Subjected to 'racial abuse' while kilted - sorry if length and/or content offends

[McFarkus]

I feel the exact same way, but I just didn't know how to say it. Young folks don't have any respect for their elders, or anybody for that matter, like we did when I was their age (which wasn't all that long ago). Sure, I got into a lot of "mischief" when I was a young lad, but we were never obnoxious or rude. That little SOB deserved a swift kick in the a**!

What's even sadder - they don't have any respect for themselves

[laotou]

In situations like this I use what I call “The Look” others have referred to it as “Crazy Guy” or as my beloved puts it “The Serial Killer Look”. I can’t tell you how to do It. It is a none verbal thing. A step into their space, a slight smile. and an,” when ever you are ready attitude” is my best guess.. No talking, no clever rebuttal, just the look. In 60 plus years It has worked every time.

[benkilt]

on a 'lighter' note, a scotsman whilst kilted, made the mistake of sitting on his torch, he went to the doctor and asked his prognosis, 'well Jock,it looks pretty bad, but not to worry'
'what d'ya mean not to bloody worry?!' Jock exclaimed.
'Well', said the doctor, 'there's light at the end of the tunnel!'

[James MacMillan]

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[Bryan]

Haha--no. I stepped in, saying "I think you owe her an apolo-" and before I can finish my sentence, I get a fist in the eye.

Nice.

So I kick out his knee, he goes to the ground, I give him a few more kicks and ask his friends if they care to join in. They don't say much, and my group of friends leave. Sure, I had a black eye for the next week, but these guys can't think that their inexcusable behavior won't come back to them.

Are you sure you weren't here in Texas?!

[beloitpiper]

Are you sure you weren't here in Texas?!

I dunno, are you guys sexist a***oles that objectify women and treat them like dirt? Cause if so, you'd fit in nicely where I was last week...

[Archangel]

The problem with saying they need to be taught a lesson is that the best fighter always wins and that is a different argument.
Now, I just had bad driver yell obscenities at me and upset my wife. I wasn't kilted and I'm pretty sure he was the same skin as me. It would have been nice to have a discussion on driving rules with him but, he sounded like he would have opted for the other argument and we never would have got to the driving one.

I heard a story about my son, which I've posted before, which made me very proud of him. I heard it from a witness. He was challenged and his response was, "No, you really want to have a cup of tea with me, let's go over there and have some." He repeated that to every comment and insult. After a while, he did have a cup of tea with the guy. (The whole story is on a thread somewhere else here.)

[Archangel]

I dunno, are you guys sexist a***oles that objectify women and treat them like dirt? Cause if so, you'd fit in nicely where I was last week...

whoa, easy lad, I think they meant your role in this.

[BonnieT100]

I guess I worry that my kilt will be seen to represent my Anglo Celtic heritage which is obviously along those lines that are historically not in harmony with their Islamic background. It may be seen as an overt symbol that is shouting out my heritage, my pride in same and therefore they might read that as me initiating a non-verbal assertion as to my feelings. I once took an Australian Flag off my car on Australia Day as I was worried it would be considered a target by these Middle Eastern youths that were harassing people on the day.

Wow, this is an example of the world gone wrong. Australia was an English penal colony. You guys still spell your words the same way, and still use the same words for the same items, which we do not. Without trying to sound insulting, you're basically England, south side, with much nicer weather - I'm told - I've yet to visit the southern hemisphere. You live in fear of rampaging Middle Easterners? In my current location, I'm concerned about violence from them, but that's to be expected. There is no reason you should be afraid of showing your heritage, especially when the St. Andrew's Cross still appears on your national flag. Do they live in fear of someone attacking them and thus prevent their wives from wearing the hijab? I'm just of the feeling that immigrants should absorb the customs of their new home, not try to force it to change to replicate that from which they fled.

[auld argonian]

Welcome to Chicago!

This is a hodge podge of ethnic groups. Most of the folks from the Middle East and Indian Subcontinent are the recent arrivals but, hey, what the heck.

A lot of the recent immigrants seem to be cautious and assume that they're going to be treated like "foreigners"...recent World Events don't help. I try mightily to remember that my folks were foreigners too. There was more of an attitude of "assimilate as soon as possible" back then...now it's not so fast. I try to act respectfully toward everybody...some of them are suprised. I get in a cab with a driver who is obviously "not from around here" and say, "...hey...you listen to NPR (seems like every cab driver has NPR on)? I listen to NPR all the time...what did you think of...". Okay...sometimes the guy is from some West African country and I can barely understand him...but I try to focus on the commonalities.

Once, a while back, on the day before the local Highland Games, I was on the commuter train going downtown. I saw a fair being put up and the men who were participants were black and were wearing these distinctive hats with a sort of peaked inner cap surrounded by a turban...some of the guys were wearing djeleba's...and I thought, "Wow...how odd." And then I remembered that I was going to go to a huge gathering of guys who wear kilts, throw telephone poles around, blow into leather bags with shrieking reeds attached and eat sheep guts. Who am I to judge?

I always feel that there are two significant things that can bring people together: food and music. That's why we have so many fests here in Chicago...food and music...maybe a little dancing. Trouble is that they don't have the one big master World Culture Fest that they used to have...now that was a blast and when I was a teen it got all of us together to par-tay!

It's tough but try...more good things than bad.

Best

AA