I know you're not. I was only joking. I've got a couple of accounts going on here including CapitalBhoy1888
Rangers have no connection with the Army and their fans don't sing songs about their deeds. Even if they did it would only be to cause offence to people who don't like the Army. Blue Moon and Walk On are in no way comparable with singing about the IRA are they really? Whether people like it or not your average Joe in the street will never accept IRA songs as being part of a club's songbook. The only people who accept it as part of our club's history is people who are interested in that sort of thing. I'm not interested in it in the slightest, same as the vast majority of our home support and every time I hear it I cringe, not because I personally oppose it but because of the continuing harm it does our club. It is incompatible with Celtic's image full stop. I know most of the songs are about the "old" IRA, freedom fighters if you like, but people hear IRA songs and think that our fans are glorifying bombers of the 70's and 80's and even splinter groups who still operate today. That is not open to debate, it's a simple fact and it is highly offensive to some. As an analogy, imagine Rangers fans started singing about the events of Bloody Sunday and praising the Army for their actions on that day, could you reasonably argue that they had any right to do so at a football match?
I think some Celtic fans are nearly as bad as Rangers fans when it comes to the high moral ground about the songs Celtic sing. The songs about freedom fighters could not legally be banned because by banning them you are denying part of the Irish culture and Heritage that was agreed as legitimate in the Good Friday Agreement. All friendly nations have to agree to it and the United Kingdom Government are one of the International Signatures. Irish people and people of Irish descent sing these songs wherever they meet. Mock hurt is not a good reason to ban them, and by the way members my family have attended 4 weddings this year. These Weddings both spouses, were members of the Unionists Committee at these four weddings and the bands played Irish Republican songs.
If people want to sing these songs they are free to do so in their own homes, singing about the IRA in a Glasgow pub for example would cause a fight because of the emotions it stirs. Singing the songs inside a football stadium is just as likely to cause a rammy and that is why they should not be sung. Celtic have a huge songbook with fine words about the history of the club, the fans have more than enough material to sing without having to drag our name through the gutter singing song on a subject which is of no interest to the bulk of the support. No one outside of the group of people who do sing the songs cares about which IRA they are singing about, as far as the outside world is concerned we are supporting terrorists.
Dev - Question: How do you know the 'subject...is of no interest to the bulk of the support"? And as for the 'outside world' being of the opinion that "we are supporting terrorists" - I'm not sure how you have arrived at that conclusion. Depending upon the perspective of the Scottish Establishment/Authorities, could it not be the case that their view may be an unfairly biased one and that those powerful authorities are putting pressure on Celtic to conform to their view. In any case, as a Celtic supporter I have to say that I in turn would conform to whatever the club decided regardless of whether I actually agreed with it or not - but I would respect the fact that other supporters may take an entirely different view and attempt to make the club stand up to what they see as 'wrong'! That is why I contend that dialogue between the Celtic authorities and the GB/CSA should take place to try to reach agreement and compromise on the matter.
You should be able to sing ANY song you like without goverment interfereance Its up to CFC to ban songs from Celtic Park as it is their property. But if Salmond bans it we are looking at freedom of speech issues....ironic considering his moosh was on a braveheart t shirt screaming freedom
All British teams too Now if UEFA decide to lay sanctions fair enough, but no one should go to jail for singing....unless its the ginger from girls aloud
Lunatcis shouting anything they wanted as the police stood back and did nout. What do you think would happen? I'm sure a lot of families would be put off going.
That happens already...but it would be the clubs and the leagues responsibility Existing laws such as breach of peace, child endangerment and a few others could be used against individuals or the club Clubs closing doors to fans, league refusing entry, sponsors pulling out These are far better options than a cop looking up a definition of a word before making an arrest Clubs just have to say, it might not be illegal but its not welcome....and actually take action
For the first part, I can tell you for a fact that the MAJORITY of the Scottish fans who support Celtic have NO INTEREST at all in the IRA, you may disagree but it's a simple fact evidenced by the very few people inside Parkhead who sing such songs. If there was such a massive depth of feeling surely the whole crowd would be singing "Ooh ahh up the RA"? I know many many Celtic fans and none of them are part of the CSA, GB, Ultras or the like, and none of them go to Celtic park to sing about the IRA.They go to watch football. When I talk of the outside world I am talking about the world outside of Celtic FC. People see the Provisional IRA as terrorists plain and simple, there are of course a few people who will see them as freedom fighters but they are in the minority. Are the PLO viewed as Freedom Fighters? The Tamil Tigers? The Red Brigade? The Baader Meinhoff Gang? ETA? If you stopped a hundred strangers in the streets of any European City and and asked them who the IRA are, how many do you think would respond "Freedom Fighters" and how many would respond by saying "terrorists"? For the final part where you say "I have to say that I in turn would conform to whatever the club decided regardless of whether I actually agreed with it or not ". Well the club has asked the fans to stop, Neil Lennon has asked them to stop, even Jock Stein in the past asked them to stop, so i'm afraid there is ample evidence that the fans singing these songs don't really care about the club, all they care about it would seem is their own political ideals, they want the right to sing what they want and will not be told what they can and cannot sing, that does not sound like a real Celtic fan to me, if they are willing to put their own ideals ahead of the club then they cease to be real fans.
People in the street believe what they are told Any conflict that cannot be fought on a battlefield, restricting superior arms and strength to a guerilla war will turn the enemy into a terrorist Conventional warfare is not a beacon of higher morality....it just means you are more powerful Check the lists of terrorists organisations PIRA are only considered one in the UK and not in the EU
What's your source for a definitive list of terrorist organisations? Celtic FC are a UK club, we play in the UK and are supported for the most part by citizens of the UK, therefore using your benchmark the PIRA are terrorists are they not? Do you think people are right to ignore the pleas of the manager or do the people singing about the IRA know better than him and the board?
Sadly brainless oafs don't fully understand or see the punishment that the club gets, therefore getting hauled out of the stadium and into a cell works perfectly fine for me. The Real IRA are labelled a terrorist organisation in the EU, UK and USA.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_designated_terrorist_organizations Maybe not the best source Besides arnt they in government now....you're all pals now....let go of the hatred
