O.k., I was sitting here thinking about the most recent Highland games I attended and thought I'd relate an annoying incident. Sorry for the long windedness...

I had just re-upped with the Clan Donald Society & my friend and I (he's a Gunn) were walking past the Clan Donald tent. I was expressing my satisfaction with belonging to such a distinguished and noble Clan when (to my utter embarrassment) this jackass jumps out from behind the Clan Donald Tent and bellows (in a bad Scots brogue, I might add), "You two, hold it right there! How dare you walk through here in those colors!" Now, my friend does reenactment for the 77th Highland regiment, which wears Black Watch tartan (& red jacket), so I'm assuming he was referring to my friend's reenactment uniform. Trying to downplay the incident, I just said "Excuse me kinsman, but I think you're a bit mistaken" and pointed to the Lord of the Isles weathered hunting I was wearing. He obviously didn't make any connection, but figured out from the context that I was sporting something associated w/ Clan Donald, so he says, "No, you're alright, I'm talking about him in the Old Campbell colors". Now there isn't much difference from a Black Watch & a 77th uniform from that era, so I can understand the assumption, but the facings on the jacket are different. I considered trying to explain the differences (the 77th was raised exclusively for service in North America, there were many MacDonalds that served w/ distinction as officers, etc...), but as this guy prattled on-going so far as calling my friend a "babykiller"- I figured there wasn't much use in the effort. Who really cares if it had been a Black Watch uniform, anyway? So this guy goes on for awhile, threatening my friend w/ a Claidh da laimh & acting like a complete idiot. Meanwhile, two of this guy's friends walk behind my friend & stand there like their ready to rumble or something. Complete idiocy. We waited for the diatribe to end & then just walked off, stunned. I was embarassed. Later I saw a gentleman from the Clan Donald tent having what I can only assume were scolding words w/ the offending individual, but the damage had already been done.

I'm a history major (and a proud member of Clan Donald), and I'm quite aware of the atrocities comitted to many in the Highlands at the hands of government troops wearing the Black Watch (Old Campbell) colors, but I think that kind of display is quite uncalled for. How many generations must pass before this way of thinking (which is a poor way to express one's clan pride, anyway) is left where it belongs-in the past?