andy steel 0 Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 Despite the madness and chaos it inevitably brings in its wake, writers down the years have tried to theorise War. Perhaps this is a natural human response, when one bears witness to destruction and carnage, to try to find some logic behind it. Since the days of Herodotus, the 'father of history', literary types have wrestled with the concept and after effects of this organised insanity, refusing to believe in the oldest explanation of all: we are just like that. No-one ever claimed there was much logic in sport, either, and few writers have tried to unearth a theoretical concept behind it. We still wait for the equivalent of Sun Tsu's Art of War; there are no indispensable coaching texts to rank alongside Guderian's Achtung, Panzer! or Liddle Hart's Strategy. These weird thoughts have arisen because war and sport have clashed in the rumblings over the supposed offensive behaviour by some soldiers at Ibrox last weekend. Although the language used by the people who claim to be offended reveal the nature of the game - standard issue complaint kits have plainly been rushed to the front, replete with 'vile', 'disgusting', and 'offensive' cluster phrases - let's treat it with a seriousness it does not deserve and examine whether or not these soldiers merit chastisisment for their actions. The charges against them? Singing, your honour. Even by the standards of two things which lack logic - war and sport - this is a belter. You decide - what's worse, killing or singing? When Lt. Wm. Calley was hauled over the coals for the massacre at My Lai during the Vietnam War, it's just possible that his punishment - a couple of years house arrest, according to Wiki - may have been harsher had it been known that he and his men were giving it side A of 'Are You Experienced' as they fired the village. Elderly Nazis, hauled from their dotage and made to answer for their appalling crimes in eastern Europe and elsewhere, tend to be treated leniently on grounds of age. Personally I would have them shot regardless, the swine, but I doubt if I could convince many to join me in that stance with the evidence that many an einsatz gruppen went into action merrily belting out the Horst Wessel. I should probably point out here that no, I am not comparing the soldiers at Ibrox last Saturday with these historical debris of humanity. But in war, things like My Lai or the Katyn Forest massacre happen. Societies tend to accept that and, with a few exceptional ocassions, tolerate it as a necessary price. Some commentators have pointed out how much more difficult some of the images would make it for the army to return to Ulster. Unlike many Rangers supporters I'm not greatly interested in Northern Ireland and make no pretence at being an expert, but I've no doubt that, during the conflicts there, many unpleasant things happened too. I understand the point and I probably agree that ideally, soldiers wouldn't present such an image, but really...after suffering for decades from your actual violence, are we to believe that songs are the new bombs? The Army protects its soldiers. All armies do. They ask their staff to do a job most people would baulk at (killing fellow humans) and must create a sense of loyalty and camaraderie the better to do so. So, how insane would it be to train your staff to kill terrorists, then discipline them for singing about it after the fact? Outside of the upside down worlds of Gulliver's Travels (or the even more appropriate but lesser known Erewhon by Samuel Butler) anyone considering such a policy must be required to suspend their logical faculties completely. Shoot to Kill! Sing for Peace! Utter fantasy, a grimy attempt to smear Rangers and the army with the feeblest (and, in my book, the maddest) of complaints. In the present days of madness which have engulfed the game in Scotland, this tawdry little episode probably merits only a footnote. But it adds to the hate which the game seemingly runs on nowadays. Dispiriting and unpleasant stuff, but then again...maybe we are just like that. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Real PapaBear 0 Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 I'm not saying that the quality of writing to be found on Gersnet is unmatched in any other fans forum, but the quality of writing to be found on Gersnet is definitely unmatched in any other fans forum. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
amms 0 Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 Great article Andy, that whole brouhaha needs shown up for the petty nonsense that it is. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bossy 0 Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 Great article Andy. It deserves a wider audience. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc 280 Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 Terrific stuff Andy. "Outraged of Porkheid" and all the others who complain about us and the soldiers singing at Ibrox while glorifying those who would happily murder British soldiers (and anyone else they fancy, or anyone who just gets in the way) need to be shown up for the hypocrites they are. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RANGERRAB 3,252 Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 (edited) Terrific stuff Andy. "Outraged of Porkheid" and all the others who complain about us and the soldiers singing at Ibrox while glorifying those who would happily murder British soldiers (and anyone else they fancy, or anyone who just gets in the way) need to be shown up for the hypocrites they are. To be fair those 'outraged at porkheid' haven't said anything have they? I suppose that's a bit difficult when a certain Dr Reid has been their chairman what with his previous IRA sympathies in his university days (at lease according to Galloway anyway). No they just get their placemen (and women) in the mhedia to do their work for them don't they ? they pull the levers and the usual suspects pop up to spew their usual anti-Rangers bile Edited October 5, 2013 by RANGERRAB 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Belt & Braces Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 Since becoming a member of Gersnet I've been very impressed with their contributors. Fine piece. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zappa 0 Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 Great article Andy. It deserves a wider audience. It was published to the main site last night. http://www.gersnet.co.uk/index.php/latest-news/176-make-war-not-music 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete 2,494 Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 I said yesterday that the Gersnet has some fantastic writers. I have been on here nearing 10 years I think and it seems to get better every year. Although Cammy and Big C were super writers even in the early days. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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