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).
[calameo code=0003901718cdc4362fa2e? lang=en page=122 hidelinks=1 width=100% height=500]
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Hamilton
The last sentence ?
The bit about me being a pro board loyalist (maybe loyalist is the wrong word)
But honestly I was very pro board
I used to call Canamalar and others Malcontents for criticising Lawwell
I thought the board were doing a good job living with their means etc
Sipsini
You are over 50? Easy paper round. ;))
If, having been moved to Southern England, the nukes were to go off by accident or through attack, we’ll probably die a slower and more horrible death here in Scotland.
Best to have them dismantled completely or, failing that, for them to go off just up the road. BOOM!
What is the Stars
I’m in the Grand Canal Dock area so hit the Ferryman a fair bit but the whole centre is my oyster really. I think you said before that you drink around the North quays, I like that area too, usually before/after gigs in the Academy
Delaneys Dunky
22:26 on
9 September, 2014
TET
Dalmuir golf course.
Mid `70s.Mid Winter.Late afternoon.Dark.
Hitting off at the 18th.,a par 4, on 85.
Most of my mates had finished their round and were aware that I was on course to break 90.
Several parking above and behind put on their main beams to illuminate the green as I sweated over my break 90 putt.
To be continued.
The vote thing won’t be decided by the likes of us on the blogs, or by those who drink in the pubs and bars over scotland, or those who watch the tele and agree or disagree with the pish being spouted.
It will be decided by the kids, the kids who frequent facebook, and from what my Mrs tells me, the momentum is gaining on a daily basis for a resounding Yes, momentum is so hard to stop once it gets a grip.
The kids give not a jot for the politics of things, they care not about investments, the heath service, banking or whatever, and quite rightly so IMO.
What they see is the crap that they are growing up in, the lack of jobs, the drug addiction, the depravation, women having to sell themselfs for their daily fix, or to feed their familys, the foodbanks, they don’t care about mortgages, they will one day, but not today, and today is what counts for them.
They see all politicians, be they the snp, torry, labour or whatever as liars, thiefs and chancers, they can see what they have done to their familys, all they will see is that they have a chance to change things, and they know that a Yes vote will do that
They will decide the outcome, and it will be Yes.
HH
DD
I know the name, did he drink in the Ponderosa, nae jokes about being a cowboy outfit, or St Convals Club? I stayed there from 1966 till I got married in 1969. Moved back in 71. :-))
Weefra HH praying to Wee Oscar.
D D
I once had a paper shop. But it blew away.
Jude
Who was he playing for?
Coneybhoy
I work near Capel Street (old fruit market area)
Yes we will meet for a pint some time,Paul has my email address if you to ask him for it
Lol. Me and an army of, eh, one. Myself. Which is my whole point. I’m not trying to use influenece.
WITS
Yep it was the ‘pro board’ part and the ‘loyalist’ part :-)
Just over a hour to go – http://bgdvuboy.blogspot.co.uk/2014/09/CELTIC-vs-INDEPENDIENTE.html
Unfortunately the Green Brigade won’t be there on Saturday :-(
“due to the the time-scale of of sorting out 300 tickets”
Hamilton tim
I should said
I was a happy clapper,board lackey etc
Exiled
Beautiful -brought a tear to a glass eye man !
Now we’re voting on our future as if it’s the X-Factor!
Lunatics in total control of the asylum!
Keep up that level of poetry and you could return as WeeEck’s speech writer!
PS -is that Mel I can hear in the background?
HH
philvisreturns
I hope you can forgive me for not welcoming you back earlier, I had intended to, but if the truth be known, I forgot.
Welcome back, and I hope you stay, them podium chasers won’t be too happy to see you back tho >}
HH
Weefra
Shop steward convenor Chrysler. KOSC ST Convals. St Brendans CSC
auldheid
Fair comment, but surely they require a certain depth to operate these submarines and Faslane, like the Holy Loch, are two of very few suitable sites to house these weapons. I stand corrected if wrong. :-)
Weefra HH praying to Wee Oscar.
Jackiemac….
Missed Paul McBride…..
Maybe as a person you did but as a forward progressive thinker…..a potential mover and shaker?
Really?
Seriously?
A life ended short and that is sad……BUT………
He was an opportunistic political chameleon with more faces than the Trongate clock.
Offensive Behaviour At Football Act…….etc,etc,etc
Let’s not be revisionist here.
Aff tae bed…….Night Night
croppybhoy
Am I wrong ?
HH
DD
Ooft, I must know him, was a member of both the Connies and St Brendans. Never worked in Chrysler or was a member of any KOSC. :-))
Weefra HH praying to Wee Oscar.
jamesgang
The sooner your hame the better. Yer getting dafter mair the longer yer away. See ye saturday young mhan. :-))))
Weefra HH praying to Wee Oscar.
sporting hereos voting ?
i bet awe the gowfers are voting no.
Exile
Nothing wrong with the enthusiasm of youth but for a life changing event one should really know what one is getting in to!
100 years ago tens of thousands of young men plunged headlong in to the First World War -over by Christmas etc
How did that work out for all those enthusiastic volunteers?
I don’t know if you are wrong -any more than you can be sure you are correct!
Let’s hope whatever the vote is people can keep a sense of community and not degenerate
in to abuse!
I apologise if you think I have gone too far!
HH
Philvis
O.A.reunion Sydney Sat.night.
Organised by three female O.A.s.
Vintage `91,`92 and `01.
Bring the wee lad.
Mon The Hoops!
22:51 on
9 September, 2014
Clashcitybhoy 22:18 on 9 September, 2014
Looking forward to game on Saturday.
I will be good to see new signings .
Also good to see green brigade back, although let’s not forget CP was famous for its atmosphere long before they came on scene, and will be famous long after they go.
Unfortunately the Green Brigade won’t be there on Saturday :-(
“due to the the time-scale of of sorting out 300 tickets”
===================
aye right with 10,000 empty seats, whos kiddin who with this one.
DD, ya smooth talker :)
Choppy bhoy my Grandfather fought in that horrible war that should have ‘been over by Xmas’ so I empathise completely.
A certain Dr.Death, who Lawell invited on to our board also had a similar mantra in 2002, When he said that ‘not a shot will be fired in anger’ in Afghanistan…..
Absolute C U Next Tuesday of a man……
If only they would listen to this….
The most brilliantly poignant or poignantly brilliant anti war song of all time IMHO
The Green Fields Of France – YouTube
► 5:58► 5:58
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntt3wy-L8Ok
4 May 2007 – Uploaded by anarchynotchaos
Song by The Fureys and Davey Arthur. Written By Eric Bogle.
croppybhoy
No I don’t think you have too far, but do you honestly believe that the kids of today are that much different from those who went to war ?
I personally don’t think they are that much different, aye times have changed, but the mindset of the kids haven’t IMO.
They in the main don’t bother about politics, and why should they, but they see how politicians have damaged their family’s lifes.
I never said either way if it’s right or wrong, but I see the kids, via facebook are jumping on the Yes bandwagon.
Fat Eck pulled a masterstroke by reducing the voting age to 16 for the vote, and I believe it will pay off for him.
HH
philvisreturns
Good to see you posting again; was not happy as a not happy clapper ; -))
The agreement with Celtic, apparently, is to have season tickets (therefore not enough time to sort out 300), so hopefully for the Motherwell home game it will be sorted out.
THE EXILED TIM
23:11 on
9 September, 2014
I wonder if he would have handed the keys of a Ferrari to a 16 year old of his own without insisting on driving lessons?
An irresponsible judgement imo.
Going holiday on Friday postal votes submitted today look forward to hearing the outcome of the vote when I am in thailand a drink will be raised in celebration.
Rye
Beautiful hymn. Poignant and sad but beautiful. :)
D D
Cant recall that. I was in ma pram..
no. 13
Seriously.
Disagree with the content. But you nor I have the right to tell Paul67 what it is he discuss’s in his articles. His time, his effort and his money has created this dear green place and he pretty much affords us all the right to post as we please barring bad language etc.
MWD says AYE
the exiled tim
22:48 on 9 September, 2014,
Both my teenage kids are voting yes, without any input from me.
Your post covered their feelings, that they conveyed to me whilst deciding where they would put their “X”.
Mrs TET is on the mark re: from what my kids tell me, a resounding yes.
TBJ, should get that info tomorrow mate.