An Open Letter to Jock Scot

[mookien]

What fateful post? What reply? ...

Nevermind. I found the now seemingly interminable thread. Indeed, I did not read to its conclusion, but will do so, if I can make it.

I scanned, but did not read the subject thread to its conclusion. Life's too short.

I do recall starting the thread and then putting it down, because it seemed doomed to the "cooling off corner". Also, I did not comment, because that was one cow pie I did not want to step in.

Jock, Father Bill, et. al.: Please continue to post, because I (and others) enjoy, and benefit from, reading your comments. Sometimes, it seems we just take each other too seriously.

[Chas]

When my son was a teenager, he would (as teenagers do) ask me confrontational questions. If I did not endorse his position (as I often didn't), he would be aggrieved.

I would then say to him "If you don't want to hear the answer - don't ask the question".

This proved to be rather effective. Within a short time, whenever he was confrontational, I would ask "Do you want to hear the answer?". Oft times, when he hadn't yet made up his own mind and was still gathering opinions, he would say yes.

But there were times, when he would look me square in the eye and say No. That would be the end of it, no further discussion.

I truly do not know what the answer is. We need discussion and discourse to make this board and every other board work. But I do know that 'entrapment' is not the way forward.

Regards

Chas

[guardsman]

sorry to hear that Jock has left us, but it is understandable. The only thing that I personally disagreed with Jock was on descendants wearing the Kilt outside Scotland , The rest , I think He is bang on. The world of xmts will be glum without his opinion and comments. Preaning Peacocks or Jock, give me Jock!Come on back pal.

[creagdhubh]

When my son was a teenager, he would (as teenagers do) ask me confrontational questions. If I did not endorse his position (as I often didn't), he would be aggrieved.

I would then say to him "If you don't want to hear the answer - don't ask the question".

This proved to be rather effective. Within a short time, whenever he was confrontational, I would ask "Do you want to hear the answer?". Oft times, when he hadn't yet made up his own mind and was still gathering opinions, he would say yes.

But there were times, when he would look me square in the eye and say No. That would be the end of it, no further discussion.

I truly do not know what the answer is. We need discussion and discourse to make this board and every other board work. But I do know that 'entrapment' is not the way forward.

Regards

Chas

Well said, Chas!

[thescot]

I hope ole Jock gets back to us soon.

There's no one like Jock for sure.

[Alan H]

This sucks. I'd kind of wondered, as I hadn't seen a post from him for a while.

Me, personally....I just like the guy and I hope he returns. Then again, I sure understand how sometimes this place can annoy the hell out of someone, and they need to take a break.

So take a break, Jock, if you need one. Then get yourself back in here, eh?

[Dale Seago]

Jock has always been (a) totally straightforward regarding his views and opinions; and (b) unfailingly polite and respectful of others as persons in his expression of them. I personally have found his views and experience vastly helpful in informing my own personal "style" of kilted attire: If you're thinking of bending (or, more kindly, adapting/interpreting) "the rules" a bit for yourself, it's good to first know what the established rules/traditions actually are. That's what Jock has done for me, and I certainly hope we'll continue to see more of him here.

[highland mafia]

Whoops!! I meant to postthis here but some how ended up posting it in the Jock thread.. Sorry father of the x kilt..
ok here I go beating a dead horse.. I only just read throu the first 3 pages of posts of that thread. When it was first posted I only read the first post. And stopped after that. I feel now as then that the topic was attacking right from the start. Of course he got offended! And suspect he will not come back, nor would I blame him if he didn't.
I also agree with him on few points. The kilt is not "just a piece of clothing" As a Scottish born Canadian I see it as a piece of the culture and country I left as a small child. Do I wear it daily?? Of course not..I find that odd frankly. Do I wear it everyday when I go back to Scotland? Certainly not.. Thats a sure way of spotting an American. LOL.
Do I wear it to Highland games, burns night, new years and to church from time to time? absoultly! And I wear it properly. There is a time and place for certain things. The kilt is one of them. That said I do feel that it can and should be worn outside of Scotland. Just my opinion.
I must say that I find this forum quite American for the most part. With a very American attitude towards the kilt and most other things. And I have more then likely come close to being banned more then once for voicing my opinion. This post will probably lead to another...

[Alan H]

Whoops!! I meant to postthis here but some how ended up posting it in the Jock thread.. Sorry father of the x kilt..
ok here I go beating a dead horse.. I only just read throu the first 3 pages of posts of that thread. When it was first posted I only read the first post. And stopped after that. I feel now as then that the topic was attacking right from the start. Of course he got offended! And suspect he will not come back, nor would I blame him if he didn't.
I also agree with him on few points. The kilt is not "just a piece of clothing" As a Scottish born Canadian I see it as a piece of the culture and country I left as a small child. Do I wear it daily?? Of course not..I find that odd frankly. Do I wear it everyday when I go back to Scotland? Certainly not.. Thats a sure way of spotting an American. LOL.
Do I wear it to Highland games, burns night, new years and to church from time to time? absoultly! And I wear it properly. There is a time and place for certain things. The kilt is one of them. That said I do feel that it can and should be worn outside of Scotland. Just my opinion.
I must say that I find this forum quite American for the most part. With a very American attitude towards the kilt and most other things. And I have more then likely come close to being banned more then once for voicing my opinion. This post will probably lead to another...

Dude, seriously.... is this the place or time for yet another sermon? The damn horse is DEAD, like you yourself observed. We just HAD one of those threads and it pissed people off and feelings got hurt. Isn't enough... ENOUGH? Can't you just let it GO for a week or two?

Can't you just wish Jock Scot well and tell him that you look forward to seeing him here in X Marks again? Is that SO hard? This thread is very simple. A simple thing.... guys telling our friend, Jock Scot, that we like and respect him, he is an asset to our community, and that we hope he doesn't leave for good. That's it. Period. Simple.

And if it is SO HARD to do that, then why not go read some OTHER thread, and comment there? Like maybe in the DIY forum, or some forum about hockey or arc-welding or water-skiing or something.

[SlackerDrummer]

When it was first posted I only read the first post. And stopped after that. I feel now as then that the topic was attacking right from the start. Of course he got offended!

Then you entirely misunderstood the question. No offense was meant on my part and I don't believe any was taken on Jock's part. I asked a question because I was sincerely trying to understand a perspective Jock has repeatedly expressed and which seemed to be held by others, based on his survey results. How else can I understand it if I don't ask? The thread devolved into a conversation that had nothing to do with the original question and feelings were hurt on more than one side.