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Content updated Sun, 19 Apr 1998 22:04:18 GMT

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Muir Tartan

AB 2362 State of California: official state tartan.

BILL NUMBER: AB 2362 AMENDED 03/31/98

AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 31, 1998 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 24, 1998

INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member McClintock

FEBRUARY 20, 1998

An act to add Section 424.3 to the Government Code, relating to the
State of California.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 2362, as amended, McClintock. State of California: official state
tartan.

Existing law designates the state's flag, motto, nickname, flower,
dance, song, tree, reptile, bird, colors, insect, animal, mineral, rock,
gemstone, marine mammal, marine fish, soil, fossil, and prehistoric
artifact.

This bill would designate the official state tartan, as described.

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.

State-mandated local program: no.

SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares that many Californians of
Scottish, Irish, and other Celtic descent have made major contributions
to the development of California. The state's natural splendor and
history have been symbolized by the pattern and colors of a sett based
on the family tartan of the revered John Muir, but with sufficient
originality as to be independently recordable with the Scottish Tartan
Authority as a unique tartan. The tartan's blue reflects the sky, the
ocean, and the rivers and lakes, while the green stands for the
mountains, fields, and parks. The red, gold, and blue seams signify the
arts, sciences, agriculture, and industry of California.

SEC. 2. Section 424.3 is added to the Government Code, to read:

424.3. (a) The tartan defined in subdivision (b) is the official State
Tartan.

(b) The official State Tartan is generally described as a pattern or
sett consisting of alternate squares of meadow green and pacific blue
which are separated and surrounded by narrow charcoal bands. The squares
of meadow green are divided by a gold seam which is supported by
charcoal lines on each side. There are three redwood stripes, the middle
of which is broader, that are added to each side of the gold seam. The
pacific blue square is divided by a sky blue stripe, which is supported
on each side by charcoal lines.

The tartan is specifically defined by the following weave code:

Y..B..G..S..G...S..G..S..G..B..A..B..K... Ancient Colors

8...2..20..4..20..8..20..4..20..32..56..2...8... Full Pivots

This weave code means that the threads begin with 8 threads of yellow,
followed by 2 threads of black, 20 threads of green, 4 threads of
scarlet, 20 threads of green, 8 threads of scarlet, 20 threads of green,
4 threads of scarlet, 20 threads of green, 32 threads of black, 56
threads of azure, 2 threads of black, and 8 threads of sky blue. At that
point the weave pivots and returns, beginning with 8 threads of sky blue
2 threads of black , and continuing the sequence in reverse order
through 8 threads of yellow, at which point it pivots back again.


But...
The proposal has its critics...

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

Wednesday, March 11, 1998



Assemblyman Finds Cause That's Worth Paying for


SACRAMENTO - Included among California's pantheon of official
symbols is gold (the state mineral), serpentine (the state rock),
the dog-faced butterfly (the state insect) and the West Coast 
swing (the state dance).

Now, Assemblyman Tom McClintock, a self-described frugal Scot,
wants to add something new: a state tartan.

At the behest of the Los Angeles Chapter of the St. Andrews
Society, the Simi Valley Republican has introduced a bill
that would recognize the family plaid of Sierra Club founder
John Muir.
...

But while Mr. McClintock's sentiments are appreciated, they
don't really impress Mike Paparian, a lobbyist for the
state Sierra Club. "It's very kind of him to honor John Muir,"
Mr. Paparian says. "but the best way to honor the man would be
to change his voting record to protect the environment instead
of despoiling it."

- Marc Lifsher


While I and the rest of the Muir-Hanna family should be honored at the
desire to have a "State Tartan" adopted based on the Muir family
heritage, I think the whole concept is inappropriate.  In addition to
Ron's comments, there is no family tradition or lore about a family
tartan.  I did some research while at UOP in the 60's and found only an
ancient tartan for Muir.  Even more recently I have found references to
Muir being in Leslie, Huntley, or Gordon, with the latter being more
widely accepted.  The whole idea of California having a tartan, let
alone basing it on an artificial concept, is a waste of time and energy
(= $).
Bill Hanna



>
> At 08:10 PM 3/18/98 +0000, you wrote:
> >Harold: the idea of a Muir tartan is rather silly.  Muir was a lowlander.
> >Usually only highland clans had legitimate tartans.  Besides, Muir is a
> >common name without much distinction in Scotland.  Finally, I doubt if
> >Muir personally was interested in such clannish customs, despite his
> >professed love for the land of his birth.  It doesn't make much sense to
> >try to impose on him a faux persona.
> >
> >E-mail message from:
> >Ron Limbaugh, Director John Muir Center
> >University of the Pacific
> >Internet address: RLIMBAUGH@UOP.EDU
> >Voice phone: 209-946-2895
> >Street address: History Dept., UOP, Stockton, CA 95211
> >Fax: 209-946-2318