My trip to the Scottish Games

[Marlow]

So last weekend, I took my girlfriend and her son to the Scottish Games here in the lovely Bay Area. Most of her family met us there (they're Irish, but that's OK) and we had a good timefueled in part by liberal amounts of Bass Ale (my favorite beer next to Newcastle).


And look, I don't mean to be some knee jerk type, but damnit, I just had to wonder what a black guy was doing participating in the games, KILT AND ALL! I found myself wondering "Yeah, uhh, what clan does he belong to? MacDonald? Campbell? McCulloch?". In addition, a noticeable amount of the pipers playing such awe inspiring (and on my girlfriend's part, tearjerking) songs like Amazing Grace and Scotland the Brave were Asian or Mestizo.


I'm not the racial hater type. I actually find other cultures fascinating. But as a descendent of a long line of HighlandScotsman (and some Welshman), I know what I want to see at the Scottish Games. I can fully appreciate people of other races being interested in Scottish history, but now I know how a lot of Asian people feel when the Dalai Lama shows up and half the people there are white hippie types who have convinced themselves that they're Buddhists.


Real diversity comes from having enough respect forother cultures that you'll let them remain OTHER CULTURES, unique and forged by blood. Edited by: Marlow

[Nationalist Man]

It was Jack London I believe who wrote of the "obligatory Jew." In present day America there is also the "obligatory Negro." There is almost always a black male to be found at everything, and often just one, even at the Scottish Games. It's uncanny.

[ravencon]

LOL. I went to hear a celtic band at a coffee house recently and it turned
out that their leader (and lead singer) was a Jewish lesbian--no joke! The
rest of the band seemed to be of the appropriate ethno-racial
background.

BTW, whether or not the hippies showing up at Buddhist venues are
authentic Buddhists is open to genuine question. However, Budhism was
never seen as a culture based religion/spiritual path. It has always seen
itself as presenting a universal message. Though not a message with
universal appeal.

Gautama Buddha was of an Indo-white background. Arguably, Buddhism
(at least in its original form) may be a more suitable spiritual paths for
Indo-Europeans than the Semitic origin religion of Christianity.

Julius Evola, in his book, The Doctrine of Awakening, argues that in its
original form Buddhism was a heroic, active and aristocratic spiritual
philosophy and discipline. He argues that it is later degenerate accretions
and adulterations that transformed it into a passive, world-denying
religion.

[Marlow]

I've read quite a bit on Buddhism, but it's never had much of an appeal for me. I haven't read Evola's explanation of itsturning into a passive religion. Some of Evola's work has some merit, especially his criticisms and outlookof post WWII Europe, which were eerily prophetic.But I've never been interested in his occultism or the work he did after he fell headfirst into the Ganges.


As far as obligatory minorities go, yes, you're right. There is usually a token black or Asian, or Jewish Lesbian (!) in events geared towards white folks. And in these PC times, the term "Celtic" is one that's used and abused far too often. Celtic has come to be synonomous with Irish. The Scots, Welsh, Britons, and the Spanish Celts are completely overlooked in books, movies, and even Celtic knick-knack catalogs.


I think the reason for this is that the Irish have been subject to domination by the English, and anyone who is oppressed has a get out of jail free card in the eyes of the PC types. Especially if they were oppressed by those evil hate-mongering Englishmen! If the Welsh had been subject to the same sort of domination and subjugation as the Irish, the Welsh would be the only white ethnic group permitted to show some pride in their heritage, as well as encompassing everything we view as Celtic. Because the PC love anyone they can label a victim so they can then pander to them in that condescending manner they soexcel at.Edited by: Marlow

Some interesting thoughts there! I've long wondered at (and about) the way the mass culture treats celticism.It's wonderful to see it celebratinganything like white heritage -- which is in effect what this all is -- but I fear it's only yet anotherstopgap measureagainst having to return to the gutsy, politically UNcorrect Christianity of our forebears. It gives people the warm glow of reconnecting with their roots without having to have anything to do with the values those people lived by. Just try finding some moral content however minuscule in "The Thistle and Shamrock,"
your local Scottish Games, your Scottish clan genealogical society, or any modern Welsh, Irish or Scottish political nationalistic party or movement. It's not there -- or it's twisted. Those functions are all about food, booze, customes, clothing, fun and SOCIALISM.


Actually, much of today's celticism IS A MEANS OF ECLIPSING Christianity. It's samhain, solstice, Druids, myth, legend, and a fascinating butdegrading book called How the Irish Saved Civilization. Not to mention the dubiously "Irish" deity, Bob Geldof!


[AH! that's it -- he's of partly "Belgian" parentage]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Geldof


Edited by: nelson

[Marlow]

Belgian...hehe. Obviously Flemish at that. Geldof sure looked creepy as hell when he shaved off his eyebrows in The Wall. But there it is, exactly what I was talking about. Same thing with Bono. Hell, same thing with the IRA. Their nationalism is accepted by liberals as long as it doesn't take precedence over their socialism. While the IRA seeks to kick the Brits off the island of Ireland completely, they sure have no qualms about letting in everything that blows in from the Third World! And really, uhh, which would be worse, the British,or the island being completely repopulated by West Africans? Hmm.....


I think a large problem with Celtic revival is that it has been led mainly by New Age Wicca types who simply want to embrace the parts of Celtic culture that are acceptable (ie, goddess worship and fairies) while leaving out the parts that are inconvenient andunpalatableto their tender little hearts (ie, the warrior ethos anda generally conservative mindset of the Celtic people). This salad bar approach to a great culture is nothing less than insulting, andat times amusing.


Here, this website says it all: http://www.afrocelts.org/


Prepare to VOMIT! smileys/smiley11.gif

your local Scottish Games, your Scottish clan genealogical society, or any modern Welsh, Irish or Scottish political nationalistic party or movement. It's not there -- or it's twisted. Those functions are all about food, booze, customes, clothing, fun and SOCIALISM.


Actually, much of today's celticism IS A MEANS OF ECLIPSING Christianity. It's samhain, solstice, Druids, myth, legend, and a fascinating butdegrading book called How the Irish Saved Civilization.





I agree. I stopped going because of those very reasons. Modern "celts" have abandoned their once fiercely independent, anti-big gov't heritage for the welfare state.


It seems to me that even the socialistic celt culture of today is headed for a collision with global PC. I saw where a school boy recently was turned away from school for wearing a kilt to a special event.

[rellaw]

This salad bar approach to a great culture is nothing less than insulting, andat times amusing.


Here, this website says it all: http://www.afrocelts.org/


Prepare to VOMIT! smileys/smiley11.gif





Now I see there's a German group called TURBONEGRO -- but I'm warning, don't look it up, it's the most revolting and degrading case yet.

[Marlow]

Turbonegro is actually Swedish, I think. I've heard a couple of their songs. I think they're basically trying to be kinda tongue-in-cheek, with their goofy alldenim clothes and their image as a more rockin'Village People sort of outfit. Some of their songs are pretty disgusting, and while I enjoy sick humor, I don't think I'd buy tickets to one of their shows.