so happy to see a fellow Kilter that I just greeted them and said that it was cool to see a Kilter.

I think that they were just a newbee or setting there own style.
In public we do not have as much freedom to advise as would we in a
formal setting. i.e Clan meeting or dinner.

But all in all we do not want to scare people away from wearing a Kilt.
as the world does enough of that , Like the first time I wore my kilt to Church.

It was OK but I could tell I was not in form. I told them I would stop wearing my Kilt to church when the ladys stop wearing pants to church and we all
Laugthed. I was great.

[AFS1970]

There are very different rules for speaking in the men's room versus speaking elsewhere. Certainly fashion advice is generally taboo in there.