You have basically said it all in the first post.

Let me tell you where I am comming from then I tell you how I see it. First my Mother and Father divorced and I feel estranged from his family yet I am by blood, a member. Even after 27 years in the US Army and as a retiree I am in for life, I still don't feel like a member of that service. My family has been in America since 1703 and has fought in every war since then, but after the USA's romper-stomper-bombper-boo through the South, I feel not a lot of affinaty for Uncle Sam either. Now we get to the kilt, yes it is more Victorian English than Scottish but it is a symbol of something more, some deeper connection to a pictish bloodline that we all share.

When I see someone wearing Gordon tartan I wonder if this person is my kin or if they are wearing it as a "generic" pattern, either way we two do have more in common than I do with my half brother.