One of life's great joys is travelling to Glasgow to watch Celtic play on a European night. And last night was no exception, a 3-3 thriller against Inter Milan. Wonderful.....apart from the unprecedented and non-stop anti-racist brainwashing which utterly polluted the otherwise wonderful occasion.
Yes, non-stop brainwashing. First the stadium was festooned with the Respect (read: one-directional respect for darkies) and Say No To Racism logos. Priceless advertising space foregone in the anti-racist cause. Then we had a pantheon of the world's top players take over the giant TV screens to solemnly lecture us on the evils of racism. This lecture was repeated a number of times during breaks in the match. Finally we were treated to an anguished report on the now internationally-notorious Paris Horror. This was where a few Chelsea fans shouted racist abuse at a black passenger and refused him access to their train. Had the 'victim' (now a media celebrity) been White and the perps black nobody, not even the passengers, would have given the incident a second thought. But a black victim was guaranteed massive and ongoing international coverage. Even eliciting an impromptu whingefest from the announcer at Celtic Park.who begged Celtic fans to never stoop to such depths.
A fan in a coma for the last thirty years suddenly presented with all of this would be struck dumb in bemusement. He'd ask why the hell a football club is getting involved with all of the - what do you call it again? - 'racism' nonsense.What's it got to do with football? And of course the answer is: nothing. Just about programming the serfs.
But surely this must be obvious to even the most obtuse? Not that I'm suggesting my Celtic fans conformed to this but the occasion did provide me with an ad hoc opportunity to check them out. And they did raise an interesting point in response to my prompting. They asked well who's doing all this then? Who has the power to make Celtic do all that stuff? Who or what is wielding all of this power you speak of? And for what purpose? Now the aftermath of a thrilling football match is an unpromising occasion on which to discuss such matters and the resultant interaction was predictably inconclusive.
But what it did underline for me though, and it's an important point, is the need for an 'elevator pitch' that explains what's happening and why. And do it in a short, concise, accessible and convincing way that encourages people get a sense of the attack being waged upon them.
Maybe there's some material over at BUGS.
More anon.
But surely this must be obvious to even the most obtuse? Not that I'm suggesting my Celtic fans conformed to this but the occasion did provide me with an ad hoc opportunity to check them out. And they did raise an interesting point in response to my prompting. They asked well who's doing all this then? Who has the power to make Celtic do all that stuff? Who or what is wielding all of this power you speak of? And for what purpose? Now the aftermath of a thrilling football match is an unpromising occasion on which to discuss such matters and the resultant interaction was predictably inconclusive.
But what it did underline for me though, and it's an important point, is the need for an 'elevator pitch' that explains what's happening and why. And do it in a short, concise, accessible and convincing way that encourages people get a sense of the attack being waged upon them.
Maybe there's some material over at BUGS.
More anon.








