Tired and Fed Up

Yes, I am tired and fed up with all that's going on in Scotland in the name of football. Once again, we are beaming TV pictures across the world of Neil Lennon under attack, this time by an opposing team's fan. Fan? Yes, that's what they said, a fan! This time, it wasn't a Rangers fan, so what does that tell me? On the same day, it was reported that another bullet was mailed to Lennon, and this one found its way into the Celtic Club Headquarters.

Sectarianism and bigotry are not limited to the rival Glasgow teams, but further reaching into the heart of Scottish society. So let's strip away all the pretence of shock, and sand dancing round the issue. We have a problem between Roman Catholics and Protestants, big time. Please, please do not give me the old tired excuse that this is the work of a crank, and is not representative of the bulk of society.

Let's take a logical and reasoned approach, if we can.

It's a religious and not a football issue, and happens mostly at football grounds, at certain games. It doesn't happen at Asda or Tesco, or in the town centre.

It divides families by religion (not faith).

It cuts across all parts of our country.

It is usually fuelled by alcohol.

It's Catholics and Protestants hating each other. (It should be noted here that these religious bigots don't actually go to church or chapel)

It is NOT the work of an isolated few. It is the work of a significant minority, who are out to cause religious trouble.

The apologists for protecting and promoting the so called 'culture' of these football religions, need to wake up and smell the coffee.

How many 'isolated instances' does it take to make a 'group'?

How many 'groups' does it take to make a 'crowd'?

How many 'crowds' does it take to make a 'mob'?

How big does the 'mob' have to get before we do something?

What does it tell you when the vast majority will travel many miles, past their own local football grounds, to be at the home of their idols to attend a game of football?

It is time for these apologists to come out and be counted. They will say, “You can't blame us all for a small 'isolated instance' (see above). I enjoy a game of football, where we can sing some sectarian songs in peace, and I want to be associated with these people”. They will also ask, “You are surely not associating me with these bigots”? The answer is that they have associated themselves with these bigots on both sides, and by choice.

Of course the police and the club chiefs agree that this is a problem. You don't need to be a rocket scientist to work that out. We need some action. Since the clubs can't or won't do enough about the blight on the 'beautiful game' in our once great nation of Scotland, and the police can't be everywhere in the grounds to arrest all the troublemakers, and the supporters won't turn against their own supporter friends, how about this for a suggestion?

All followers (they can't be called fans) of Rangers and Celtic Football Clubs, return their season tickets, and stop going to the matches, home or away, and with any and all other teams? That would be a good start. No? Oh dear, did I say something wrong? Is it not that obvious, or are you standing too close to the problem to see it yourself? I heard our own Chic Young say on radio, “If you arrested everyone who sang a sectarian song at a match, it would be in the thousands”. He unwittingly makes my point.

For me at least, the title says it all. I am tired and fed up with all the problems associated with the Neil Lennon hatred, and the blind bigotry behind it, and if we are not big enough, and bold enough to stand against it, and deal with the problem at grass roots level, it won't be resolved at all. We know we cannot trust the authorities, clubs, politicians, or even the police, so please don't hide behind these excuses any longer. It will take at least a generation to make a change, but if we don't start now, we will be facing an even bigger problem soon. Do we have to wait for someone to die in the name of religion at the hands of a 'fan'? Fan? Don't make me laugh! And the Catholics can stop smiling. You cannot say you have no part to play in the whole sectarian thing. You have no reason to be smug. Do I have to mention the arrogant chantings and the foreign Irish Tricolour, so openly used to flaunt their own brand of hatred in the name of tradition? No, I didn't think so. There is as much hatred here, as with the die-hard protestants. All I ask is for you all to grow up and come out of the school playground, and behave like grown up, civilised, human beings. If that is too much to ask, then we need legislation to shut you down. What about the Christian community? Does the following Bible passage apply? Just asking...

..for what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? For we are the temple of the living God... Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord 2 Cor 14-17 (NIV)