Gilmore:

Quote Originally Posted by gilmore View Post
But weren't Cossack troops used by the Tsars and others to persecute/exterminate Gypsies and Jews during the progroms?
Indeed they were used against Gypsies and Jews, during the Pogroms and I believe Cossacks served in SS divisions during World War 2/The Great Patriotic War. THAT is nothing that I honor with my nom du internete. Rather, I honor a) the birthplace of my wife (Kazakhstan), b) the blood of my wife (Russian with a Cossack strain), and c) the idea of a free man, not beholden to any lord or master (on this Earth).

It is a rare people indeed whose history may be closely examined and found to be without blemish. I try to learn, positively, from what was honorable, and negatively from what was dishonorable.

There are reliable reports of Marines during World War 2 taking ears and skulls as trophies in the Pacific Campaign---that is not the reason I wear the Leatherneck tartan with pride (or the USMC uniform with pride, before that); the Black Watch participated in the Clearances----that is not the reason I wear the Black Watch tartan; and the Irish Republican Army attacked civilian infrastructure and planted bombs in cities----that is not the reason I wear the Irish National tartan.

Besides, the tartan I was recommending was more Kazakh than Cossack!