So you're clear that I haven't changed any posts, haven't altered my 'assertions'? Am I now worthy of your 'respect'? <condescendingwankersmiley> An 'IRA ditty' to my mind would cover lines like 'ooh ahh up the 'ra', regardless of the content of the rest of the song - that apparently is overly simplistic in your view. I did not bring up 'rebel songs' during this thread, nor have I asserted none be sung, merely that songs that 'mention the IRA' (from my infamous 'altered' post 28 ) are those that get us in trouble, hence should be cut out the repertoire. As for the shotgun metaphor, from the very beginning I said I was not interested in which particular IRA chant was the 'one' we'd been reported for (post 58). Merely that it was an "pro-IRA chanting" (you know - from the quotation I gave which you dismissed out of hand) that was the 'shotgun'. Which part of that viewpoint counts as 'gymnastics'? Which part of that argument is unclear, illogical, or has shifted since the start of the thread? You may well be right that each and every 'rebel song' per se will not get us in trouble, but so what? Unless you're saying that all 'rebel songs' are by definition IRA chants, that wasn't the premise of the thread in the first place - that you misunderstood is hardly my fault. You also seem to be of the opinion that because 'ooh ahh up the ra' was specifically mentioned but not other songs, then all those others have somehow been given 'the green light'. I'm not sure it follows actually... Whilst you scrabble around trying to justify 'rebel songs' at football games, my viewpoint was, is and will remain to be that it is the responsibility of fans to cut out songs and chants which have done and could lead to damage to our club.
I recall a great deal of consternation when the Green Brigade made this very point... Only the politics has changed.
Why are you writing 'rebel songs'? What is your motivation for doing this? You referenced ' IRA ditties' it turns out not to be an IRA ditty at all. It turns out to be a Celtic ditty (singular). You cite this as proof to get rid of ditties- plural. You now say that I may be right that rebel songs might not get us in trouble. So you concede that the debate is not over. You can reiterate your argument. But you cannot say that the argument is over. Correct?
Don't talk pish its only too complicated a question because rebels involved hes just an IRA sympathizer. How Oh ah up the Ra is considered a celtic song in his book is ****ing beyond me, the **** is clearly deluded. It would be like claiming the famine song is a rangers melody.
I hate to disagree again Reb but any song which mentions the IRA is not a "Celtic" song/ditty/whatever. It may well be called the "Celtic Symphony" and it may have been written by someone claiming to be a Celtic fan/supporter but that does not mean it's a "Celtic" song, especially when only a minority actually choose to sing it. If I penned a tune and called it "Celtic United" or something, and included words that in my opinion summed up what it meant to be a Celtic supporter, that would not make it any more valid than some song chosen at random. They used to play "Bridge over troubled waters" at Parkhead on matchdays for example, it does not necesarilly follow that is then a "Celtic song".
Why am I writing 'rebel songs'? Because you keep banging on about them as if I'm suggesting they should all be banned. I've never suggested any such thing. I also never said 'rebel songs' were getting us in trouble in the first place. I said IRA chants/ditties etc etc. You keep on saying the debate is not over - it really should be as far as IRA chants go - they got us a fine, it's really that simple. This time it was 'ooh ahh, up the ra', another time it may be 'P I R A', another time it might even be BOTOB (all of which have been cited as things we shouldn't sing by the board and have been picked up in the press). As I mentioned it's a bit of leap to suggest that all songs other than the Celtic symphony have now been vetted and given the OK simply because they weren't cited by UEFA. On the other hand, 'the Fields of Athenry' is undoubtedly a 'rebel song' ("I rebelled against the crown") but I have no problem with it being sung because it's clearly not an "IRA ditty" and I don't for a second believe we'd be charged for singing it. As I've said a song which includes a chant of 'ooh ahh up the ra' may not be an "IRA ditty" in your book, it is in mine (and also evidently in those in a position to report, charge and fine us). If the words are changed to 'oooh ahh up the celts' as on the 'official' version then, it is unequivocally no longer an 'IRA ditty'. I don't believe you're this stupid so why is my position so difficult to follow?
One of our great problems is that to the best of my knowledge nobody knows what the alleged "illegal chanting at the Rennes match was. When it was first disclosed that a failed SPL referee and currently a copper had reported Celtic fans to UEFA nobody that had attended the match said that they had heard any illicit chanting. Smith had not the common decency to inform Celtic. Really the situation at this time Celtic and the Celtic fans have to accept the word of an ex SPL referee and a current police-officier. Both these occupations have reputations as not been over generous with the truth.
Imagine my surprise that your only argument 5 pages ago was because they didn't know what the song was when they did, now they do your still think you have a leg to stand on. You must feel like a real ****ing fool you act is if its just me that's speaking sense, unfortunately as far as i can tell everyone else thinks that "Oh ah up the Ra" is in fact an IRA chant, which in turn is political (according to you) and even more so is offensive. Give up rebel your just digging your hole deeper.
By the same token just because the song references the IRA, it does not make it an "IRA ditty". I accept your previous assertion that the lyric in question has been sung in isolation. I have never paid any heed to it and it doesn't serve either of our arguments to debate it. Punishing the club for the support singing abut what some imaginary graffiti might say is absolutely ridiculous. Punishing the club for its supporters singing that particular lyric is still ridiculous, but I can at least fathom it.
