Comments on: The cost of becoming American

By: Margaret Kennedy

Margaret Kennedy — Fri, 25 Sep 2015 13:52:11 +0000

Alanna, There is indeed such a program in New York. It’s part of the Scottish Studies Group of the New York Caledonian Club. The latest series just started so I think you’ve missed two of the ten classes. The next one will be in the spring. All the details are available on their website, http://www.nycaledonian.org.
Best, Margaret

By: Sandra Pickering

Sandra Pickering — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 21:56:43 +0000

Fascinating and well-researched as ever, Susan.
And I didn’t know about the NYC campus of Glasgow Caledonian. Will check it out.

By: Alanna Blair

Alanna Blair — Mon, 21 Sep 2015 15:31:01 +0000

I’ve been very discouraged by the lack of in-person Scots Gaelic classes in the US. Gaelic is a language I want to learn to speak and read, but the learning curve is steep and online classes leave much to be desired.

When Nicola Sturgeon came to town to open Glasgow Caledonian University in NYC, I thought I was finally in luck – but alas, GCU markets itself as “The first British university to open a campus in New York City” and has no classes available to the public – certainly nothing directly related to Scottish language or culture. A disappointment, to say the least.

I continue to keep my eyes and ears open for an in-person Scots Gaelic course in NYC. Here’s hoping!

By: Karen Wallace

Karen Wallace — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 22:58:35 +0000

Aye! I am with you Susan MacIntosh. Have just started studying the Gaelic, visited Scotland in May and have never felt so “at home” although I was born in Australia, became a Naturalized American when I was 10 and have travelled the world. . . my Father, his Father and his Father’s Father were Scots. . . the DNA does not lie, it just waits. . . I will return to Scotland every chance I get and eventually relocate, by going HOME. Heartfelt in Colorado.

By: Kris Carmichael

Kris Carmichael — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 14:42:11 +0000

Many years ago I remember reading an article in the Meridian Star newspaper which was written by a School Teacher stating, that Gaelic was taught throughout Mississippi schools in our distant past. This would make complete sense given the number of Scottish and Irish immigrants who migrated to the South in the years prior to the Civil War, as large tracts of land was available for farming and the forested areas provided much game and timber for building. And with these immigrants came the influences of the old Clan System, which in America was not so far removed from the tribal system of the Native Indian Tribes, themselves headed by a “Chief”. It could be argued that the Washington government purposefully maneuvered the Scots-Irish into these areas because in large part, they understood perhaps more than anyone else, and respected the Native Indian’s way of life, it as Clannish. This is also evident with the journeys of Lewis and Clark (Scot-Irish) that Washington may have picked these two to venture into a largely unknown American interior because of them being better adapted at understanding the Native people, as the Clan system was closely related. But there is one thing both the Scot-Irish and the Indian people had in common, little use for centralized power. This issue would heavily contribute to Southern secession in the early 1860′s, as Washington begin to become more like Westminster, demanding more control into local affairs. This was probably due to the political influence of the area in America called “New England”, and the stage was being set for another rising of the Clans against English law. Hence, the Civil War. And it could be that one reason Britain did not come into the war on behalf of the South after the noted “Trent Affair”, was due to the fact that the English would be entering on the side of Scots-Irish, old enemies. As the larger portion of the English immigrants in America, were in the North. The loss of the Gaelic language in America, was indeed an attempt at “Assimilation”, and with it, we did not just loose our language, but in large part, our identity as well. Today, things are changing, as more Scottish and Irish people are taking a greater interest in their distant past, including the Gaelic language, as we listen intently to our Father’s tongue being spoken and sung by traveling bards and poets. We are connecting with Scotland, and as America becomes more culturally diverse, we are becoming more alienated, we hunger for a homeland, a nation of Scots, run by Scots. Where we can share the pride of our connected past, and dream of writing our own history books, which our children can pass along to future generations. Perhaps if Scotland were to win its Independence, it would serve to resurrect in us, a greater desire to be a part of it, to aid it, to sustain it, because, the Blood is indeed, Strong…