Hearts & Minds

[D'Artagnan 173]

“Not the Rangers way" was the cry; as our previous boardroom turned our club into both a media circus and a laughing stock with their behaviour and antics. Leaks, accusation and counter accusation characterised this troubled period. For us, who as Rangers supporters, expect all connected with our club to behave to a certain standard, it was indeed a most unedifying sight to behold.

 

Whilst the "generals" in this battle certainly have not changed, both the battleground and the “support units” most certainly have, with Rangers bloggers entering into the fray as the theatre of war shifts from the tabloids to the internet. You know how the saying goes - "Hearts & Minds" – it would appear some believe ours are up for grabs to the most persuasive bidder. A considerable irony in all of this was that these same bloggers ravaged our old board for washing its dirty laundry in public. We appear to be missing both a goose and a gander.

 

"Tweet" sounds such an innocuous word, yet the tweets being exchanged via twitter are anything but that. Perhaps a 140 character barb would be a more apt description, as both sides, sadly appearing to have unlimited energy for the task, trade those barbs according to whichever faction they happen to be in. Particularly unsavoury were the attempts by either faction to claim the moral high ground by playing the race card against the enemy. The problem was there was no moral high ground to be claimed – both the comments of Charles Green and Jim McColl were in themselves particularly vulgar, with perhaps surprisingly the latter managing to outdo even Green in the vulgarity stakes.

 

The old adage that “truth is the first casualty of war” has certainly held true. In the midst of all this carnage is a support rightfully concerned about their club and looking for answers and information. For those of us who don’t have a source inside the club, or access to powerful players in this game we are all left totally bewildered by it all. With both sides being so deeply entrenched perhaps the casualty which is the truth has been lost from sight, obscured by a fog of egos, spin and recrimination. Along with truth, objectivity seems to also have fallen in the heat of battle.

 

Bloggers such as I, started writing to counter and challenge some of the media lies, imbalance, and, on occasion, downright harmful articles about our club. It was a war against lies and misinformation. We strived to give the Rangers support a different angle from the hateful one being taken by so many of Scotland’s press.

 

But in every war there is always collateral damage. Perhaps the lasting indictment of this conflict will be that the Rangers support will have to return to the Scottish press to glean objective, agenda free information, with regard to what is happening at our club.

[Frankie 8,154]

Good stuff mate but I think our fans - including guys such as yourself - are more than capable of separating fact from fiction and genuine concern from mischief-making.

 

It's a shame that a few people have chosen to entrench themselves so deeply in one supposed camp or the other but these people are usually easily noticed for what they are. Just as with the mainstream media, it's up to each fan to decide if what they write is accurate or if their intentions are noble. I don't think that's is particularly difficult but would agree it's a shame that some can't be as balanced as others in their critiques.

[Acemcl 0]

It is amazing that it now seems the place to get impartial information would be from certain sections of the Main Stream Meadia.

 

These days, guys like Peter Adam Smith & Richard Wilson provide great investigative journalism with facts to back up thier stories.

 

Most (not all) bloggers these days have an axe to grind against someone at the club and therefore, when you read thier articles you have to understand they come with a slant & are aimed at predjucing or colouring your view.

[amms 0]

I'm not sure Frankie. There has been plenty of stuff published that was dismissed by many Rangers supporters initially that unfortunately turned out to be true. I well remember the Vanguard Bears guys backing Craig Whyte long after it was dawning on the rest of us that he was a wrong-un for example. There are many examples of this, a visit to RangersMedia of late has been an eye-opening experience.

D'Art makes an interesting point about objectivity.

[chilledbear 16]

I think we know who bats for who.

 

Once you know I find them quite comical.

[Juancornetto 1]

It doesn't seem to be a great career move to publicly back Rangers or even just to attempt to tackle the tidal wave of misinformation such is the stranglehold the anti-Rangers brigade have on the media in Scotland. I can only think of Richard Wilson who has raised his head above the parapet in recent years and the only other openly pro-Rangers men are guys like Derek Johnstone who carry very little weight (apart from round his middle).

 

If you want to get places in Scottish football journalism, it seems you need to have an aversion to facts and toe the party line.

[DUDE 0]

My take on this is to stay away from any sort of mainstream media and get my info from the club itself and just very few blogs. I might of course miss some things by doing so but I certainly don't have to wade through this whole heap of bullshit being written.

[chilledbear 16]

I think from the mainstream Richard Wilson, and from the Bloggers our own Frankie can see both sides.

[D'Artagnan 173]

I think from the mainstream Richard Wilson, and from the Bloggers our own Frankie can see both sides.

 

Frankie and I have discussed the current situation a few times now CB - there really is a dearth of information out there for us fans. Furthermore on the information we do do have - neither camp have been able to answer some of the questions I have asked of them. Im actually surprised some people I know and respect have lent their weight so readily behind some of the factions.

 

We as fans really have to enough. People keep telling us "to be vigilant" - thats utter nonsense, How can we be vigilant when we are excluded from the very mecganisms, processes and information which would allow us to exercise such vigilance ?

[chilledbear 16]

Frankie and I have discussed the current situation a few times now CB - there really is a dearth of information out there for us fans. Furthermore on the information we do do have - neither camp have been able to answer some of the questions I have asked of them. Im actually surprised some people I know and respect have lent their weight so readily behind some of the factions.

 

We as fans really have to enough. People keep telling us "to be vigilant" - thats utter nonsense' date=' How can we be vigilant when we are excluded from the very mecganisms, processes and information which would allow us to exercise such vigilance ?[/quote']

 

I understand and share your frustration, I think as a Support we are in the situation because of our own divisions. I wouldn't go as far as saying we deserve what is happening, but I've always been of the view that united we could demand change, and be listened too.

 

As it is, because of our inaction [?] we are as much to blame as anyone.