The Scots Have Influenced My Culture, What Do I Do?

[Bugbear]

Looking into this is a slow process for me, and I do not have a boat load of peer reviewed history books on my shelves to cite; they would actually be on my computer and on tape. As far as I can tell, the Scots have been influencing the development of American culture from times before the creation of the United States; this includes Arizona and the Southwest, U.S. where I live. There have also been threads on kilts being worn in early California, for example, though I gather it was not common.

Here is an example discussing the mixing of Scot and American cultures- Native American in this case: Scotland and the American Indians, on Electric Scotland

I realize part of this feeling is from the reactions to and discussion of people wearing their kilts backward with Viking helmets becoming an arms race between traditionalists and "wear-anything-you-want-ists." It would be ridiculous for me to tell Scots what your culture and traditions are. I sometimes get an uneasy feeling, though, that I aught not participate in Scottish discussions and events because I was not raised in the culture of Scotland, and that mixing of cultures is a "no no" to the Scots. It's just a feeling I keep getting from the forum, for example, the discussions of Highland games in the U.S. The thought sometimes comes up, in the back of my mind, maybe there aught not be Highland games in the U.S. because it isn't the Highlands and Scotland over here; on the other hand, Scots have had a significant influence on America, spawning mixed cultures here and probably all over the world.


What do the Scots of the forum make of this mixed culture that goes way, way back in my history?

I also welcome any discussion on the influence the Scots have had on Arizona and the Amarican Southwest.