CLSNA' LamontCentral Forum

Firstly  -  today, November 30 is St. Andrew’s Day, our patron saint of Scotland.

So, I wanted to start by wishing you a Happy St Andrew’s Day.

I also noted that the St. Andrew's Day celebration has also been marked by our president, and The White House yesterday sent Scotland a St. Andrew's Day message for the first time.  Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said America "congratulated" the people of Scotland as it prepared to mark its national day.   In a statement on the US Department of State website, she said: "Scotland's unique culture and traditions have long been admired around the world, and the special ties between our two nations date back to the founding of the United States.

"From Patrick Henry and John Paul Jones to Davy Crockett and Neil Armstrong, trail-blazing Scottish-Americans have helped shape the history of our country in profound ways.

"Today, the United States and Scotland continue to share strong ties rooted in our common ancestry, values, and interests. Our people work together on many of the most pressing challenges of our time, and both houses of the United States Congress have Friends of Scotland Caucuses to further promote friendship and co-operation between Scotland and the United States.