The Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Act (20

I'm here all week

 

And threrein lies the crux of the matter in my opinion. It seems to me - and tell me if I am wrong - that you believe the expression of strongly held views about matters relating to Irish Liberation, for want of a better catch-all term, are an inalienable right. I am not disputing that they are. Where we cannot agree is that this right is free to be exercised in any public forum ( in this instance the context of expressing it in a football stadium ) where people have an equal inalienable right not to be exposed to these views. Just as I would not accept or tolerate taking my son to watch a football match, or a rugby match, or the cinema, or a concert and listen to the political rhetoric , or indeed mere support of the BNP. I likewise do not accept or tolerate him being exposed to the political rhetoric or support of Irish Nationalism. Or radical Islam. Or Black Power. Or Gay Rights. Or Catholicism. Or Protestantism.. And so on. It is not for others who believe in these things to make that determination for either me or him.

To me , that is the whole point of the Act. I dont perceive it as " evening up " or criminalising a certain set of beliefs.
To me it is the very necessary enshrinement of the publics right not to be exposed to belief systems in public that they may find offensive, while doing nothing to disallow those beliefs appropriate expression in an appropriate forum.

I respect your right to these beliefs.The agenda or strong beliefs you have prevents you from seeing the other side of the coin here and that is, my equal right not to have these issues foisted upon me in the context of attending an event for the purposes of entertainment.


I`m sure we will never see eye to eye on this, but I actually quite enjoy debating it - however I`m happy to leave it there and leave you with the last word if you wish





Well, I`ll try to anyway

 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

RL.

 

I genuinely think you're mentally ******ed.

 

This. Put in much better words than I ever could

 

The problem is what people find offensive ...

If people find ROH offensive because the associate the song with terrorists as , in thier opinion, the guys who killed themselves - in the name of a republican cause - belonged to terrorist organisations (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_designated_terrorist_organizations) then that is their right. That's what the law is about... to minimise the offense at football grounds. You cannot force them not to ...no matter how big a leap you think it is (I dont think it's that big a leap to be honest).

It doesn't have to be sectarian to be offensive...

If you attend a Gary Og concert, then you are pretty confident that everyone there is of a like mind, so no one can take offence at the songs being sung.

However, at a football grond, you can also be pretty confident that not everyone is of a like mind/shares your viewpoint, so expect that what you sing might offend someone.

As such, Celtic have asked for "political" songs to not be sung at Celtic Park as you might breach the law ... so, the easiest thing to do is to stop it and then take your protest elsewhere.

A good suggestion would to be stand outside the Scottish Parliament singing "political" songs ...

 

Not wanting people to be arrested for singing = mentally ******ed?

In that case I don't want to be sane

 

There you go again, skirting round the actual reason for being arrested, which is singing songs that are deemed offensive (by law, nonetheless). Not for "singing".

You're either deliberately obtuse or just plain thick. Either way, you represent an element of spasticated Celtic fans, with their diddly dee Rebel songs, that are just a complete pain in the arse.

Simply put, **** off elsewhere to sing your victim songs and your historical references to Irish independence, you bunch of victim-playing paranoid ****s.

 

Even more simply put; **** Irish rebel songs.

 

Making it criminal to be offensive is silly. Looking to be offended by a song that makes no offensive remarks is desperate. Defending these positions is worrying

Complaining about finding songs offensive while yourself are being offensive is....I'm sure there is a word for that but I'm too thick to think of it

I just hope you don't swear when you go to the football, you nasty offensive type of person

 

Did you read what RL said?

 

The only reason it has become a criminal offence is because of people like you - who ironically are the people complaining its become a criminal offence.

Because you can't think for yourselves what may or may not be acceptable in this day and age they have had to bring in a law to spell it out to you to get it to stop

 

It's what the song is about that people find offensive. Given that the club's meant to be welcoming to all people of all backgrounds, then even more reason to get rid of the backward rebel songs.

What's desperate is you thinking I can't call you what you are on an internet football forum because I support the ban on bollocks like ROH being sung at Celtic Park and elsewhere

At least Rebel tries to appear smart FFS. You're almost proud of being a downer.

 

I dont mean to keep biting - but just can't help it

Whilst the words of the song may not say outright "we wish were up to our knees in British blood" can you not see that mentioning the IRA generally (or Republicans), due to some of their acts on British shores, could be considered offensive to people IN BRITAIN?

Irnonically the GB have had issues with commemorating British Soldiers due to acts they committed in IRELAND - yet still cant see it

 

The song is about the deaths of men carrying out a peaceful protest and the club is happy to play songs penned by the leader of those protesters. The song isn't offensive, people choose to be offended because of who the protesters were affiliated with

Being thick, I could be wrong about this, but the word I might have been looking for is hypocrite...dunno...it seems to fit with your last post. The "offence" doesn't interest you. You just want the songs you don't want to hear at football stopped...buy it is at any cost and that is worrying and, forgive me for being offensive...stupid

The offended really need to grow up, nobody is threatening them or slandering them.

 

Yes, the same GB who found the poppy so offensive they spent weeks making a banner about it.

 

Are you telling me that I have no right to be offended by this song? You cannot think of ANY reason whatsoever why ANYONE would be offended?

Is there ANY subject which you DO think is offensive?

 

I don't believe it was a law that anybody asked for nor was it needed

 

RoH is less offensive than Flower of Scotland imo

Tell me what offends you