Quote Originally Posted by Whidbey78 View Post
In response to the OP: Though there are many Scottish immigrants and descendants around the world, going back several centuries, who did extremely well for themselves and/or did great things for their respective countries, by and large I would think that the number of them most would call prosperous, influential, important, etc., is probably about the same, percentage-wise, as most other groups from the same general part of the world. It's probably very comparable to the number of accomplished English, French, Germans, etc. Perhaps Scots(and their descendants) fared better than average, perhaps it's just that we notice them more readily because we're looking for them. I really can't say.

On the "side topic" about honoring Scottish heritage, ancestors' native land, or simply honoring and showing respect for Scotland (regardless of ancestry): If someone from outside Scotland wants to wear a kilt out of respect for, or in honor of, their heritage, more power to them. If he wants to wear it because he respects, admires or just enjoys the country and its culture (or even a romantic idea he may have of it), that's cool too. If he wears it simply because he participates in Highland Games, or finds it to be a very comfortable garment, or likes the look of the kilt, or because he wishes to identify with another culture (his ancestors culture or not), that's his right too. If he opted to wear a Starfleet uniform everyday, who's to stop him?

Scots living in Scotland don't seem to get why people from elsewhere do it, and that's fine. I think we can all respect that position. They don't see it as an "honor" that others wear the kilt. I get that. They probably shouldn't. We may see it as flattery, but they don't. They should also not take it as an insult. In some ways it is a bit insulting, but it's unintentional and the offending activity is done with good intentions. It's simply a case of one party feeling a connection to another place, people and culture-- and expressing it in their own way-- while the other party doesn't feel the same connection and/or doesn't understand why the connection is felt.

I encountered the same thing when overseas in the Navy. I would meet people who were absolutely fascinated, even obsessed, with American culture, or what they interpreted it to be. Sometimes they seemed almost like Americans who put on a foreign accent. Most of the time, though, they seemed more like actors who didn't research the part and just put on the costume and took the stage. In both cases I knew they really couldn't understand being an American anymore than I could understand being Saudi, Filipino, Brazilian, or Greek. I wasn't insulted, or flattered. They felt a strong draw toward my culture and acted on it based on what they could learn (or chose to learn) about it. That's not to say that it wasn't irritating at times. I couldn't even explain to them that their McDonald's, Nikes and Coca-Cola were not quite the same as ours. No biggie. World keeps spinning, right?

I'm roughly 1/4 Irish, 1/4 Scottish, and half Welsh. I'm sure there are Englishmen, Normans, Vikings and others in the family tree as well. Heck, I could be one of the .5% that are supposedly descendants of Ghengis Khan! But, that's not why I choose to wear a kilt. I just like it. I respect the people, culture, and country it represents, but that had little influence on my choice. (I'd be lying if I said it had no influence though.) I tried it...I liked it. I kept doing it. No justification needed. It's just what I choose to do. It's not a statement...it's what I wear. No offense intended, no apologies needed.


Just my two cents, and not meant to be insulting or taken badly by anyone.
A well thought out post, if I may say so and I for one, take not one bit of offence.