Union Bears

[BlueMazza 0]

Perhaps I should take a few minutes to clarify my points now that I realise that my initial tone was perhaps not in the best taste of Gersnet.

 

I'm at a computer now as opposed to my phone. I find it more difficult to convey my point of view whilst using a phone and perhaps that is one of the reasons why my views have came across as insulting, I'm more used to using forums where abuse is commonplace and where WUMMIN is the norm.

 

Anyway, I feel that my points are still valid and there still remains a few questions that haven't been answered.

 

1. How does singing about the IRA/UVF/YCV help the team?

 

2. When the team is drawing 0-0 with an amateur side, how does singing about shoving referendums up arses help the side?

 

Regarding point 1, throughout my time on the internet forums, Rangers have been thoroughly vilified for singing certain songs, the support in the recent past have made great strides in cleaning up the songsheet and well done to all. BUT... whenever there is a dropping in standards in respect to songs, whataboutery is often used as a defence.

 

"aye, but whatabout the Tims singing about the IRA"

 

Well, what about it? You can't moan about them singing pro-IRA songs, when you yourself are singing anti-IRA songs and pro-UVF songs. And what has these organisations got to do with Rangers FC? The answer is nothing, their is nothing to connect Rangers with terrorist groups.

 

Point 2. Politics at football grounds. I think my position is pretty clear here. The sporting arena should be no place for political views. Their will be pro-Independence Rangers fans, SNP voting Rangers fans and by singing songs which are "embarrassing" then you are isolating certain Rangers fans at what should be an enjoyable "escape" from normal life.

 

I look at the big English clubs and how their support have no stigma's attached to them. When you look at Man U, you can't say that their fans represent a certain type of person, same with 'Pool, Arsenal etc. The only club that I can think of is Spurs and even then, their Jewish roots are not even prevalent these days.

 

I want Rangers to be supported by anyone and everyone. For too long, we've been pigeon-holed by society in general and the media specifically. I found Bill McMurdo's blog a few weeks ago with the petition with the leading question being - "Us Protestant, Unionist & Loyalist (PU&L)" and I thought "how many Rangers fans are PU&L?" quite amusing. I recall a religion poll in the FF lounge where over 70% of fans polled that they were not Protestant (most folks were atheist/agnostic). I'd agree that more Rangers fans are Unionist. Unionist as in they see the benefit of the political Union on their own merits and not just because they are Rangers fans and "that's what we are". I know a few Loyalists, but they are OO members and few and far between.

 

Anyway, apologies to anyone upset by my ramblings. If Zappa wants to close my account then that's fine by me. If the site owner doesn't love me then I guess this isn't the place for me...

 

 

Look at it differently. How does point 2 negatively effect the team/the club etc? A lot of guys on here were saying mostly the stadium was grumbling. Do you want 90 mins of the same song? Political leaning is fine imo. The referendum is going to dominate Scotland for the next 2 years. I don't see as embarassing and in fact the idea they can shove the referendum up their arse appeals to me and I prob join in the singing!

 

I'm staying out the terrorist stuff though. I don't know enough about it to comment if I'm honest.

[amms 0]

Sorry, but I doubt he was ever a Rangers fan.

Aye, you're right, he's a Timposter, or a handwringer or a sniff sniff or whatever the term is these days, we're better off without him. Real Rangers fans don't speak out, don't raise their heads above the parapet and don't ever stray from the party line, whatever that might be these days. Being a lifelong supporter just isn't enough, attending matches for over 30 years isn't enough, no, undying obedience to the crown and the government that's what makes you a real bluenose, anything less and we don't want you.

[onevision 1,454]

Aye, you're right, he's a Timposter, or a handwringer or a sniff sniff or whatever the term is these days, we're better off without him. Real Rangers fans don't speak out, don't raise their heads above the parapet and don't ever stray from the party line, whatever that might be these days. Being a lifelong supporter just isn't enough, attending matches for over 30 years isn't enough, no, undying obedience to the crown and the government that's what makes you a real bluenose, anything less and we don't want you.

 

I've read this through a couple of times and without thinking too long or hard about a reply, i'll reply with this, What the FUCK.

FUCK ME I'M NO A REAL BEAR THEN.

[Super_Ally 0]

We've been doing the self policing and cleaning up our act bit for years. And for the most part done a pretty good fucking job.

 

But there's been little praise or even recognition of this and little to no turning of media, police and public attention to any of the other serial offenders. So whats the fucking point?

 

We don't do much wrong at all these days and if people singing against Political parties or terrorists upsets others, well so fucking what?

[Bluedell 5,356]

Football fans have always sung songs about non-footballing stuff. Rangers fans in particular have done it for decades. They have sung about political and religious stuff, some of it acceptable, some of it not so much. I personally believe that the unacceptable stuff has been largely dropped, along with some of the acceptable stuff.

 

There hasn't been a satisfactory reason given IMO as to why songs like these should not be sung. We have been a unionist club. We previously had the Rangers Chairman and Rangers manager join the "Save the Union" campaign, we have the loving cup tradition, we fly the Union Flag prominently, our supporters wave it as well and a vast majority of our support are unionist.

 

It doesn't mean that you have to be unionist to support the club, but you also should not deny the clubs roots and try and dictate to others just because you do not agree with something. Like Frankie, there are songs that I don't join in with and songs that I feel do our club no credit. The way to try and get rid of them is through explaining why these songs should not be sung. A blanket "they're political so you can't sing them" will not work.

 

I'm not a member of TBO/UB and wouldn't want to speak for them but it DOES appear that a large part of the anti-Salmond/SNP stuff was caused by the proposal of and the subsequent introduction of the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Act 2012. It doesn't impact me to any great extent yet but it does impact BF1 and they have faced police and steward intimidation. For example, the "Someone's watching you" banner has resulted from this.

 

The "stick your independence" chant is obviously political but hey it's football. We chant stuff that people don't like. You don't like it then start your own.

 

I do believe that we should not be chanting in support of any terrorist organisation. The lines do get blurred in respect of songs about the 36th Ulster Division but perhaps that's a discussion for another day.

 

Clubs like Barcelona in Spain have politics associated with them and it does them no harm.

 

The attempt to sanitise football is taking the heart away from the game. Where should be stop? Drop Wolverhampton Town because ot mentions "God Save the Queen" because there may be some anti-royalists in our support? Where does it stop?

 

You don't have to join in with the songs but it's wrong to dictate that certain songs should not be sung just because you don't see the relevence.

[EDGE 0]

We've been doing the self policing and cleaning up our act bit for years. And for the most part done a pretty good fucking job.

 

But there's been little praise or even recognition of this and little to no turning of media, police and public attention to any of the other serial offenders. So whats the fucking point?

 

On the contrary, I missed an OF derby last season, it was just after Penny Arcade was introduced by the fans, and Ibrox was bouncing. Charlie Nicholas (of all people) was waxing lyrical about the Rangers crowd. Then on Sportscene, wee Nevin was also full of praise. Regardless though, you're saying that you want praise for not singing offensive songs?

 

We don't do much wrong at all these days and if people singing against Political parties or terrorists upsets others, well so fucking what?

 

Even if it upsets fellow fans?

 

Why can't we just sing songs that support the team with the odd helping of Penny Arcade?

[pete 2,499]

We've been doing the self policing and cleaning up our act bit for years. And for the most part done a pretty good fucking job.

 

But there's been little praise or even recognition of this and little to no turning of media, police and public attention to any of the other serial offenders. So whats the fucking point?

 

We don't do much wrong at all these days and if people singing against Political parties or terrorists upsets others, well so fucking what?

 

I think you are wrong on that SA. I think the fact that the FOCUS(?) officer said they were willing to move into the background and let the supporters get on with policing themselves is a huge vote of confidence,even although it is for a trial period. We should not let what is said in the media be judge and jury over us. The working group could possibly have given that story to the media for some positive news on us.

[johnnyk 158]

Politics on a Rangers thread...because of Rangers fans.

 

I went along to Ibrox yesterday on my sons ticket because he couldn't make it with my 10 years old grandson.

 

The atmosphere was as usual, guys moaning about what was happening on the park, but when we scored everything was okay...during all this the guys in the far corner didn't stop singing and dancing all the way through, I'm convinced these guys don't even watch the game they are there to be watched themselves which is a bit odd.

 

Thank f**k my grandson didn't ask me who Salmond is.

 

A football match? gtf.

 

I'm sure some don't watch all the game, me and a few others on here sit there, we join in when we want but we do watch all the game as i'm sure most do. We are lucky IMO to have this section as it would be a graveyard otherwise. I wish other sections of the ground would sing and not just at goals or the start of each half.

[johnnyk 158]

Must have missed it..I went to a game to watch football like I've always done and had to listen to bullshit from energetic fitness freaks screaming about politics.

 

Not a very good match experience on the whole. At the end of the day we won and we're top of the league, that'll do.

 

Christ I've never been called that before, especially from a Rangers fan the rest of the stadium should stand up and drown them out if the don't like it rather than sit on their hands, shut their mouths apart from when they are moaning about the fitness freaks of course

[Bluedell 5,356]

I had a forum member contact me last night telling me he's leaving the forum because of this bullshit. Tonight he tells me he's not Rangers fan any more.

 

That seems a bit bizarre. Yes, the debate got heated a bit but it's a passionate subject.

 

I felt that the OP was out of order (although not the subject matter) and Edge has apologised for that so we move on. Neither of us will persuade the other, but that's what forums are about. Debates on strongly held feelings.

 

This thread hasn't changed anything and I don't see why anyone should stop using the forum because of it. I could understand people stopping if we had not allowed it but not the other way around.

 

How anyone can stop stop supporting the club because of this thread is totally beyond me.