At Risk?

[Colin]

**I do not want to get into opinions about the seal hunt, nor do I want this post to turn political in anyway. If you have strong opinions about this, please keep them to yourself or take them to another thread.**

Here in Canada we have had washed out celebrity after washed out celebrity speaking out against the seal hunt. So while I hate to see the world influenced by the puppet celebrity spokespeople of organizations, it did bring a question to mind.

Do we as kilt wearers run the risk of offending, or of even incurring the actions or extremist groups of protesters?

After all, we wear leather kilts, sporrans, belts, shoes, etc. Some of us wear sealskin, bovine, rabbit, or full mask sporrans as well.

You hear stories of people in fur coats having red paint thrown on their coats (I dare anyone to throw red paint on my kilt and sporran, it will be a good story if they live throught the night in the ICU). Will formal highland wear be seen as barbaric by some. Or are has it run it's course after being around for so long?

Again, let's not get political or call names on this thread. I am just curious if some will find our formal wear of choice offensive.

[davedove]

I suppose the risk is there. I don't think the leather will cause any problems at all (short of a real extremist). Some might not take too kindly to fur sporrans, especially full mask ones, but not likely.

It seems it would be more likely if one spends a lot of time in the bigger cities, as more of the extremists seem to be there. Since I don't spend much time there, I should be okay.

[Iolaus]

There is no way to really talk about this without getting into the politics of the environmentalist issue. Remember Billy Connolly talking about the "Bambi-ists" complaining about his sporran?

[Mike1]

There is no way to really talk about this without getting into the politics of the environmentalist issue. Remember Billy Connolly talking about the "Bambi-ists" complaining about his sporran?

Iolaus, some of the circles I move in would consider the very mention of Billy C. to be a political statement, all by itself.

[jjoseph]

I think this is mostly about time and place... it's hard to imagine anyone making a fuss about leather where I live, where even in the city cowboy boots are worn and all the many BBQ restaurants sport trophy heads on four of four walls. I reckon most of us know the temperature of the populace around us and will need to judge by that rather than any hard and fast rule.

[Moosehead]

The wife just picked up a fake seal fur purse the other day. Not that she has anything against the hunt (being a PEI Mi'kmaq woman), but it only cost her $5. I joked with her about having to watch her back for animal-terrorists, but the fact is, here in PEI (which is almost exclusively rural) the possibility exists. Not with locals, but with the washed out celeb crowd as Colin mentioned. At this time of year, the bambistas are running rampant.

Slightly off-topic, but I can get my fill of seals this time of year, as they are right up against our shore. The kids try to play with them like dogs, but theys mean little critters. The seals, not the kids.

[The Supreme Canuck]

I was actually thinking about this the other day. See, I have a sealskin sporran with a seal fur front. Thought about it, then said to myself, "If anyone gives me trouble, it becomes their problem, not mine."

So, I'm at peace with the issue.

[Nick]

I think forcing people to wear wood and plastic shoes is what would be barbaric!

I don't think we have to worry. And even if PETA or some similar organization decided to make what we wear their issue-of-the-moment, I wouldn't pay any attention to them.

[Mattg]

That's probably the best idea. Just ignore them. But then, if someone poured red paint on me, well, it wouldn't be red paint on them

[ozmeath]

Interesting point Colin and one I have considered from time to time. This isn't the forum for flag waving or political agendas but certainly groups are bound to be offended by us fur and leather touting hoons that we are.
I've experienced (pre-kilted days) inscenced vegan activists screaming in my face about my leather boots. Some refuse to eat honey as it's an animal product. well it's all good as far as i'm concerned.
I suppose it comes down to a personal sense of responsibility. I'm not about to rush out to get a seal skin sporran as beautiful as they in fact are, but i'm very likely to hunt, tan and make a fox, hare, feral cat or dog or even a roo or walaby for a sporran. If it's deemed endangered it's probably for a reason. That's just where i'm at.