"I'm sorry Sir, with respect, but no!"

[highlander_Daz]

I think a lot of people dont realise that the clans system is pretty much dead, Most clans exist as organisation to preserve the memory of what happened long ago and to organise social events. What goes on in North America is none of my concern, what does concern me is that fact that a young man is using events that happened here for negative purposes.

Your correct Mike when you say that people should learn a bit about the events in Glencoe before forming an opinion. If this young man then weighs up the FULL facts and decides that events that happened in 1692 on the other side of the world are reason enough for refusing to shake a mans hand then thats his decision.

[Wompet]

Now according to the Grandmother, the lad, when spoken to, looks up to see the Premier beaming and holding his hand out, replies....."I'm sorry Sir, with respect, but a MacDonald would never shake the hand of a Campbell." And promptly turns with a swish of pleats and strides away.
It seems that among all the red faces, the boy's mother was heard to remark, "There goes a future life sentence prisoner or the future Premier."

Putting aside the historical context, the boy may simply have meant "No one in my family would be caught dead in a photo op with you." Not "with any one of you Campbells," but Gordon Campbell in particular. Makes a prejudicial remark into a statement of family politics.

Just throwing that out to be poked at or stepped in.

[Sherry]

Great points have already been made, & I have to agree that keeping the old feud alive is sad. I know people who do some good-natured teasing about it, & also some people who have both Campbells & MacDonalds in their ancestry who, I think, are the ultimate in reconciliation!

The lad should not be taught to hate Campbells. History is history, & we can't be responsible for all the bad things any of our ancestors may have done.

Now, not shaking a politician's hand because you don't respect him or because you don't care to be used for his political purposes is another matter.

Sherry

[cormacmacguardhe]

From what I know about B.C. politics, I can not fault the kid although the ancient feud does seem out of place.

[Alan H]

Um......

Just an observation, but I STRONGLY suspect that the young man in question just used the MacDonald/Campbell thing to avoid having to wash his hands after shaking that particular persons grubs.

[bikercelt1]

I hate to think that this young man has had his head filled full of nonsense...you cant be held responsible for the sins of the fathers.

I sure see a lot of people eagerly adopting the sins (hatreds and grudges) of their fathers though.

It would be interesting to hear from this young man whether he intended perpetuating this McDonald/Campbell strife or whether he was using it to put a disliked politico in his place.

Jamie

[minimalistix]

Um......

Just an observation, but I STRONGLY suspect that the young man in question just used the MacDonald/Campbell thing to avoid having to wash his hands after shaking that particular persons grubs.

True.

[Riverkilt]

Sounds like the lad was standing by the prejudice he'd been taught by his elders rather than acting on the basis of any research he'd done.

My grandfather Murdoch Macdonald about had apoplexy when I went to work for Campbell Ford in Kingsport, TN back in the '70s...but that was his issue, not mine.

Nice to know history, particularly family history. Understand the prejudice...I was born in Selma Alabama yet put my tail on the line for civil rights in the 60s. Yet while in the South wasn't treated like a native son because my folks were living in Montana when I learned to speak...

So I was a "Yankee" from Selma, Alabama who just HAD to be a racist....

Ron
Who buys and consumes Campbell's soup anyway...

[toadinakilt]

If he had the nuts to say what he did, then I admire him.

C'mon. Everybody chill. I thought the story was hilarious.

[GlassMan]

I'm always worried about shacking hands with a politician.

You never know where those hands have been!