Quote Originally Posted by Phil View Post
That is interesting that other nationalities also keep up the customs and traditions of their old countries and that they are the butt of nasty jokes. I cannot say that there is anything like that here about Scots other than perhaps mild amusement at the occasional one dressed in some travesty of highland dress, and that is thankfully very rare. In fact from the photos I have seen here it seems much more common in the States. Your comment about preserving what's never been is, however, much more reminiscent when we see and hear how there is seen to be some connection between Scottish culture and all the panoply that surrounds St. Patrick's day. No harm to them, of course, but it has absolutely nothing to do with Scotland and I wonder if people with names beginning with Mc who had lost touch with their roots mistakenly thought they were actually Irish and behaved accordingly.
Phil,

Your point about St. Patrick's Day is a good one; In my opinion, much of it is do to the Irish-American community's very good "public relations" machine. It is interesting to note how many people in my "neck of the woods" who are of Ulster-Scots heritage claim to be "Irish" and embrace many elements of Southern Irish culture.

Todd