Following Neil lennon’s treatment at
Tynecastle many people wrote to the Herald’s comments page including me. Many people had their comments printed but I didn’t,
Herald sports journalist Graham Spiers had been giving his opinion on the
situation and I decided to make a few points about what I consider to be the
reason that Mr. Spiers finds it easy to blame Lennon. This mild and honest
criticism of one of their own journalists got me barred so here it is for at
least some people to read.
Graham
Spiers is as much a victim of the scourge of sectarianism as anyone else in Scotland. He recently wrote a touching piece about his late father, a Church of
Scotland Minister who took young Graham to see his beloved Rangers and young
Graham was suitably smitten as all wee boys are by their father's favourite
team as I was by my father and Celtic. In his heart felt writings about his
father however he never finds the courage to go near the fact that his father
was quite happy to have him schooled in the Rangers tradition of anti Catholic
sectarianism, how could he?.
His father while obviously not a Jesuit, nevertheless "took the boy and gave us the man". That man now does not apparently recognise the deeply ingrained subliminal sectarianism which informs his views on Neil Lennon. Years ago before this latest worrying contribution from Graham about how Lennon "brings it on himself" he opined on Lennon, then a combative Celtic player about the constant controversy which seemed to always surround him. He suggested that one of the reasons back then that "he brought it on himself" was because he dyed his hair blonde. Make of that what you will.
Spiers is one of our best and most civilised sports writers and it is all the more worrying that he still finds it easy to delude himself about the real reasons for the treatment which is meted out to Neil Lennon. This clever, genial and urbane journalist is an example of how much trouble Scotland is in as far as issues like sectarianism and racism is concerned.
His father while obviously not a Jesuit, nevertheless "took the boy and gave us the man". That man now does not apparently recognise the deeply ingrained subliminal sectarianism which informs his views on Neil Lennon. Years ago before this latest worrying contribution from Graham about how Lennon "brings it on himself" he opined on Lennon, then a combative Celtic player about the constant controversy which seemed to always surround him. He suggested that one of the reasons back then that "he brought it on himself" was because he dyed his hair blonde. Make of that what you will.
Spiers is one of our best and most civilised sports writers and it is all the more worrying that he still finds it easy to delude himself about the real reasons for the treatment which is meted out to Neil Lennon. This clever, genial and urbane journalist is an example of how much trouble Scotland is in as far as issues like sectarianism and racism is concerned.
18 comments:
You need to widen your circle of sycophants, I'm an Irish catholic and I think Neil lennon is a right wee nyaff, and he would be a right wee nyaff whether he was protestant, jew muslim or catholic, people hate him ecumenically because he is a right wee nyaff, do you seriously think Aberdeen supporters abused him because he is a catholic? so that means Aberdeen FC fans in an unholy alliance with the huns? you are so far removed from reality you need help, but never mind at least you get to top up the catholic victim status loyalty card you half wit.
'His (Spiers) father schooled him in Anti Catholic sectarianism.'
Evidence please, Councillor
The Herald do not under any circumstances tolerate criticism of there staff and quite frankly that is childish as the can dish it out but can't handle it back, best thing to do with the Herald is install Addblock Plus and view the site that way so they do not get any revenue from you viewing the site and remember to clear your cookies and you can then read more articles for free so you need not subscribe.
The Herald is a joke as it portrays it's self as a balanced newspaper but clearly it is not as they only publish comments that the particular editors like, have a look at Iain Macwhirter's blog;
http://iainmacwhirter.wordpress.com/about-iain/
where he clearly states "He is the political commentator for the Herald and Sunday Herald" (it did say previously political editor) then note this same Herald employee doing all the hosting for the SNP's latest round of propaganda then it will come as no surprise to note that the overwhelming majority of non SNP supportive comments are simply not published and all that is left is the usual suspects patting themselves on the back day after day.
Councillor Terry Kelly (Labour) attacked me on the Glasgow Herald site. I said myself and Scott (another Scottish CASA employee) would be happy to return to Scotland to help set up a Scottish Civil Aviation Authority. His statement was .. "And if me and Scott find a more lucrative place to set up a Civil Aviation Authority we will,be off faster than a couple of hungry rats up a roan pipe."
My answer is:
Here's the Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority enterprise
agreement. http://www.fwa.gov.au/documents/agreements/fwa/AE894933.pdf
On page 84 you will find the CS5 Grade - currently, senior members receive A$134,430 per annum. Approx 88K p.a.
It doesn't cover my grade; which is significantly above the CS5 listed in the above agreement, and covered under a personal contract as I am 'Senior Management Group' - I currently have 3 CS5 reporting to me. Think of it as a Whitehall 'Sir Humphrey' pay grade. I also have travel allowances, accommodation, and a few other perks like salary packaging for cars, underground parking, mobile fully paid and so on..
I am listed in the annual report :
http://agencysearch.australia.gov.au/search/click.cgi?rank=11&collection=agencies&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.casa.gov.au%2Fwcmswr%2F_assets%2Fmain%2Flib100125%2Fcasa-ar-2011-p3.pdf&index_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.casa.gov.au%2Fwcmswr%2F_assets%2Fmain%2Flib100125%2Fcasa-ar-2011-p3.pdf&auth=2QCrHtE4xcC09rowhRykqA&search_referer=http%3A%2F%2Fagencysearch.australia.gov.au%2Fsearch%2Fsearch.cgi%3Fquery%3Dmelville%26btnFilteredSearch.x%3D35%26btnFilteredSearch.y%3D10%26collection%3Dagencies%26form%3Dsimple%26profile%3Dcasa&query=melville&profile=casa&identifier=1391782906.83369
So, as I am confident that you would scream if I was engaged at 88K pa. I can assure you, I would be returning with a substantial pay cut (probably more than 50%) to offer my services to the Scottish Govt and people.
What are you prepared to sacrifice for your country?
I would like an apology now for your insinuation that I would be returning for my own financial benefit. "Rats up a roan pipe" I believe was your phrase.
Councillor Terry - let's see you respond.
You are an Irish Catholic and I am actually Pope Francis in disguise.
Byeck said... Thursday, February 06, 2014 3:36:00 pm.
Read the history of Glasgow Rangers Football Club.
Doug said..Friday, February 07, 2014 2:52:00 pm.
"Councillor Terry - let's see you respond"
Why did you not tell people I have responded you duplicitous Aussie drongo?.
"What are you prepared to sacrifice for your country?"
My choice to live here rather than creep off to a place where people can make big bucks no matter how mediocre they are is my sacrifice. To stay here rather than go where I can lord it over the indigenous people by dint of the fact that my skin is white, that is my sacrifice. To refuse to live in a country which is one of the world's worst racist societies, I'm proud of that. Do you want anymore?.
"You are an Irish Catholic and I am actually Pope Francis in disguise."
What a very well phrased and considered response, you might want to consider Mr Kelly that outside your circle of peers, there actually are people of similar nationality and or religion who hold different points of views and/or opinions from you, i understand it's a difficult concept to follow with you being a mindless labour man who toes the party line, whatever it may be this week, (off topic, are we for or against the Tories relentless attack on the poor of this country today ?). I happen to think that certain types of Irish heritage claimers like yourself wallow in any perceived injustice towards them, they hark back to the days when there was real prejudice and can't stomach the fact that any failings now, are their own fault, so keep up the faux outrage, it's quite funny to behold.
To be fair you are partly correct, I am not currently an Irish catholic, I am agnostic, but both of my parents and all 4 of my grandparents were born in Ireland,(an bun beag & coshclady) is that provenance good enough for your foul mouthed bigoted assumptions?
Oh lord religion....
If anything could have been outlawed on the stroke of midnight via the year 2000, it should have been religion...
Nothing on this planet has had more of an insidious effect, than taking ones blue print for life from a handful of prehistoric outdated books and reclassifying them now for modernity..
Children aren't born with a racist bone in their bodies.....
And Religion!....
The same narrow minded indoctrination process applies...
Blogger Dazed And Confused said...
Oh lord religion....Tuesday, February 11, 2014 12:14:00 pm.
I didn't write about religion's merits or demerits I wrote about racism and sectarianism.
I'm no cheer leader for religion but I think you will find if you look at religion honestly that they are all in favour of love, peace and understanding between everyone.
It seems to me that you in your own way are as hidebound in your anti religion opinions as the most enthusiastic Ayatollah, Bishop or or Rabbi is in their pro religious beliefs.
Anonymous said...Monday, February 10, 2014 2:57:00 pm
You may well be what you say you are, there are indeed people like you around. They tend to be the kind who say "I'm an Irish Catholic sir but I'm quite civilized and not dangerous for all that boss. I know my place and I accept unequivocally your superiority your highness you can rely on me to betray my Irish Catholic heritage in a heartbeat if there is enough in it for me".
I am opposed to the Tories as always and unlike some people I refuse to hide who and what I am to grovel to them if you get my drift.
All of my 4 grandparents were Irish as well and while I am not as religious as they were or indeed Irish I would never betray their memory by becoming ashamed of them.
"if you have an Irishman on a spit, you can always pay another Irishman to turn him for you" (Jonathan Swift).
Swift never even met you but he knew you all right, Mr. Anonymous. .
Kelly @ 1.58am
Kelly, because you've censored me again,I have forwarded my comment to the Herald, together with my view on your view of freedom of speech.
Follow the advice of the Iron Duke, laddie...'Publish and be damned'...you'll be much admired for it.
you really are an imbecile, i thought it was an act for the gallery. It is not"betraying my Irish Catholic to advise you that Neil Lennon gets abuse primarily because he is a wee nyaff rather than your vehement accusation that religion is the sole reason for the abuse he recieves, the same religion which is unimportant to the vast majority of people in Scotland including you, do you ever actually think through what you blog, sorry let me rephrase that CAN you think through what you blog. And by the way, my Irish Catholic heritage is absolutely fine,and so too is my common sense I am well able to discern a wee nyaff whatever his or her background, can you.
It is actually funny to visit your blog and see you vilify scottish nationalists for their nationalistic views and then see you express an even worse version of them when it comes to Irish nationalism, you really are a small minded hypocritical bigot, you may respond with whatever spittle flecked abuse you wish.
Byeck said...
Kelly @ 1.58am Tuesday, February 11, 2014 8:07:00 pm.
If you are going to tell lies about me censoring you then you will be banned. I very rarely refuse to print anything and if I do I tell people why.
Send it again.
Anonymous said...Wednesday, February 12, 2014 8:20:00 am.
So you feel obliged to repeat yourself at great length Mr. Anonymous, displaying a lack of originality and a poor vocabulary. You are a crawler and a sycophantic coward, creeping about incognito and talking tough, definitely a nationalist.
By the sounds of it you should read the history of glasgow rangers Mr Kelly as you obviously don't know what you talking about.
Many of your constituents are offended that you beleive they have been schooled in 'anti catholic sectarianism' by attended rangers games every other Saturday.
You as my councillor have in other words called every rangers fan, including myself, a bigot.
I actually came on this site to contact you in regards to a community matter however I will now contact one of my other local councillors who show all decent hard working people the respect they deserve.
Please can you advise who I contact in regards to making a complaint into my local labour councillor?
I look forward to your reply.
Gregg said... Tuesday, February 25, 2014 7:40:00 pm
The history of Glasgow Rangers and for that matter Glasgow Celtic is a matter of public knowledge and I do not consider that I need to read about Rangers to know about their history which is one of considerable ignominy and disgrace in relation to their notorious anti Catholic sectarian bigotry. This situation existed from their formation in 18 72 for 117 years until the famous signing of Maurice Johnston making that institutionalised bigotry thankfully a thing of the past.
The legacy it created however has been seen not least in the city of Manchester after Rangers lost in a European final played there where that city was subjected to the worst scenes of devastation and violence since Word War 2. They now languish in the lower divisions of Scottish football because they were found guilty of serial rule breaking, a charge which in my opinion should have brought about the removal of all trophies won while the rule breaking was going on, but for reasons which I cannot fathom they were allowed to keep these trophies.
As far as my relations with Rangers supporters are concerned I do not have a problem, indeed I have many friends who are fans of Rangers not least among my Labour Party comrades. You might also be interested to know that last year I was approached by a constituent from the main Orange Order in Paisley at Castle Street Paisley who despite knowing my football affiliations were happy to ask me to help them obtain a civic reception for them to celebrate 150 years of their existence. A task which i was pleased to carry out and the civic reception was duly provided, they in fact informed me that they all voted for me.
With your reference to me as a councillor I would advise you that I obviously have no idea who you are because you have chosen not to reveal your identify to me. I suggest therefore that you do one of the following, if you want me to provide you with any contact or get involved in any dealings with you. phone me at Renfrewshire Council or at my home 0141 889 6532 or on my mobile 07736838146 or email me at cllr.terry.kelly@renfrewshire.gov.uk I also have three surgeries a month as follows 1/second Saturday of the Month at Well Street Community Centre 11.00 am until 12.00 noon. 2/ fourth Saturday of the month at West Primary School 11.00am until 12.00 noon. And 3/ The last Wednesday of the month at the engage offices Ferguslie Park adjacent to the Tannahill Centre 17.30pm until 18.30 pm. You are welcome to meet me at any of these in person.
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