ian1964 10,409 Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 (edited) 'Fisking' is an online term for deconstructing an article and showing the flaws in the argument in 'real time'. Graham Spiers' recent article for The Herald “Celtic, a Roll of Honour, and point-scoring galore” is a perfect candidate. Graham Spiers' words are in italics, while my commentary is in normal font. A pretty remarkable thing has happened in Scottish football in recent days - the Celtic fans have in effect just stormed the national charts with 'Roll of Honour', the Irish rebel song.The song, recorded by The Irish Brigade, laments the fate of the IRA hunger strikers who died in the Maze Prison in 1981, and cites all 10 of them as the verses unfold. It is a song which a more politically-active section of the Celtic support has chanted and, in this current scenario of national chart success, is aimed at cocking a snook at the confused - some say plainly botched - Offensive Behaviour At Football Act in Scotland. Graham immediately gets his facts wrong. Seven were affiliated to the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA or PIRA) and three with the Irish National Liberation Army (INLA). It is beyond doubt that both groups collectively murdered thousands and are illegal in the UK and Ireland. Many of their victims were targeted solely for their nationality or religion. During 1981 alone – never mind before or since - the Provisional IRA and INLA murdered many people. Those the song 'laments' were part of these groups and must have approved of the killings and violence. The ten themselves had been found guilty of crimes including possession of firearms, grenades and explosives, manslaughter, punishment shootings, hijackings, attempted murder and murder. Keep these hard facts in mind. By John Gow Read more...http://www.therangersstandard.co.uk/index.php/articles/rfc-politics/311-fisking-graham-spiers Edited February 20, 2014 by ian1964 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankie 8,145 Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 It's a real pity when one of Scotland's foremost sporting journalists has to be taken to task for his constant inconsistent and dishonest contribution. No-one is saying Celtic fans cannot recognise their Irish Republican connotations but there's a fine line between this and offensive/unacceptable behaviour. The singing of crap like RoH and the glorification of murdering terrorists at football matches crosses that line significantly. And that's what FAC want to achieve, not some sort of heroic attempt to defend free speech. Why Graham Spiers isn't prepared to acknowledge that simple conclusion is beyond me. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy steel 0 Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 edit: just read that piece. The guy is a complete moron, end of. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Real PapaBear 0 Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 It's a real pity when one of Scotland's foremost sporting journalists has to be taken to task for his constant inconsistent and dishonest contribution. No-one is saying Celtic fans cannot recognise their Irish Republican connotations but there's a fine line between this and offensive/unacceptable behaviour. The singing of crap like RoH and the glorification of murdering terrorists at football matches crosses that line significantly. And that's what FAC want to achieve, not some sort of heroic attempt to defend free speech. Why Graham Spiers isn't prepared to acknowledge that simple conclusion is beyond me. Is it really beyond you Frankie? I suspect it's not and that you're just using a turn of phrase - but in case it is, let me help. Every journo who wants to make a name for themselves has to fulfill two criteria: First they need a Unique Selling Point and second, they have to deliver the message given to them by their masters in such a way that the message is camoflaged. Graham Spiers' USP is that he is the middle-class, public school boy, more at home on the golf course or rugby pitch (watching, of course) with refined sensibilities and elevated above the normal sectarian divide of the region he comes from. He is thus able to view matters from above the smoke and confusion of battle. His view is clear and true and his pronouncements are based thereupon. He has publicly stated that he is not a Celtic fan and that, once upon a time, he supported Rangers and, actually, twist his arm and he'll admit he still has a soft spot for them. So, having come clean about his Protestant, Rangers supporting past, this is a man whose honesty cannot be questioned and whose every word must be given the respect due to an impartial, honest, neutral observer. Now, with his credentials of neutrality confirmed, he can set about doing what he's being paid to do: stick the knife into Rangers with the skill and deftness of a Florentine assassin whilst giving covering fire to any attack on the Celtic support or the club. But I rather suspect you knew that already. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
aweebluesoandso 290 Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 Speirs is one of those snobs Dr Waiton talks about, Spiers thinks he's a intellectual heavyweight and looks down his nose at football supporters. However when challenged by men of intellect, he's quickly shown up as an hypocritical intellectual pygmy, with Tourette's Syndrome and a bad case of Munchausen by Proxy when talking about Rangers and Rangers supporters. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
26th of foot 5,827 Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 "Why Graham Spiers isn't prepared to acknowledge that simple conclusion is beyond me"? Go back over two decades. Former Sellik View Editor, Kevin McKenna has resurfaced as Editor of Sport at Scotland on Sunday. This is a surprise as he had been allowed to resign from ra Sellik View after stating, "the IRA's bombing of the Remembrance Day ceremony in Eniskillen was a legitimate act of war". Kevin needed two young gunslingers to front up the papers football coverage. He chose Kevin McCarra and Graham Spiers. During the same period, Matt McGlone was founding a Sellik zine, 'Once a Tim'. McKenna and McGlone groomed Spiers. Regular articles by the spurned Spiers, sticking the boot into Rangers were always rewarded by the Editor publishing congratulatory correspondence the following week. Spiers was proving useful and McKenna persuaded McGlone to include a most specific category in his zine's end of season poll. At this point we should remember that zines like 'Once a Tim' were selling 10,000-12,000 per issue. The category was, 'Journalist most objective when dealing with matters Celtic'. Seriously contrived, but fashioned for purpose. Spiers overwhelmingly won the prize for the next five seasons. His standing was reinforced among the Yahoos, he was really useful. The reason Spiers did not make it 6-in-a-row, is because McCann's revolution had been successful and McGlone had been invited to be a columnist on ra Sellik View. He discontinued the zine. McKenna moved also, he became Deputy Editor of the Herald and promptly appointed Spiers, Chief Football Writer. McGlone continued the very same end of season readers' poll in ra Sellik View and once again Spiers triumphed in that most specific category five years on the trot. At the end of MON's first season, ra Sellik organised a celebratory slap up lunch at One Devonshire Gardens as a thank you to all on-message journos. The usual suspects were gorging at the trough. It was Cooney, Delahunt, McKenna, Ewing Grahame, Gibbons, Phil Gordon, ..................................... etc; all born'n'bred Sellik men, the one exception was the really useful idiot, Graham Spiers. He cannot acknowledge such a principle because he is addicted to a couple of decades of having his ego caressed. He needs to be seen to be important and have been awarded, 'the journalist most objective when dealing with matters Celtic' is as good as it gets. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zappa 0 Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 I suspect that Graham Spiers might have preferred a fisting to a fisking! 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juancornetto 1 Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 By Speirs's logic, paedophilia is legitimate because paedophiles think it is and if you are outraged about that you must be an anti-paedophilia bigot. Otherwise known as a decent human being. If you can swallow the bible I suppose you could swallow anything. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
26th of foot 5,827 Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 I suspect that Graham Spiers might have preferred a fisting to a fisking! As Oscar remarked, "my love lies bleeding in the attic". I am sure Graham avoids such conclusion by liberal application of lubrication? 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluedell 5,329 Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 I suspect that Graham Spiers might have preferred a fisting to a fisking! 26th of Foot has hacked Zappa's account!!!!! 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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