Ibrox: Jurassic Park?

[calscot 0]

But see you're still not sure. Did the fans mean die a Celtic bastard or die a Catholic bastard?

 

You don't know. I don't know. And the media, politicians and UEFA don't know either.

 

 

But then the powers at be said, we're not sure but think you might be being bigoted with that word so to clear it up we're gong to ban it.

 

Seems to me that if you STILL use it after that, you've lost that ambiguity. Why would you deliberately break the rules to describe a Celtic player in a non-bigoted way? Come on, the word you used was banned as it was officially considered bigoted. You may not have been guilty before, but you sure are now, clear as day.

 

Your arguments are double edged swords. They might clear us of past misdemeanours but they damn us now. Like I said before, once it's considered officially offensive, it's no longer banter.

[der Berliner 3,660]

On a sidenote, over on the German board we have a sticky thread that's called "Rangers Links & Rangers FC - All you need to know". In there any onlooker (and we've got quite a few who just come and look what we post on our board, mainly the naughty "Celtic KnewCo - Fields of Shame" - thread, of course) can double check what we mean with certain songs and certain words. Included in that list is also the word "F*nian", which has its very peculiar meaning in Ulster, and also the West of Scotland. Yet, as is explained in said thread, it does not need to be hush-hushed or "banned" like here. When we/I us it, it is simply a different word for IRA-supporter/member, i.e. a terrorist. If somesuch would be forbidden to use or say or write, we've come a long dark way catering to certain sections in the media and public trying to tell us what we do/think/sing.

 

Rangers Links & Rangers FC - All you need to know

[Guest Chelios]

Sound piece from the Original Poster.

 

I knew signing up to Gers.net was the wise choice. The level of civility on this topic has warmed the heart.

 

I've always found it odd that we , despite our tremendous history and record breaking achievements, prefer to hand out history lessons in musical form regarding British imperialism and its shenanigans. Surely it is time to get some of the greatest minds in our support together and if possible Gers fans in the music industry to knock up some new material that praise Rangers and her fans ?

 

However just thinking aloud, perhaps many protestants and what not fear that if Rangers were to step away from the '' scene '' their cause would suffer a serious blow in exposure ?

 

Who knows, our club has carried a lot of unnecessary baggage over the years, time to hit the intellectual gym I reckon.

[Bluedell 5,553]

Quite simply as long as songs about the IRA or huns are not removed then our fans, quite understandably it must be said, will act in a belligerent fashion.

 

 

Agreed. That's our biggest obstacle at getting rid of FTP or the F word. The main reason IMO that it has crept back into our repetoire on the odd occasion is that the fans have seen Celtic fans getting away with it with very little criticism and therefore there's a reaction.

 

It doesn't make it correct, but there has to be parity for it to be accepted by a larger proportion of the support.

[barca72 440]

Who knows, our club has carried a lot of unnecessary baggage over the years, time to hit the intellectual gym I reckon.

 

You know, I'd agree with you that forums like this are very helpful in focusing the support's thinking in how to take us forward. Indeed on another forum they have created a committee which is actively engaged with authorities in an effort to find an acceptable form of TBB. I would hope that it is this kind of "intellectual gym" you are speaking of, where the few have listened to the many and have carried their thoughts forward to find a compromise solution.

Our support is passionate. It was passion rather than intellect that saved our club last season. Was it passion or intellect that drew 40K-50K crowds to Ibrox for most of the season? Sometimes the majority of the crowds were not over-enamoured by the level of football on display and sat on their hands, thank God for BF1. Is it passion or intellect that provides a Global support in the millions for Rangers?

I would submit that when intellect takes over from passion the club suffers. As an example let's look at our east end neighbour's support. Have they decided that intellectually it is better to buy the weans a school uniform rather than buy a season ticket? Have they decided that intellectually there is no point in attending matches that are part of a one horse race? Have they decided that intellectually they do not want to be represented by the political views of the numpties that make up the GB? Have they decided to stay away from the games after sound intellectual reasoning or have they just lost their passion for the game because of the opposition on display?

I would suggest that most young men in their late teens and early twenties are infused with an energy and passion that allows them to believe that they are indestructible. The arrogance of youth, eh? Maybe for generations these young men have decided to expel that energy and passion while supporting their team on a Saturday afternoon ( before TV kickoffs ). They didn't think about it so much as just let the passion flow.

Political correctness is a fairly new phenomonen and like any other large vehicle it takes time to turn a support around. That's not to say that they can't act when they sense that something is in fact wrong and will hurt the club - they did stop singing TBB. Forums like this are great for planting seeds, but like any other seed the support will sense how to nurture it and bring it to full bloom. After all they have been doing it for 141 years and we are still here.

The people usually always know best. WATP.

[andy steel 0]

While most would agree that your overall point is totally correct, I'm not sure I agree that political correctnes is such a new thing, Barca. It just to be called good manners and while I vividly remember a Moderator of the GA/CoS at Ibrox in your actual reformation clothes, I also remember my BB captain absolutely ripping the more extreme elements of our identity, and how it was expressed, to shreds.

 

There's been disapproval of such things for many decades but it took actual punishment from the authorities to actually force us fans to do anything about it.

 

Btw I certainly didn't engage the intellect when repeatedly buying tickets for what I knew would be dross last year!

[andy steel 0]

Pot and kettle. Seems like you don't consider others' rights and you're trying to impose your views and values on everyone else.

 

If people sing songs that you don't like and they aren't in the banned "list" then what's the problem? Sing your own songs. There's songs sung at Ibrox that I don't like but I don't feel the need to try and get folk to stop singing them just because I personally have an issue with them.

 

As is sadly usual with your replies to my posts, you're completely miles out. Although I may dislike some songs, the problem lies not with me but with football and civic authorities. What punishment do you think I'm going to give Rangers, moan some more at the next home game?

 

What am I doing? Ignoring others' rights and imposing my views on them. Yes, that's about it. By sitting watching the game and only singing football songs, I'm oppressing the poor wee lambs, who are only being passionate when treating me to their political/religious and so on views.

 

However, the main thrust of the OP was that given our repertoire, we can scarcely hope to be portrayed as the bringers of Presbyterian, Unionist, Monarchical and Loyalist values. Maybe if you read what my posts say rather than looking for phantasmagorical traces of what you clearly perceive to be my arrogance/control freakery/handwringyness and so on, you might have spotted that.

 

Absolute drivel of a post.

[Guest Chelios]

You know, I'd agree with you that forums like this are very helpful in focusing the support's thinking in how to take us forward. Indeed on another forum they have created a committee which is actively engaged with authorities in an effort to find an acceptable form of TBB. I would hope that it is this kind of "intellectual gym" you are speaking of, where the few have listened to the many and have carried their thoughts forward to find a compromise solution.

Our support is passionate. It was passion rather than intellect that saved our club last season. Was it passion or intellect that drew 40K-50K crowds to Ibrox for most of the season? Sometimes the majority of the crowds were not over-enamoured by the level of football on display and sat on their hands, thank God for BF1. Is it passion or intellect that provides a Global support in the millions for Rangers?

I would submit that when intellect takes over from passion the club suffers. As an example let's look at our east end neighbour's support. Have they decided that intellectually it is better to buy the weans a school uniform rather than buy a season ticket? Have they decided that intellectually there is no point in attending matches that are part of a one horse race? Have they decided that intellectually they do not want to be represented by the political views of the numpties that make up the GB? Have they decided to stay away from the games after sound intellectual reasoning or have they just lost their passion for the game because of the opposition on display?

I would suggest that most young men in their late teens and early twenties are infused with an energy and passion that allows them to believe that they are indestructible. The arrogance of youth, eh? Maybe for generations these young men have decided to expel that energy and passion while supporting their team on a Saturday afternoon ( before TV kickoffs ). They didn't think about it so much as just let the passion flow.

Political correctness is a fairly new phenomonen and like any other large vehicle it takes time to turn a support around. That's not to say that they can't act when they sense that something is in fact wrong and will hurt the club - they did stop singing TBB. Forums like this are great for planting seeds, but like any other seed the support will sense how to nurture it and bring it to full bloom. After all they have been doing it for 141 years and we are still here.

The people usually always know best. WATP.

 

I personally turn up at Ibrox to support The Rangers and I consider myself Loyal to Rangers, so no matter the formation or display on the park I'm there to support.

 

I have no idea why Celtic fans decided a season ticket would be a better investment than their children's uniform, at a guess I'd say stupidity has a lot to do with anything they decide, it usually is when its them.

 

I may be picking you up wrong but are you saying someone can't come at things intellectually without passing up on passion? doesn't sound right to me, because whilst watching the 2008 European run I don't remember stroking my chin and falling silent due to going into deep thought. I was going mental, but I don't remember dragging religion or politics into my support for The Rangers.

 

From my own personal observation from being in Ibrox and other football grounds, I think a lot of people use football as a vehicle to vent their anger and frustrations in life.

 

I Liked what Andy Steel said about manners.

 

We live in an age where being polite and well mannered is seen as political correctness and being spineless which couldn't be further from the truth.

 

Everyone supports Rangers in their own way which is fine, so long as it doesn't damage the club and cost the club money because no matter how one slices and dices , it ends up counter productive.

 

Hope that clears it up.

[Frankie 8,463]

It's all about context.

 

Of course good manners should be prevalent through most social situations. However, I'm not so sure these work in the context of a football match.

 

Am I alone in liking the offensive nature (to a degree) of football banter - or indeed, other similar pursuits such as comedy or art? Yes, some will go too far but that line is generally a well respected one.

[barca72 440]

While most would agree that your overall point is totally correct, I'm not sure I agree that political correctnes is such a new thing, Barca. It just to be called good manners and while I vividly remember a Moderator of the GA/CoS at Ibrox in your actual reformation clothes, I also remember my BB captain absolutely ripping the more extreme elements of our identity, and how it was expressed, to shreds.

 

There's been disapproval of such things for many decades but it took actual punishment from the authorities to actually force us fans to do anything about it.

 

Btw I certainly didn't engage the intellect when repeatedly buying tickets for what I knew would be dross last year!

 

When I said that political correctness was fairly new, I meant the phrase. When my old Ma was making her point about political correctness it usually resulted in us kids getting a thump about the lug or the ever present dish cloth over her shoulder being flicked across the back of our bare legs. It usually didn't take long for her to make her point, you knew who the boss was in those days.

As far as the BB captain went, he used to make you march up and down the drill hall for half an hour. Hated that guy.