Fuck off Walter, I'm sick of being called a bigot

[bmck 117]

Only cowards insult people who don’t have an opportunity to defend themselves. The papers have turned this into a fine art –offended on behalf of imaginary people; offended at imaginary people. Every politician, newspaper hack, football club owner with their own little renegade-denouncer-of-great-evil fantasy has jumped on a bandwagon of their own creation to stand up for the Sectarianly Oppressed against the Sectarian Oppressors – getting to be the Goodie in a sea of Baddies. Politicians and newspaper hacks earn a living off this – it’s the very controversy that pays the bills. For Murray it’s a convenient way of sooking up to the liberal snobberies of broadsheets and hence deflecting any possible criticism of himself from there. But, Walter Smith? Now he’s standing up against this magical, mystical, barely tangible sectarianism as it vaguely exists in flux out on the internet? I’m not sure what the fuck is going on, but I’ve spent more time than I should on Rangers fansites and there isn’t bigotry tolerated anywhere. The battle is imaginary, and the only victims are the people who don’t have mass-media at their disposal to defend themselves.

 

This racist, sectarian, oppression that everyone’s standing up against simply doesn’t exist. I know a fair bit of Catholic history – it’s had its ups and downs, but there is an undoubted recurrent theme of genuine martyrdom. Their founder, Jesus Christ, history attests, willingly died for what he believed. There’s disagreement about what he believed, of course, but that he died for it is argued only by a lunatic fringe of scholars. The first Catholics happily walked into the actual jaws of actual lions for what they believed. Through the lives of the Saints you see the recurrent themes of persecution, and an almost supernatural humility. Catholics have dished out their fare share of oppression, certainly, but they’ve also endured it. To dare to be an actual Catholic in the modern world, serving others and trying to live unselfishly and in the persual of goodness in a world of money and hate, I think, is a noble sort of persecution. In Glasgow, they have been historically persecuted, and as disagreeable as separate schooling may be to some, there is a genuine argument for it being a battle to retain a tradition people still find important, despite it not being the popular one. Catholics feel the burden of secular oppression today, and Catholics, as a group of people through history, have, at various points, suffered massive oppression.

 

But modern day Catholics in Scotland are not part of this group. Those complaining are rebels in love with their self created persecution. They have a job; the right to practice their faith freely; an Xbox and massive representation in parliament – the truth is that they're just not oppressed. People being eaten by lions is oppression – enduring the word ‘******’, or being told to fuck off back to Ireland if you love it so much, in a football ground, where you’re shouting and swearing yourself, and flying Irish flags, is NOT oppression.

 

When was the last time, in Scotland, as a Catholic, or as a person of Irish descent, lost a job for their faith or nationality? When was the last time they were publically flogged, or forced to sit at the back of a bus? When was the last time they were spat on, or stuck in a gas chamber?

 

Walter Smith, and the rest of you petty-rent-a-cause-reactionaries honestly think that you’re doing anything other than raping every memory of Actual Opression purely for the purposes of selling papers, appealing to the electorate or deflecting criticism, then you are deluded. Anyone who takes you seriously are their own punishment.

 

I’m quite sure there are a minority of morons of the internet spouting immature pish – this is true of all clubs, and I’m not sure why it is that Rangers feel it necessary to give an account for the goings-on of the internet – a medium that gives the most certifiable of nutters freedom of speech. Are Rangers to be the first regulators of the internet? Are they to succeed in eradicating pretend evil on the internet that the police battling real evil, with their massive anti-paedophelia budget, have failed?

 

I, for one, am fucking sick of being part of the faceless masses consistently brandished as a bigot simply for enjoying talking about my team online. The club are going to have to consider really what these constant, cowardly, jibes are doing to people who dedicate a large portion of their lives and energy to supporting the club. These same ‘bigots’, ‘spouting evil on the internet’ are undoubtedly the same people who buy the DVDs, the new strip every season, get the letters printed on the back for their children. The establishment are quite happy to call these people evil every time the media comes knocking at their door for an interview that will confirm the prejudices of their readership and ensures their profits the next day. The same large, weighty, moral conscience disappears as soon as these same people go and buy a substandard pie from the catering. So, Walter, and the rest of you – let’s stop tarnishing everyone with the same ill-informed brush, shall we? We are these masses of racial oppressors? I haven’t seen them; I don’t talk to them. You’re fighting for an imaginary cause but insulting real, tangible, people. Fuck off and stick to the football please.

Edited October 22, 2008 by bmck

[Jon 0]

Excellent piece Barry and I must admit shed a different tint on the matter for me personally

[bmck 117]

cheers man. it argues the point a little more harshly than i actually believe myself, but hopefully it'll be emotive enough to spark some debate. i'll wait to see if frankie wants to run with it before/toseeif we put it on the main site.

[Frankie 8,552]

An excellent read as always mate...

 

I'm sure some will take issue with you thinking separate schools are acceptable which I hope doesn't detract from the main article which hits the nail squarely on the head.

 

I'll certainly upload it later today onto the main site and it will juxtapose nicely with Cal's less 'harsh' approach.

 

Unfortunately, I think - despite the intended irony I'm sure - I'll probably have to remove the fuck word from the title; bugger being a suitable alternative?

[bmck 117]

the catholic school thing is really just for rhetorical effect. like dostoevsky - you present the strongest representation of an opponents position before measuring up the actual representation as a petty bastardisation.

 

i like the word 'fuck'; it's a word used all the time and has rich emotive connotations. it also serves the function of weeding out the easily offended at the start. but aye, just make it bugger so that easily offended people who dont watch films and stuff dont die at its use.

[craig 5,199]

the catholic school thing is really just for rhetorical effect. like dostoevsky - you present the strongest representation of an opponents position before measuring up the actual representation as a petty bastardisation.

 

i like the word 'fuck'; it's a word used all the time and has rich emotive connotations. it also serves the function of weeding out the easily offended at the start. but aye, just make it bugger so that easily offended people who dont watch films and stuff dont die at its use.

 

You might weed out the more easily offended by taking out the word "fuck"..... but you may get some gays, like Jon :fish:, tuning in thanks to using the word "bugger".

 

Just kidding.

 

I agree, fuck is so emotive that at times it really does emphasize the point. But for the sake of the readers a toned down word is best.

[Frankie 8,552]

Again, on a tangent, the context is correct for the use of the word 'fuck'. Like I say the irony is interesting but unfortunately I don't think the censors (ie Newsnow) would grasp that tasty side dish before they read the main course...

 

http://www.gersnetonline.net/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=681&Itemid=1

[bmck 117]

aye, definitely think its wisest removed. its just a pitty. i think i would read more newspapers (or any newspaper) if they weren't so damn decorous and i actually felt like they felt something.

Edited October 22, 2008 by bmck

[Wija 0]

Barry, a great peice.

 

Unfortunately it may get read by the trolls who romp through the internet groups etc ... but because it is a frank, open and honest piece it won't make there column inces or indeed into there speeches about our fans.

 

We shall never surrender.

[CammyF 7,988]

Brilliant piece Barry, and you know I'll disagree with you regarding the schooling issue :devil:

 

As for you're question regarding Catholics losing their jobs due to their religion - this is a very good indication of who is being discriminated against. Wonder if anyone is brave enough to poll the religion and football leanings of employees at Glasgow City Council.....

 

A few years ago (3 I believe) I went to see Rancid at the Barra's - as most of the guys I were with were Tims, they dragged me (kicking and screaming) into Bairds Bar for a pre-concert drink. Now, we were in early and it was us old punks and a group of young rebels (lack of a better word as I don't want to offend anyone) in the bar, and tehy were belting out their songs. One approached us and spotted me wearing a 'broken up union jack with the Sex Pistols on it' and started coming wide saying that I couldn't weat that badge in 'his pub'. Now, I was going to explain to the missguided fellow, exactly what the badge and band were all about, but I didn't think his one brain cell would cope. He was set straight, and told to fook off buy one of our group - so, it justs shows you, that they can even get offended by an anti-unionist badge / band if they so desire.

 

BTW, some would say that I am a not only an internet bigot, but a real live bigot :cheers::devil:

 

Cammy F

Edited October 22, 2008 by CammyF