Harmless Sporting Rivalry?

Anyone who doesn't know that the football World Cup is being played in South Africa soon, is on some other planet, because love or loathe the sport, you certainly cannot ignore it. There have been many good images shown of the South Africans celebrating the event because it helps push their country onto the centre of the world's stage for a while, and good for them! Good natured singing and dancing in the streets as only the African nations can. It should also be noted that there are 32 teams in this tournament.


That's England plus 31 others, and there's the rub. The UK is a composite country which is home to four distinct nations, English, and the Celtic nations of Scots, Irish and Welsh. I can't speak for the other parts of our Celtic heritage, but the Scots seem to have a real chip on their shoulder when it comes to anything English, but especially where football is concerned. Passions are aroused which seem to be embedded in the battlefields of Bannockburn  in 1314, and Culloden in 1745. These battles from 700 years ago feed us with a strong desire to get back at the English in any way, but especially where football is concerned.


This thinking comes across in statements made by the Scots, when faced with their English rivals, like:
"It's all a bit of good natured fun".
"There's no harm in it".
"It's just sporting rivalry".
"I don't mind who beats England".
"I support two teams, Scotland and whoever plays England".
"I don't mind who beats England".
"It's a part of our Scottish heritage".
"Go and watch Braveheart".


...and there are many more which you have heard, some less pleasant, and much more harmful. Have you noticed that they all centre around a very negative mindset? It is who can beat England, and not support of the other teams because of who they are. I now know that the initials ABE are used by some to say "Anybody But England" and that really sums it up for me. In any other debate scenario, we would call that "illogical", "unreasonable", "irrational", or even "racist", and "bigoted". In this sense it is not harmless, and will perpetuate the underlying dislike of the English to our children. And we still think it's a bit of fun. If anyone disagrees, they will be told to "lighten up" and that will make it all ok. Trouble is, it doesn't. What if the same phrases were used in the cases of Blacks and Whites, or Protestants and Catholics? We would call it racial hatred, and that is a crime in our land.


How about these statements to balance out the others given before:
"Love your neighbour".
"Rejoice with those who rejoice"
"Let your love be without hypocrisy". 
"Blessed are the peacemakers".
"Let this mind be in you, love one another".


Now I will be the first to say that this is hard to do. You see I am a Scot too, and some of that passion is in me as well, although I am not a football fan in any sense. The thing that gets my goat is the way the UK media portray the English team as if it is the national team, to the exclusion of the other three great Celtic nations. There is a level of superiority and arrogance which goes right against the grain, but the bottom line is, we didn't make it to the tournament, they did, and we should be big enough to understand that. Instead we turn into moaners and groaners, bringing up deep insecurities and our feeling of inferiority. I am a Scot first, but that shouldn't make me anti English, should it? I should be able to support any team I want to, because of who that team IS, and not who they are NOT. As it happens, the first game England play will be against the USA, and I hope the USA win. That's nothing to do with football, that's because I have many happy memories of being in America and meeting up with some great people. However, at the risk of being branded a heretic, or unhinged, I will support England if they progress further. Trouble is, I don't think I could stand the media frenzy if they should lift the world cup, but that's a matter for me and my conscience. It would be the 1966 reruns all over again, and I am not ready for that! Maybe then I hope they do well, but not THAT well :).


Please don't tell me to lighten up. The Scots are a great nation and should not be measured up and compared to the English, or anyone else for that matter. Let's be that great nation again, because we deserve it in our own right, and that can only come about by "the renewing of our minds" (That's another great quote).