By James MacMillan History Last updated: December 5th, 2011 The Scottish Crown Office has admitted that it has destroyed crucial data which legal insiders claim would show that the vast majority of sectarian crimes in Scotland have been committed against Roman Catholics. The publication of these key statistics, promised by First Minister Alex Salmond, would have provided invaluable pointers for legislators in tackling the problem of sectarianism north of the border. However, many here are suspicious that the SNP administration, the Police and fiscal services are embarrassed and annoyed that the evidence points to Scotland's sectarian problems being specifically anti-Catholicism. This does not fit with the Nationalists' rosy propaganda about a fine wee country being totally at ease with itself and lacking the kind of community tensions in which those nasty racist Sassenachs indulge. The Police, on the other hand, dominated by Glaswegians annoyed at uppity Catholics complaining all the time, are felt to have their own agendas on 'anti-sectarian' initiatives. The Scottish press are also 'coy' about reporting this as it goes against their idea that there is no significant anti-Catholicism in Scotland etc, etc. Meanwhile the attacks on Scottish Catholic churches continue, relatively under-reported in the media north and south of the border. Are Catholic churches in England vandalised and burnt? No. Not even during the whipped-up anti-Pope hysteria last year. Are Catholic churches in Northern Ireland attacked and burnt? Yes. Quite regularly. But they have endured decades of near-civil war over the religious and political divides. Are Catholic churches in Scotland attacked and burnt? Yes. But we are supposed to be a modern, tolerant country – "the best wee country in the world" according to one of the Scottish government's relentless, self-congratulatory, Pravda-style publicity campaigns. This was brought to my attention this morning. In this report on the vandalisation of St Leonard's RC Church in East Kilbride certain details have been withheld. According to parish sources the vandals removed the statue of Our Lady and placed it on the altar where they covered it in paper and cloth and set it alight. Also, the Tabernacle – one of the most sacred objects in any Catholic Church was covered in graffiti. This was clearly a sectarian attack, motivated by the intense anti-Catholic attitudes which have so disfigured Scotland and continues to do so. The fact that a police spokesman, in full knowledge of the specific details of this assault, then claimed it bore no hallmarks of a sectarian incident, speaks volumes. This is what happens every time. http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/culture/jmacmillan/100058597/why-modern-tolerant-scotland-is-still-disfigured-by-sectarian-bigotry/
Are you OK dear? You seem a little upset today. Wanna talk about it? I expressed an opinion. I know in your head there is only allowed to be one opinion and everybody should agree with you but I happen to disagree with that.
I made my point and you're too slow to understand. My point is that it's made up. There is nothing to back up the ****'s stories. The bible is a fairy story. I was pointing out the irony in made up stories about followers of made up stories. Now **** off and bore someone else you doss ****.
Nothing to back up his claims? Except an admission that the data was lost. You see when I say that you know **** all..... well... That is because you know **** all. Now get to steppin' son.
Nobody knows what the data was. 'Legal insiders claim' - that's the dead give away that there is no proof. No proof to back up what he claims. That's his first point and it's based on nothing more than claims from unnamed legal people. Attacks on Catholic churches go largely unreported? Really? That's like saying there are huge amounts of extraterrestrials that live among us. It may be true but there is absolutely no proof. I'm sure there are also attacks on churches, mosques, synagogues, graveyards, community centres, schools etc etc. Are attacks on catholic churches more common in scotland than on any other building? If so where is this ****'s proof? There is none. He cites as proof one attack on the church in EK, which is disgusting but then again so is any vandalism of property. The **** doesn't know any of the details of the attack but is happy to claim that it is motivated by 'intense anti-catholic' feeling. Subjectivity comes in again. That assumes the story is true. His column is all opinion and hearsay with no evidence. Much like the book he follows. As you say, I know **** all. That's because the real information is missing from this article.
the scottish government are seeking to introduce legislation ostensibly seeking to address sectarianism as it concerns football. This article demonstrates that important data is not being considered by the legislators as they lost it. As such, it is reasonable to assert that the football bill is flawed.
If all the data detailed was attacks on catholics (as speculated by McMillan) are more common than on any other religious group, I don't see how it will affect the bill. Surely the leglislation should protect everyone in the country the same irrespective of religion, sexual orientation, political affiliation etc?
It affects the bill because it (potentially) demonstrates that tjis is a societal problem and not a football one. It is therefore reasonable to suggest that without this data, legislators are targeting the wrong areas. Given that the bill was devised to combat sectarianism, a persons sexual orientation. political beliefs and whatever else is entirely irrelevant.... But it isn't. This offensive behaviour ****e has stealthily been introduced and steadily pushed front and centre doesnt address the problem of sectarianism at all
Cos it appears on the screen and I am therefore able to read it? If he spoke I would not be able to hear it.
