One Scotland - Zero Moral bearings

[D'Artagnan 173]

“The moral compass of any nation can be judged, not just by the conduct and character of the accused, but the conduct and character of the accusers”

 

(Anonymous)

 

I despair. I truly despair. I feel powerless. Is no-one else seeing this ? Is no-one else feeling this ? Has our country become a nation where our opinion leaders, our politicians, our journalists have become afraid to speak out and reset a moral compass which is spinning out of control ?

 

Let me re-phrase that – spinning dangerously out of control.

 

For I’m not alone in the feelings I’m experiencing. Anger, indignation, resentment, but most of all…… a complete lack of representation. Its ironic to think now that not so long ago 2 bears were ejected from Ibrox for displaying a banner “One Scotland – many cultures – except Rangers” I don’t know about you but that’s certainly an accurate reflection of how I feel today.

 

The most fundamental of human rights – innocent until proven guilty – have been totally discarded where Rangers are concerned. It’s a sign of the times that its only recently that some journalists such as Traynor and Hannah broke cover to reveal they had seen the contents of a document which declared Rangers “guilty” without charge or trial. That in itself tells its own story.

 

But months ago I listened to Brian Taylor’s Big Debate on BBC Scotland where the terms “dual contracts” “financial doping” and “cheats” were thrown about without censure in a debate about our club. Not once did Taylor, the facilitator, step in to remind the audience and the panel, that such allegations were as yet, unproven.

 

But of course the scene has already been set. Which appropriately, brings us back to my opening quotation.

 

Just who are the accusers of Rangers and how does their character and conduct stand up to the type of forensic examination being carried out in respect of our club ?

 

Let’s start with Phil Mac Giollbhain…also known Phil Gillvan…also known as Phil McGillvan. A man who seems to have great difficulty not only remembering his surname, but also the age of his daughter, how many brothers and sisters he has, the licensed premises he frequents and also his occupation. 3 names will speak about a lot of things – surprising then that he never seems to mention his employment as a social worker in Glasgow and the reasons why he no longer holds such a position.

 

http://www.vanguardbears.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=267:phil-gillivan-qaa

 

Not for the first time, I find myself indebted to Vanguard Bears and their research.

 

Of course recently, the Sun newspaper were going to run serialise 3 names blog in their newspaper until an upswell of anger caused a change of direction. 3 names was accused by the newspaper of being “tarred with a sickening sectarian brush”. Its probably one of the few times in recent years that said newspaper had actually been accurate in its reporting.

 

I think for those of us who still aspire to some kind of moral compass the description of 3 names as a “tactical bigot” by a Southern Irish journalist probably carries a lot more weight and authority than a tabloid who sought to feed the bloodfest of hate against Rangers by serialising his book.

 

But a theme is developing here. For its not only the Sun which seeks to feed that bloodfest. The editor of the Daily Record, Alan Rennie, has been begging the authors of The Rangers Tax case blog to contribute to the opinion forming columns of their publication. If anyone has any doubts please feel free to check the aforesaid Rennie’s tweets.

 

There has of course been considerable speculation, let alone evidence, that one of the Rangers Tax case authors is none other than Paul McConville. A quick search of google will acquaint you with both the conduct and character of Paul McConville.

 

In fact I wonder if the terms of his supervision order extend to his blog “Random Thoughts re Scots Law”. It seems Mr McConville has as much difficulty with the term “random” as he does with the term “justice for miners”. 291 articles about Rangers, 109 about Charles Green as well as numerous other “random thoughts” concerning our club and its employees.

 

Its perhaps remarkable that a man who started a blog because his wife was sick to death of his waffle on legal matters, can attribute hundreds of random thoughts to Rangers FC and yet only one, (yes one) to the legal minefield which is Mr Abdelbaset Al-Megrahi, the Lockerbie bomber whose conviction and subsequent release on compassionate grounds led to something of a diplomatic fall out with our closest ally.

 

It is worth asking the question why 2 of Scotland’s biggest selling tabloids sought to bring on board persons whose integrity, character and conduct is quite clearly flawed. Or does that not matter if they are bashing Rangers ?

 

But I’m not finished yet. In fact I’ve barely started.

 

But I will conclude this article with another of our accusers who have been something of a critical thorn in the side of our club for a long time – the BBC. A publicly funded company whose conduct in the last few months has seen them banned from Ibrox due to a tasteless depiction of Ally McCoist falling to his death. A sketch which the Samaritans took time to criticise. And yet the BBC were unapologetic.

 

It came as no surprise to me. They were also unapologetic at the time of the Andrew Gilligan affair. When the Hutton report was published it showed considerable failings within the BBC. So much so their director general Greg Dyke resigned.

 

Many years on the failings and arrogance of this organisation have come home to roost. The revelations surrounding Jimmy Saville have shocked a nation. Perhaps the failings of the BBC have shocked the nation even more. For those BBC apologists who are saying it was a long time ago and the culture etc was different blah blah blah….tell me then why did the BBC cancel a Newsnight documentary last year which sought to expose this perverts’s conduct ?

 

I hope this latest revelation will be the final nail in the coffin for this organisation. Its time they were relieved of the right to demand a licence fee, I hope the next government review remembers both their character and conduct.

 

For a Scotland whose moral compass seems to be in turmoil I will leave you with an observation and reflection from Freud.

 

“A civilization which leaves so large a number of its participants unsatisfied and drives them into revolt neither has nor deserves the prospect of a lasting existence.”

Edited October 11, 2012 by D'Artagnan

[Kenzie1 0]

What a piece. Superb.

[GovanAllan 0]

Another great read.

[andy steel 0]

The UK requires a strong BBC. It's as much as part of the nation as the monarchy or moaning about the weather.

 

If they abuse their position of power (and which establishment body has not!) they must be brought to book. But to lose a publicly funded cultural organ which operates outwith government control is, for me, to lose an absolutely fundamental bedrock of British democracy.

[26th of foot 5,841]

In light of today's not guilty verdicts delivered by the SFA reference the displaying of the offensive zombie banner at ra Stydome, Sellik's expression of, "surprise and disappointment that the case made it to a hearing" is truly sickening. The banner depicted an inverted evolutionary process, a gravestone, and a zombie being shot by a balaclava clad gunman. The toted weapon was an AR 15 Armalite.

 

Obviously, only the sensitivities of ra Yahoos count.

 

To compound this, Jim ra Tim Delahunt on Radio Snyde tonight explained to a fellow hooped horror of a caller that the banner was okay up to the point of depictation of a weapon. The evolutionary process was funny, the gravestone is a fact, but the shooting aspect is wrong. Maybe it's just me but I find the evolutionary aspect to be the most offensive, and ra Yahoos have plenty of previous in this regard.

 

Dr Josef Goebbels would approve of Snyde, it's only a few years past that Keevins was allowed to continually compare Ibrox on a Euro night as, "akin to a Nuremberg rally". Yep, four flags(one union, one saltire, and two with the club crest) being waved as the PA blasted several film theme tunes; "was akin to a Nuremberg rally".

 

Despair does not begin to cover it.

[andy steel 0]

Daniel Finkelstein, ex-aide to William Hague when Tory leader & political commentator/leader writer for The London Times, was at the Conservative Party conference yesterday. Speaking to Jim Naughtie about the changing demographic of the people attending, he mused about what it used to be like. Referring to the land of hope and glory, flag waving ending, he said (from memory) 'It made terrible television...like the Nuremberg Rally.'

 

It's cheap journalistic shorthand, from the lowest (like Hugh) to those who would be your leaders (like Daniel). If you despair at it coming from Shug I can only imagine how you feel about establishment figures like Finkelstein using the same references.

[D'Artagnan 173]

The UK requires a strong BBC. It's as much as part of the nation as the monarchy or moaning about the weather.

 

If they abuse their position of power (and which establishment body has not!) they must be brought to book. But to lose a publicly funded cultural organ which operates outwith government control is, for me, to lose an absolutely fundamental bedrock of British democracy.

 

Im reminded of a poster on Rangers forums, who a few years ago wrote to the BBC regarding their treatment of Rangers.....

 

Now who could that have been ? ;-))

[andy steel 0]

Be some cock or other. Pay them no mind, mate.

[D'Artagnan 173]

Be some cock or other. Pay them no mind, mate.

 

Did you ever get a reply from them Andy ?

[andy steel 0]

Nope, completely ignored. I feel a bit silly for having actually asked them nicely. They must have had a right good laugh at me!

 

Pacific Quay are a disgrace. But the wider body is worthy of admiration. Think of the names! Patrick Moore, David Attenborough, Jacob Bronowski, Thingy Clarke who did 'Civilisation', the Open University...while today Brian Cox inspires a new generation of scientists, Dan Cruickshank explains architecture & cultural history, Stephen Fry makes learning admirable and Jeremy Clarkson drives a car.

 

it's more than worth the price of a license fee.