Kilt excitement in Madison

hiker · Post by **hiker** » Sun May 27, 2007 9:47 pm

Here are some responses to kilt in Madison, WI following a shooting in which the shooter was wearing a kilt.
http://www.thedailypage.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=22128

The story can be read at
http://www.madison.com/tct/news/136117

It is interesting that the kilt catches so much attention. Kilts can be seen routinely on the street in Madison. I saw a couple of utilikilts yesterday.

Departed Member · Post by **Departed Member** » Sun May 27, 2007 11:52 pm

What does a 'Battle Kilt' look like? That's a new one on me! Mind you, I gather some US folk wear Kilts made from Plaids - or are both of these items what we know as "Great Kilts"? That is to say, Kilt & Plaid combined?

Confused Brit.

hiker · Post by **hiker** » Mon May 28, 2007 12:36 am

merlin wrote:What does a 'Battle Kilt' look like? That's a new one on me! Mind you, I gather some US folk wear Kilts made from Plaids - or are both of these items what we know as "Great Kilts"? That is to say, Kilt & Plaid combined?

Confused Brit.

I think the term "battle kilt" was made up by the author. I've never heard it before but I think they were referring to utilikilts. I've never seen a great kilt in the US. That said Madison is regarded as a great liberal mecca in the US (sometimes called MadCity), you do see kilts and skirts on men there on a regular basis (particularly kilts) and it is interesting to see how they are interpreted by the uninformed following the shooting. It is even interesting to note how much the kilt is discussed. Did it really matter what the shooter was wearing?

Since1982 · Post by **Since1982** » Mon May 28, 2007 6:02 pm

MadisonCityChannel wrote:Why are we not calling on the white community to have a dialogue with itself on the corrosive effect of Scottish Culture? Why are we not banning gang tartans from schools and youth events? Why are we not talking about Highland Reels and whether or not that is a legitimate form of expression? Why are we not calling on the city to force businesses that specialize in selling Scotch Whisky (Maduro? Madison Club? Hellooo?)

I think that was tried very unsuccessfully between 250 and 300 years ago, by the English rulers of Scotland, they banned wearing of the kilt, gathering in groups, playing the pipes and outlawed all the pipe tunes. Worked for a while, until Scotland took back it's freedom from England by force. (The Scottish fighters "might" have been wearing "battle kilts", after all, they were wearing them while doing battle.!!):cheer:

:whiteflag

Departed Member · Post by **Departed Member** » Mon May 28, 2007 8:48 pm

Since1982 wrote:I think that was tried very unsuccessfully between 250 and 300 years ago, by the English rulers of Scotland, they banned wearing of the kilt, gathering in groups, playing the pipes and outlawed all the pipe tunes. Worked for a while, until Scotland took back it's freedom from England by force. (The Scottish fighters "might" have been wearing "battle kilts", after all, they were wearing them while doing attle.!!):cheer: :whiteflag

That's pretty much nonsense!

The British Government, largely at the behest of the Sassenachs (Scottish Lowlanders), imposed a (daft!) ruling, banning the wearing of "Highland attire" unless they happened to be members of a Scottish regiment. Although the Dress Act wasn't repealed for some 36(?) years, it had been abandoned well within a decade. Contrary to popular belief, there was no ban on gatherings, pipes, etc.

The whole Proscription exercise was intended to stop the inter-Clan 'battles' - which, by and large, it did (by nicking most of the Highlanders weapons!). :ninjajig: And Skip, where did you get the idea that Scotland "took back its freedom (from England) by force"? Tut tut!

Thankfully, Scotland is still an integral part of the UK, and long may it remain so!

beverlonian · Post by **beverlonian** » Tue May 29, 2007 9:23 am

Thanks for that Merlin - I do so get fed up with people who think they have to knock the English to be pro-Scottish. What is also usually forgotton is that Scotland united with England willingly (so why do they need to "fight for freedom"?).

skirttron · Post by **skirttron** » Fri Jun 01, 2007 9:55 pm

Yes, and England has a mainly Scottish government into the bargain. I know Scots tend to be talented, mainly due, before dumbing-down, to a hard-nosed educational syllabus - but talented people given so much opportunity should not also whinge and whine. Most of the highland dress mythology, of course, was invented during Victorian times, and serves Edinburgh tartan shops well to this day. I have to search the racks there to find non-tartan kilts at good prices. Strangely, I find I have experienced more silly remarks about kilt-wearing in Scotland than south of the border.

Departed Member · Post by **Departed Member** » Fri Jun 01, 2007 11:59 pm

Ah, yes! The only occasion the subject of my underwear (or lack of!) has ever come up was in Scotland, Brechin to be precise! To be fair, I was also asked whether I was Kilted 'all the time' in "England", and, upon being told that my "English Welsh & Scottish" employer forbad their employees to wear a Kilt at work, the conversation turned to one of sympathy for my plight. I was also surprised that the two young ladies went on to say that they'd heard that it was more common to espy a Kilt being worn in England (on a weekday, at least!) than in Scotland. I could only concur with their observation.................

skirtcafe.org

Kilt excitement in Madison

Kilt excitement in Madison

Hiker