SNP's flagship laws tackling bigotry in football are blasted by leading anti-sectaria

[GovanAllan 0]

Can someone tell me why pasta man is getting a private meeting? Is it just me or is it funny how he goes there to talk about same sex marriage at the same time. Deals being done me thinks, pasta man comes out in support of the bill and ssm slips down the agenda.

[ian1964 10,461]

ALEX Salmond last night agreed to include a 'freedom of speech' clause in his new anti-sectarian laws after crunch talks with a leading Catholic.

 

The First Minister met the Bishop of Paisley after the churchman voiced concerns over the SNP's blitz on footy bigots.

 

Bishop Philip Tartaglia had said the legislation is "hasty" and "a distraction" from the true nature of sectarianism in Scotland — with Catholics up to five times more likely to be attacked for their faith than Protestants.

 

But Mr Salmond said their meeting in Edinburgh yesterday was "cordial and friendly" and that they had ironed out potential problems over the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications Bill.

 

He added: "I believe we have made substantial progress. I also confirmed that we would place an explicit freedom of expression clause in the second part of the Bill.

 

"This legislation was never meant to stop freedom of expression in Scotland — it is about bearing down on sectarianism and other offensive behaviour in Scotland." Mr Salmond wants yobs who commit religious hate crimes at football grounds or on online to be hit with five-year sentences. Yesterday he vowed to plough on with the Bill despite opposing parties calling for him to scrap it.

 

Bishop Tartaglia appeared to have had his concerns allayed during his talks with the First Minister.

 

He said: "Fears the wide remit of the Bill might impinge on the freedom to express inoffensive views seem to have been recognised and are being addressed."

 

But he said their discussions over same-sex marriage remained "unresolved".

 

Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/news/3860176/Salmond-adds-freedom-clause-for-bishop.html#ixzz1aAb2Habd

[26th of foot 5,859]

Ian1964,

 

Thanks for that, the Sun's take on the meeting varies quite startingly from BBC Scotland's TV report last evening.

 

We were shown footage of ra Paisley patterned pasta Bishop and Peter Kearney(remember he wants the hokey-cokey banned) alighting the steps of Bute House, smiling hugely with the voice over informing, "the catholic church have won concessions from the First Minister".

 

The ever on message BBC Scotland newsroom getting all triumphalisTIC?

 

I will say it again, anyone had an opportunity to vote for ra Bish' and mad Peter?

[Zappa 0]

This situation is now absolutely reeking of the RC church yet again lobbying the government with regards to the singing of certain songs in the Celtic support IRA & PIRA-related songbook. If banning songs and banners in support of terrorists isn't included in these new laws, then the laws simply aren't fair or balanced (as if they were ever planned to be... cough) because Irish rebel songs are clearly offensive and while they are indeed political in nature, they are also extremely provocative in nature. The government and the SFA can't just cherry-pick which UEFA laws they want to officially legislate for in Scotland.

 

It's time for UEFA to start getting tough on their rules and regulations because political messages are NOT allowed in European football according to the UEFA-written rules! They've been ignoring it, but if UEFA can punish Rangers and other teams under their rules & regulations, then UEFA should be punishing ALL teams who break them!

Edited October 8, 2011 by Zappa

[Zappa 0]

Can someone tell me why pasta man is getting a private meeting?

 

That, Allan, is a very good question and one which I have an answer for: The catholic church have a disproportionate influence on Scottish media and the Scottish government.

[stewarty 1,878]

That, Allan, is a very good question and one which I have an answer for: The catholic church have a disproportionate influence on Scottish media and the Scottish government.

 

Agreed. In addition to that, they are much more proactive in addressing directly any perceived or actual injustices against their religion. But then, we don't know whether other faiths have similar discussions and just don't seek publicity for it.

[chilledbear 16]

The Church of Scotland could have the biggest influence, but then are they still here.

[Zappa 0]

Agreed. In addition to that, they are much more proactive in addressing directly any perceived or actual injustices against their religion. But then, we don't know whether other faiths have similar discussions and just don't seek publicity for it.

 

Exactly. It's interesting (as others have mentioned here) that the meeting also had something else on the agenda; something which shows the catholic church up for the discriminatory, hypocritical, shambles of an organization that it is.

 

It doesn't take much logic to work out what a religious organization which is anti-birth control and anti-abortion as well as outcasting their own people for marrying a non-catholic has in store for us.

[Zappa 0]

The Church of Scotland could have the biggest influence, but then are they still here.

 

Personally, I think they've been keeping their mouths shut for years because they're basically just hanging by a thread knowing that religion is essentially dead unless you're some mad fake-Bible, Koran or Torah bashing fanatic. We don't need the Church of Scotland to rise out of non-existence and save us, we need all religions and their followers to re-think, but that's never going to happen and we all know it.

 

The catholic church are basically taking and actively forming a political advantage in Scotland because of the death of religion, which sounds daft because most catholics these days aren't practising their own religion, but that won't get in the way of their church and it's powers.

Edited October 8, 2011 by Zappa

[stewarty 1,878]

Exactly. It's interesting (as others have mentioned here) that the meeting also had something else on the agenda; something which shows the catholic church up for the discriminatory, hypocritical, shambles of an organization that it is.

 

It doesn't take much logic to work out what a religious organization which is anti-birth control and anti-abortion as well as outcasting their own people for marrying a non-catholic has in store for us.

 

The meeting just seemed to be stage managed. Anything that is publicised in advance, such as it was, and has their media office's top man involved, cannot be anything else.

 

I do wonder about the timing though. And my spidey senses are telling me that we are going to see some siginficant shifts in this bill before its passed. For all his faults, Salmond is not stupid. He will be noting the public mood and the evidence provided to the Justice Committee. I see a couple of potential options:

 

1) Further delay to the bill's passing to allow time for more evidence and scrutiny

2) Scrapping the bill altogether and look to alternatives such as extensions (where considered necessary) oi existing legislation.

3) Inserting a sunset clause to see whether the bill has the intended effect

 

We've already had one delay so I think a second delay is unlikely. Most evidence has pointed toward the proposals being unworkable/flawed and therefore option 2 is my each way bet. But I suspect the favourite is option 3. This seems eminently sensible as most people do support the idea of the bill even if they have misgivings about the actual proposals.