Fake Scots Titles

[gilmore]

Living in the Commonwealth and actually knowing a few KY Colonels personally, I need to comment on this: Except for Harlan Sanders*, I haven't heard of anyone in recent years making use of their Honorable Kentucky Colonel title to promote themselves as something they're not. (A Kentucky Colonel is commissioned by the Governor, is an honorary status, has no official military or civil duties, and carries no pay or other entitlements.) I'm sure if someone were to misuse their commission in some way, the certificate could be revoked.


* Col. Harlan Sanders was from a different day and age and people were more 'forgiving' of the percieved use of the title. Folks (both the recipients and the general public) understood it to be honorary and generally didn't try to get something out of it that they weren't entitled to.

In Georgia attorneys are called "Colonel," being officers of the court, though it is old fashioned epithet rarely used in seriousness. It is wickedly fun, however, to see the puzzlement and discomfort of Yankee lawyers new to Georgia addressed in this way in court.

An attorney friend once told me he was puzzled and confused when the judge before whom he was appearing kept addressing the opposing counsel as "Mr Speaker," when his name was Murphy. Later he learned he had gone up against the Speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives.