Yesterday my brother, today my enemy

[D'Artagnan 173]

Its perhaps strange that a musical track from a Brooklyn based band (who are probably unknown to quite a few of you) provides the title to this article, but, with a little re-arranging it provides the perfect insight to what we, the Rangers support, will face in the coming months ahead –Yesterday my enemy, today my brother.

 

For make no mistake, the upheaval at boardroom level within our club will eventually come to an end and someone or some group will emerge victorious. I am under no illusion that the cessation of hostilities will bring us together as one harmonious group of supporters, however much I desire it, but the stark reality is that when the boardroom battleship guns all fall silent we will be, without exclusion, the same group of supporters whose club was treated, shamefully, unjustly and unfairly by our footballing authorities, our government agencies and our media.

 

The enemies of our club have not gone away, nor have they stopped plotting or scheming to inflict maximum damage on our club at every opportunity.

 

Last night I witnessed 2 Bears for whom I have the utmost respect, having a difference of opinion on Twitter regarding the current situation at our club. It was done without personal insults, unedifying comments or character assassination - it was confined to the main debating points and the pros and cons of either side. Perhaps there is something to be said for restricting debate to 140 characters per salvo.

 

Unfortunately not all discussions and debates have gone this way but we as a support cannot afford the luxury or petulance of an acrimonious aftermath - we will have a club and support to defend.

 

The boardroom battle and its ripple effect on our support has not been pretty, in fact it has been downright ugly and tedious. But it has also been encouraging in that it has exposed the raw passion we all feel for our club, the determination to see things through and also an up swell in militancy within our support. For a support whose actions and loyalty saved this club from extinction, yet are still totally disempowered and disenfranchised from the decision making processes regarding her future, militant action should never be discounted.

 

Some of you reading this will no doubt say that boycotts and protests are not “The Rangers Way”. All I would ask you is what other options do a disempowered support have – dignified silence?

 

But acknowledging we face a common enemy is not enough – we have to start working together. If we can’t agree unity then lets at least endeavour to have a unity of purpose. Our strength comes from the power we can generate operating as a united body – it’s why they fear us so much.

 

Networking, communication and co-operation need to be given a far higher priority.

 

In just over 2 weeks time the deadline passes for the online e-petition re HMRC and confidential leaks. The figure stands at 41,230 – not even half the required signatures.

 

Need I say more?

[Bigcid 0]

I find it interesting that the online e-petition stalled at the 40,000 mark i little conspiracy theory here could the site have be hacked? D'Art i totally agree with you on the boycotts and protests the Rangers support generally like to see ourselves as being the champions of democracy i wonder how many of these anti protest members are the same people that trusted Charles Green and Co to then to little to late realise he was stuffing his pockets with all the clubs money.

[D'Artagnan 173]

Bigcid

 

I have heard various thoughts mused re the petition - one guy on Twitter said he thought that was also subject of a Police investigation (Ist Ive heard).

 

But the whole petition thing merely underlines our failings as a collective support at times. For instance - does anyone actually know the petition creator or whether they have admin rights to the petition ?

[aweebluesoandso 290]

We'll get there in the end and hopefully the division will be forgotten, i am reminded of the lyrics of that great song from the sixties "He ain't heavy he's my brother"

 

The road is long

With many a winding turn

That leads us to who knows where

Who knows when

But I'm strong

Strong enough to carry him

He ain't heavy, he's my brother

 

So on we go

His welfare is of my concern

No burden is he to bear

We'll get there

For I know

He would not encumber me

He ain't heavy, he's my brother

[bossy 0]

I think that what the petition demonstrated is, on the one hand, the strength of the online Rangers community and, on the other hand, our inability to organise a piss up in a brewery when it comes to engaging with those supporters who are not part of the online community.

[D'Artagnan 173]

I think that what the petition demonstrated is, on the one hand, the strength of the online Rangers community and, on the other hand, our inability to organise a piss up in a brewery when it comes to engaging with those supporters who are not part of the online community.

 

Does this increase then bossy the importance of fanzines etc ?

[bossy 0]

Does this increase then bossy the importance of fanzines etc ?

 

I think it demonstrates the need for a single, properly constituted, supporter's organisation which can interact with supporters at all levels. Fanzines, mailshots, blogs, leafletting, etc. are tactics to reach out to supporters. But, right now, we don't have the infrastructure or the leadership to do that.