Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse...

[Bluedell 5,346]

We could spend all summer analysing why Rangers supporters and the club are viewed differently and treated differently from other clubs. But if anyone wants to say it's because we've an SNP government they are wildly wrong in my opinion. We, the supporters, have allowed our club to become unfashionable in some circles and viewed with genuine horror in others. How did that happen? What did 'we' do to contribute to that? We can ask 'how many SNP politicians are bluenoses' or whether a 'Unionist Party will emerge' but it kind of misses the point.

 

It is true that the way that we are viewed by some will have an impact on the response but it's also incorrect to say that's the only reason. The SNP are inherently anti-Rangers. That's not to say that Rangers fans don't vote for them but it's also missing the point to ignore the reasons why the SNP don't have any prominent supporters of the biggest team in the country and why they have done nothing to support us in the current situation, bar some reluctant comment on condemning violence by some unnamed spokesman.

 

It may be a chicken and egg situation but the SNP had the opportunity to step up to the plate over the last week and failed miserably.

[26th of foot 5,838]

The reason the politicians should be asked is because they helped create the overall tension that spilled over last week.

 

They cannot and should not be allowed to pick and choose when their stick their nose in. Party of choice doesn't matter.

 

I agree.

 

I have long been an advocate of Rangers building a strong raft of cross-party political opinion.

 

There was an opinion poll carried out by the Supporters Direct(Scotland) last year, in the immediate wake of the General Election. It found the club's supporters that best mirrored the voting trends in Scotland, were Bears. The breakdown was most similar, forty-odd per cent of Rangers supporters voted SNP. It came as no surprise to me, forty years past at University, I suffered lots of folk who should have known better, telling me all Bears voted Tory. The vast majority on my supporters bus were solid Labour voters. However, it suited their agenda to box Rangers supporters where they wanted them to be. Remember, we are, were, and need to always be, the establishment club.

 

There is a problem with the current Scottish government and ruling(establishment) party continuing ignoring Rangers and Rangers supporters. The radio silence for three days after the cup final, was deafening. Two years past, during the Commonwealth games, the rugby took place at Ibrox. There were a stream of tweets suggesting the stadium should not be demolished, the rugby atmosphere was wonderful and finally, Ibrox was good for something. The female tweeting was the office secretary for Humza Yousaf MSP. She was reminded of the stadium's emotional attachment to many Bears. Her reply post match from the Tall Cranes pub in Craigton, was to promise not to mention, 'Rangers' again.

 

Rangers supporters have a right to ask, are we the wrong type of Scots?

[trublusince1982 243]

We are viewed as the opposition. Mainly because we are. We stop them from doing stupid things and point out the hypocrisy of their actions. They no longer bother to determine if what we are saying is correct or not all they care about is getting what they want regardless. We as a group need to form stronger ties and I am afraid we need to stop looking at being fair to all for a while and stick to fighting our own corner and winning our battles regardless of the crying from anyone in our way.

 

Best thing all bears could do is stop listening to our detractors and concentrate on cementing our power

Edited May 27, 2016 by trublusince1982

[Germinal 27]

The reason the politicians should be asked is because they helped create the overall tension that spilled over last week.

 

They cannot and should not be allowed to pick and choose when their stick their nose in. Party of choice doesn't matter.

 

I don't get why, if interfering last time was a mistake, we would want them to do so again? I'd have no objection to some review once all the facts and criminal charges are by with, but I can't see what would be gained by stomping in immediately. Surely that would just create another frenzied, 'shame game' atmosphere?

[Germinal 27]

There is a problem with the current Scottish government and ruling(establishment) party continuing ignoring Rangers and Rangers supporters. The radio silence for three days after the cup final, was deafening. Two years past, during the Commonwealth games, the rugby took place at Ibrox. There were a stream of tweets suggesting the stadium should not be demolished, the rugby atmosphere was wonderful and finally, Ibrox was good for something. The female tweeting was the office secretary for Humza Yousaf MSP. She was reminded of the stadium's emotional attachment to many Bears. Her reply post match from the Tall Cranes pub in Craigton, was to promise not to mention, 'Rangers' again.

 

Rangers supporters have a right to ask, are we the wrong type of Scots?

 

This can't be the same Humza Yousuf who, despite that photo in a celtc pub and lengthy statement about it from the RST, was recently elected with a majority of over 6,000?

 

If you ever needed rock solid proof that 'Scotland' as a political body cares not one jot for football, or Rangers, that result is it. Outside of the online, rock solid Bluenose - excuse the shouting - NO-ONE CARES. I do understand this is not exactly flattering for us but denying a very obvious political reality is going to get us nowhere.

 

If, as some hold, the SNP hold football (including Rangers) in mild or even strong contempt they're reflecting Scotland as a whole. I doubt any political party - and the others haven't exactly been rushing to our aid - will start pushing support for football fans as a policy any time soon. Last person who tried that was Jim Murphy with his 'bring back the bevvy' routine & we know how that ended.

 

If we continue to fight an imaginary enemy instead of focusing on very real ones we've had it. But it's a free country! I find the refusal to concentrate on fighting important, winnable battles in an effective way absolutely bewildering but then again, no-one said life makes sense & it'd be boring if we all thought the same.

[Frankie 8,153]

I don't get why, if interfering last time was a mistake, we would want them to do so again? I'd have no objection to some review once all the facts and criminal charges are by with, but I can't see what would be gained by stomping in immediately. Surely that would just create another frenzied, 'shame game' atmosphere?

 

The politicians control the police so it's imperative they explain the poor reaction and the media trolling by their reps.

 

Politicians made it their business to discuss football. Why no discussion this week?

[cooponthewing 1,139]

I agree with you on that point Germinal, and it's a point well worth making. Scottish society and more in particular certain parts of its chattering classes do, it would seem, hold football and its followers in very sincere contempt. In my case my feeling is that when it comes to all things Rangers it goes far deeper than that.

When we look at recent events and further back it is not just contempt, there is a deep rooted resentment that is thrust in our direction at every given opportunity. The reasons for that have also been very well documented in various posts that have been discussed on here recently.

It seems we have reached a tipping point, Saturday was a wake up call for everyone, contempt yes, no doubt, however it runs much deeper into to the realms of hatred and dehumanisation that have been discussed previously.

[Thinker 879]

If, as some hold, the SNP hold football (including Rangers) in mild or even strong contempt they're reflecting Scotland as a whole. I doubt any political party - and the others haven't exactly been rushing to our aid - will start pushing support for football fans as a policy any time soon.

 

I think the problem is that, whatever percentage of Scots are Rangers fans (I'd guess 30-odd%?) it's a minority; and the non-football fans + non-Rangers football fans constitute a majority. A heck of a lot of that group do hold us in strong contempt, so appealing to anti-Rangers sentiment is a vote winner and, conversely, expressing pro-Rangers sentiment is a sure-fire vote loser. We've ended up with elected representatives who wish our club no good at all.

 

Am I being paranoid?

Edited May 27, 2016 by Thinker

[cooponthewing 1,139]

I'm on phone so can't click agree, you are not paranoid imo mate, that's a pretty fair and valid evaluation in my eyes.

[JohnMc 2,478]

The reason the politicians should be asked is because they helped create the overall tension that spilled over last week.

 

They cannot and should not be allowed to pick and choose when their stick their nose in. Party of choice doesn't matter.

 

But two wrongs make a right Frankie, surely? I'm as annoyed about Rangers players being assaulted as the next person but I'm fairly sure I don't want the government to intervene. Fas involved should be charged, the SFA should hammer Hibs and the police should be forced to review future policing. But do we want politicians involved? To what purpose, what do you want them to achieve?