Neil Lennon as a mirror on Scotland

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When I checked my phone this morning it was full of emails and texts about Kevin McKenna’s seminal article in the Observer on the treatment, or lack of it, Neil Lennon experienced during his years in Scotland. It placed a mirror in front of the former Celtic manager, for Scotland to look at its reflection.

The prime targets were not missed: the Scottish Government, the SFA and the conspicuously idle anti-racism bodies, while the “reserved professions”, the Tories and the C of S were marked for historically nurturing anti-Catholic and Irish sentiment in Scotland.

People outside Scotland will read in horror, perhaps tinged with a whiff of moral superiority that their own communities are not similarly afflicted.  This, ironically, would reflect the moral superiority many in Scotland viewed the English with last week, as a sizeable minority of their apparently poorly-educated, old and white voters backed candidates who align with racist, misogynistic and homophobe views.

In CQN comments section Scotland has often been parodied as the worst small country in the world, which is absurd.  In truth, its panorama of human values vary little from those shared by our neighbours or anywhere across the globe.  To think otherwise invests more weight in racial traits than I’m comfortable with.

Order your dedicated copy of Tommy Gemmell’s All the Best at the fancy new CQN Bookstore.

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1,091 Comments

  1. Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo on

    Well done Hamilton Accies they proved what a good team they were today. Against all the odds and never lost their nerve.

     

     

    HH

  2. Hoop hoop Hooray on

    Terry butcher and kevin thomson hahahahahahahahahahahahaha

     

     

    That is all

  3. embramike remembering wee Oscar on

    We shall not, we shall not be moved ..

     

    We shall not, we shall not be moved ..

     

     

    Not by the ….. Championship ???? :-)

  4. MooooonTheHoops on

    How are ‘thems’ going to follow with no Dundee, Hamilton or anyone associated wi’ the Vatican?

  5. ....PFayr supports WeeOscar on

    Surrendering a two goal lead at home …What a complete balls up

     

     

    Butcher has presided over the biggest bottle crashing ever in Scottish football

  6. hibees relegated is a disaster

     

     

    i used to enjoy my 2 trips a year to the Scorpio Leisure Club just outside the ground

     

     

    there isnt an equivalent club in Hamilton

     

     

    hope we get them in the cup!

  7. Snake Plissken on

    PF Ayr

     

     

    Aye but when would he get that called in the press either?

     

     

    Pat Fenlon got more out of that same group of players and he was bombed out for Butcher.

     

     

    You reap what you sow.

  8. Delaneys Dunky on

    Bye bye Butcher,

     

    Butcher bye bye.

     

    Bay City Rollers City have no team in top flight. Haha

  9. Thunder Road on

    Aint karma a complete and utter beech.

     

     

    Hibee’s laughin at the Jambo’s all season?

     

     

    Does anyone else think we should maybe stop laughin at sevco?

     

     

    Nah…..me neither :)

  10. Just as well we only have one League now or it would be another TV deal.

     

     

    It’s going to a curious top tier next season with no Hearts or Hibs to provide opposition.

     

     

    No wonder Celtic want out.

  11. Tricoloured Ribbon

     

    I think we can top 150 in the south in the south. There was a scandalous article in the Sunday Indo today. They are sick. West brits/Sticks the lot of them – and we are only getting into gear!

     

    I don’t know if this link will work but you can find it under irishindependent.ie

     

    Sinn Fein’s romp has failed to materialise

  12. Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo on

    Thunder Road

     

    18:17 on

     

    25 May, 2014

     

     

    post of the year so far

     

     

    HH

  13. 500,000 immigrants needed to keep me in a pension,

     

     

    Magic, that’s what makes countries great, let them in, let them, and us flourish.

  14. Neil canamalar Lennon hunskelper extrordinaire on

    Awe_Naw..,

     

    Cynicism is healthy but when its all your faced with it wears you down.

     

    Good thing is, I think I have an idea who are healthy cynics simply trying to gauge if progress is real.

     

    There are too many that are just never satisfied and cant read.

  15. TheOriginalSadiesBhoy on

    I have to say Hamilton kept the ball on the deck throughout, passed the ball around in a calm and composed manner and thoroughly deserved their victory. A victory for football over well …… not very much. Hibs are an omnishambles.

  16. Neustadt-Braw on

    congratulations to Hamilton Accies….welcome to the top table ….my old mate Riccardo will be loving this ,he used to play in goal for them …

     

     

    braw

     

     

    condolences to Andy Murrays grandad though …

  17. Real possibility Sevco will not be promoted next year. Watch out for a flurry of honest mistakes…

  18. paolosboots FC before PLC on

    We shall not we shall not be moved … oops need a new song now :-)

  19. ....PFayr supports WeeOscar on

    Snake

     

     

    Fenlon was traduced by all and sundry

     

     

    Butcher proves his ICT experience is the exception to rule ….he’s a pants manager

     

     

    A right hard gig for Sevco next season…

  20. Rock Tree Bhoy on

    I’m sure Deidco will see Hibs and Hearts being alongside them in the championship as a good thing in terms of the revenue it will bring to their league and of course Sleekit will see it as strengthening his hand when it comes to demanding a more cash for signings, however the upside for the rest of us is very good chance it could keep them in the championship for la lot longer than they expect.