Amid all the debate about oil, currency, pensions and a million other items, I’m surprised higher questions have not been asked about our cultural identity. I’ve never said I’m British in my life, I’m Scottish, but the full story is more subtle than that.
Despite being a football fan, a Scot and a Gordon Strachan fan, I watched another channel when Germany-Scotland was on. My sense of personal identity, the anthems I cherish, the emblems I’ve always worn, my ‘national’ community, is the one I share with you.
I know we have a large number of England-supporting, English-Celtic fans here, just as there are Ireland-supporting, Irish, and Scotland-supporting Scots, but some of us feel our strongest affinity among our urban, west of Scotland-based, Celtic community. This community will only ever march behind a green flag. There is nothing wrong or unpatriotic about this, finding your own identity is what multiculturalism is all about.
There are a thousand more national identities than actual nations, but why do many of us feel more like sons of Jock Stein, than Jock Tamson, or (cough) John Bull?
I don’t think there is a single British, or Scottish, cultural institution I feel an attachment to. I was really caught up with the whole Mo Farah/Jessica Ennis-inspired Super Saturday at the Olympics – delighted at the success of British athletes, but later that day, when Ki stepped forward to take the decisive kick for South Korea against GB, I punched the air with joy. The whole Burns Night thing feels like someone else’s party.
In fact, it’s worse than not having an affinity with a British cultural institution, our Celtic community is marginalised by competitors in the south. If Scotland, which is perhaps more bound-up in tribal football culture than anywhere on the planet, had EQUAL access to the UK’s cultural markets, would we feel so excluded?
I know there are many who are happy with the way sentiment is going right now, but if those intent on saving the union want to get busy on some urgent nation-building, they should set about removing the two-tier cultural divide which keeps our club, our community, from the top table. We pay an obligatory BBC tax to subsidise an England and Wales league, our non-tax-based pay TV money goes the same way. This is a distorted market, with Scotland obscured by an England-Wales cartel. As a result we’ve been drained of talent and financial muscle for a century.
Football is not controlled by politicians, but it can be, and is, influenced by them. Westminster is speaking with a more unified voice than I’ve ever known right now. Its voice should be clear: Scotland needs equal access to the UK’s cultural markets, including football.
Our exclusion is intolerable, unfair, has fermented disaffection and must end, irrespective of what happens next week. Why would Westminster politicians be unable to say this?
Let’s hear you.
The fantastic new edition of CQN Magazine is out today. You can read it, for free, here, at it’s dedicated site (don’t try to read on the graphic below).
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‘Mon the Girvan Welsh!
…rummel thum up.
Bawsman @ 12:33
Do you think Ireland has become impoverished by being self governing … ?
FF
Paul67
are you asking for a bribe from the Better Together people to afford Celtic access to the EPL?
MWD says AYE
ernie lynch
12:26 on
9 September, 2014
If I though football would die in an independent Scotland, I’d still vote for it. As much as I love it, it’s quite far down the list of priorities in life.
Moonbeams WD. Wee Oscar’s our Bhoy and Kano’s our mhan,
Read my question. The words n it.
“What has my view on Sky and Scottish football got to do with Labour Party policy on social justice?”
ERNIE LYNCH
Seriously,someone managed to post under your moniker?
Disgraceful if true,and no reason to disbelieve you. Next thing will be posts seemingly from me suggesting that I’m in the pub when I’m not,honestly,Mum.
FWIW,I reckon the Croydon theory was about you,not from you. Another lie told often enough
Paul67,
Light touch paper and stand well back – good blog lead…..ha ha ha!!
Folly Folly
12:35 on
9 September, 2014
Bawsman @ 12:33
Do you think Ireland has become impoverished by being self governing
=====================================
Ask an Irishman.
The way I see it from afar…Ireland has had major problems, many families/businesses destroyed as the Celtic Tiger crashed and burned with not enough cash in the bank to bail it out.
Long, slow, painful journey out of a hole financed to a large degree by very fair loans from the Bank of UK.
BAWSMAN 1233
That was a concern of mine in the devolution referendum and the sixteen years since have done nothing to allay those fears.
Too many politicians for a country this size,and too many layers too.
Used to be a toon coonsillor and an MP.
If you had a problem you knew where to go and they would help you out.
Now,hunnersa options and none of them give a monkeys.
Oh sorry, i must have stumbled into (SIQN) scottish independance quick news.
Why do folk post links to Nationalist propoganda to ‘make their point’? What a waste of band width.
This is a one time post from Weeminger to show that it’s possible to have any nickname displayed on the board without it being the result of a hack, or access to another account. I’ll go back to my proper name now.
Paul67,
Perhaps you can clarify your article but it appears to be suggesting that Celtic is the only thing that matters and that “nation building” should be centred on giving Celtic access to the EPL.
You seem to say that this decision should be about identity and since my identity is Celtic that’s what I should base my vote on. Have I misunderstood?
We all think football is important. We all think Celtic is important but when it comes right down to it we know it’s not. My oldest is doing an HND – Celtic or his education? My other son was knocked off his bike on Sunday and needed all sorts of tests and care to ensure that he didn’t have a serious head or spinal injury – Celtic or his health? The answer to these questions are obvious.
I’m not suggesting that either side is better for health or education but I am suggesting that anyone who uses the fortunes of Celtic to make their decision in a vote of this significance demeans democracy and seriously needs to question their priorities in life.
NegAnon2
Tell me, how are Yes voters going to feel in the event of a narrow No victory?
Seems to me that is democracy, you pays yer money and takes yer chance.
HH
NegAnon2
11:37 on 9 September, 2014
I read back with increasing dismay at the fervour whipped up by some on the site. The jingoistic, fervent nationalism. The triumphalism.
It reminded me of other groups and other times.
Bobby Scotland will be utterly divided post the vote. And the bitterness and rancour and triumphalism won’t stop after the referendum.
Many if the yes voters are voting yes because they see a democratic deficit. Tell me how are no voters going to feel in the event of a narrow yes victory.
It will certainly seem a democratic deficit. Things will be done which I want no part of.
But it was ever thus when nationalism and patriotic fervour replace sensible thinking.
Nick Griffinust be reading in here.
@nickjgriffinbnp: Disappointing that no British Nationalist websites have run calls to save the Union. Much of ‘Scots’ Yes pressure comes from Marxist Fenians
Epic fail. Weeminger attempts the impossible once again, before normal service resumes.
I have been called both of those names but never at the same time,
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS
12:40 on 9 September, 2014
The Croydon thing was started by Tom Molach who asserted that he knew who I was and that I lived in Croydon.
He appears to be a recent poster who only appeared after the referendum was announced.
I suspect it was initially a genuine error on his part, he thought he knew me, but by the time he realised he didn’t, he didn’t want to lose face by admitting his error so he just kept up the pretence.
I did say to him that if he was so sure of who I was he had my permission to publish the details. He never responded.
It’s all a bit sad really. This used to be a blog about football.
So I changed my profile nickname to ernie lynch. Let’s not all start doing it. It’ll lead to much confusion. (Better still if the mods could make it uneditable).
Ernie,
That’s much more like it – an intellectual post that we can all empathise with!
HH
ernie lynch
12:09 on 9 September, 2014
I like taking 3 action men in the bath with a plastic shark and recreating Jaws, The one difference is that Hooper and Brody become lovers in the end, embracing each other on Mount Hairy (which is my leg).
It’s a moving and powerful bathtime which leaves me sobbing every time.
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS
12:45 on
9 September, 2014
======================
Got to agree mate, my uncle Tam was a JP who new how the cogs turned and knew how to fix the broken bits, if he couldn’t get the leverage he new a man what can.
He was purely motivated to help folk, it wasn’t a career, it was what he loved doing.
Gordon_J
So it wasn’t a masked dig at Wee Eck, SNP and Independence. Glad to hear it.
MWD says AYE
Bawsman,
Exactly, why don’t they just make up their own “facts” like the other side do!
Ernie Lynch @ 12.15
Sorry,
I actually burst out laughing at my desk
Funniest thing I’v read on this blog
Oh my good God… I cant stop!!!
BMCUP,
I think there are far too many local authorities in Scotland and far too many councillors.
But MSPs? Currently there are 129 to deal with devolved issues only. The proposal for an independent Scotland is still to have 129.
Now given the large number of new responsibilities – economy, welfare, defence, foreign policy, etc. – you would assume that more ministers, more shadow minsters and more committees will be needed. Also the amount of constituency business is likely to rise.
So either we have MSPs with a hell of a lot of spare time at the moment or we won’t have enough if we go independent.
A see we’ve got hewi, dewi and lewi coming up the morra.
They’ve commissioned their own train, that better be coming oot o the bettertogetherrrrrrs budget, better no be coming oot ma taxes! !.
Already posted my vote hope they dinnse lose it.
Aye aye.
At least I now know what really happened to Quints orca eh Ernie?;)
Moonbeams WD – 12:29
“I will state it once again. this is not about wee Eck or the SNP. It’s about real Social Justice.”
And not a peep about redistributive taxation from the SNP Scottish Governement though, instead, no matter how wealthy you are your council tax has been frozen for the past 7 years, and you still get your free prescriptions despite been well abel to afford to pay, and wee Nicola has guaranteed your wealthy sprogs will never EVER have to pay tuition fees for their further education.
Real Social Justice – aye right
Ernie
Goan. Goan. Goan. Goan. Goan.
It’s simple.
Just think back.
Hmmmmmmm! Did I state i stayed just outside London?
Goan. you can do it.
Dug wae a bone.
Need to give you peace for a couple of hours. Life and meetings.
But as Arnie says. I’LL BE BACK!
MWD says AYE
Ernie,
I see you are claiming someone else posted under your name, you should check back over the past couple of weeks as it seems to have happened a few hundred times.
Gordon J
I suspect that Rupert Murdoch has bigger fish to fry than Alex Salmond (no pun intended). Every politician is being used by Rupert’s Murdoch, whether they cooperate or not.
He wants to see the UK out of the EU. It is more probable that this can happen if there is a solid right-wing majority in rUK. So the Dirty Digger will be happy to see Scotland go off on its own, he takes a longer-term view, and he’s only interested in controlling markets.
And although I’d be delighted to see Celtic playing in the EPL, it is still a Murdoch creation (via Sky). None of us are really immune to the seduction.
ernie lynch @ 12.15
That could have been your best post ever and you disowned it?
Paul67 says aye n naw?
Gordon_J backing Neil Lennon
12:51 on 9 September, 2014
Gordon, my guess is that the Scottish Civil Service will be beefed up to take up the additional burden imposed by being an independent State.
A Ceiler Gonof Rust.
Happy anniversary to you and your wife.
Paul has just posted another reason to Vote YES!
If you for one minute think that our lot is going to change vote No… It’s gotten only worse in the past few years.
googybhoy ♥ celtic
12:48 on 9 September, 2014
———-
Beat me to posting that and your follow up post :)))
GORDON J
As an example,there is one representative in Parliament per 40k population in Scotland.
One per 90k in the UK.
One per 600k in the US.
We are over-represented. As quantity increases,quality decreases.