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Sunday, March 27, 2005
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KILTS SCOTCHED Distracted by their nation’s own higher education controversy - Is Ward Churchill or is he not an Indian? - Americans have overlooked a similar national-identity story playing itself out at one of Europe‘s great universities. The story is particularly timely because 1. Tartan Day (April 6) is fast-approaching; and 2. the story involves Scottish people. Claiming that the national dress certain Cambridge students are wearing to its graduation ceremonies has become “flamboyant” and “extreme,” university authorities recently banned all non-standard (standard would be white shirts, dark trousers or skirt) clothing at the events. The announcement “sparked fury among patriotic Scottish students, and the university has been inundated with e-mails from angry alumni demanding that the dress law be removed.” One Scotsman.com columnist calls the Cambridge overseers “intellectual Sassenachs” [Note to self: Look up “Sassenachs”]. Another says they need to “forget 1746 and realise that we’re now living in 2005." [Note to self: What happened in 1746?] So intense has the Scottish challenge been that Cambridge officials have now begun to back down: “Yesterday, officials at the university admitted they were prepared to make exceptions for those who felt strongly about wearing their national dress.” |
