Celtic supporters like you and me get to see people do some great things. I’ve watched people put £20 notes into a Foundation bucket when all they were asked for is £2. Giving your money is a selfless act that some can afford more than others, but on Saturday night, around 100 Celtic fans gave their money and more: their time, pretty much their weekend, in order to do what they can for the homeless.
Money raised from the Celtic FC Foundation’s annual Celtic Park Sleep Out will feed and shelter some who the world has left behind in the winter months ahead. The Foundation events are always rewarding, but I have never given as much of my time as those 100 people did this weekend. So respect, where it’s due.
The London Sleep Out happens this coming Friday, details here, if you’re in the vicinity. It takes place in the Whitechapel area of the city, where Br Walfrid worked on leaving Glasgow. I can’t promise to do the Sleep Out next year, but we are in the company of good people whose example makes me want to do more. I will do more throughout the Christmas Appeal and in 2019.
This is your Foundation. It does not belong to the club or to the (now) legion of Celtic fans who pick up the mantle. It is as important a part of Celtic as winning trophies, and it is a lot more important than spending hours online talking about the club. If Celtic fans did not want to participate, it would quickly wither on the vine. Just thought it’s worth a mention.
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Britain’s enemy is not Russia but its own ruling class, UN report confirms
John Wight has written for a variety of newspapers and websites, including the Independent, Morning Star, Huffington Post, Counterpunch, London Progressive Journal, and Foreign Policy Journal. Published time: 19 Nov, 2018 14:48 Edited time: 20 Nov, 2018 07:42
Britain’s enemy is not Russia but its own ruling class, UN report confirms
As the UK political establishment rips itself to pieces over Brexit, a far greater crisis continues to afflict millions of victims of Tory austerity.
A devastating UN report into poverty in the UK provides incontrovertible evidence that the enemy of the British people is the very ruling class that has gone out of its way these past few years to convince them it is Russia.
Professor Philip Alston, in his capacity as the United Nations Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, spent two weeks touring the United Kingdom. He did so investigating the impact of eight years of one of the most extreme austerity programs among advanced G20 economies in response to the 2008 financial crash and subsequent global recession.
What he found was evidence of a systematic, wilful, concerted and brutal economic war unleashed by the country’s right-wing Tory establishment against the poorest and most vulnerable section of British society – upending the lives of millions of people who were not responsible for the aforementioned financial crash and recession but who have been forced to pay the price.
From the report’s introduction:
“It…seems patently unjust and contrary to British values that so many people are living in poverty. This is obvious to anyone who opens their eyes to see the immense growth in foodbanks and the queues waiting outside them, the people sleeping rough in the streets, the growth of homelessness, the sense of deep despair that leads even the Government to appoint a Minister for Suicide Prevention and civil society to report in depth on unheard of levels of loneliness and isolation.”
Though as a citizen of the UK I respectfully beg to differ with the professor’s claim that such social and economic carnage seems “contrary to British values,”(on the contrary it is entirely in keeping with the values of the country’s Tory establishment, an establishment for whom the dehumanisation of the poor and working class is central to its ideology), the point he makes about it being “obvious to anyone who opens their eyes,” is well made.
For it is now the case that in every town and city centre in Britain, it is impossible to walk in any direction for more than a minute before coming across homeless people begging in the street. And the fact that some 13,000 of them are former soldiers, casualties of the country’s various military adventures in recent years, undertaken in service to Washington, exposes the pious platitudes peddled by politicians and the government as reverence for the troops and their ‘sacrifice,’ as insincere garbage.
Rich & powerful distract us with imagined threats to cling onto their gains — RT Op-ed
As inequality increases, the wealthy and powerful become more desperate to cling onto their gains and distract us with imagined threats and political sideshows. Jingoism, Russophobia and red-baiting…
Overall, 14 million people in the UK are now living in poverty, a figure which translates into an entire fifth of the population. Four million of them are children, while, according to Professor Alston, 1.5 million people are destitute – that is, unable to afford the basic necessities of life.
And this is what the ruling class of the fifth largest economy in the world, a country that parades itself on the world stage as a pillar of democracy and human rights, considers progress.
The values responsible for creating such a grim social landscape are compatible with the 18th not 21st century. They are proof positive that the network of elite private schools – Eton, Harrow, Fettes College et al. – where those responsible for this human carnage are inculcated with the sense of entitlement and born to rule ethos that defines them, are Britain’s hotbeds of extremism.
Professor Alston:”British compassion for those who are suffering has been replaced by a punitive, mean-spirited, and often callous approach apparently designed to instill discipline where it is least useful, to impose a rigid order on the lives of those least capable of coping with today’s world, and elevating the goal of enforcing blind compliance over a genuine concern to improve the well-being of those at the lowest levels of British society.”
Here, set out above in bold relief, is the barbarism that walks hand in hand with free market capitalism. It is the same barbarism that was responsible for pushing post-Soviet Russia into a decade-long economic and social abyss in the 1990s, and the values that have pushed 14 million people in the UK into the same economic and social abyss in our time.
Austerity, it bears emphasising, is not and never has been a viable economic response to recession in a given economy.
Instead, it is an ideological club, wielded on behalf of the rich and big business to ensure that the price paid for said economic recession is borne exclusively by those least able to bear it – namely, the poor and working people. It is class war by any other name, packaged and presented as legitimate government policy.
However, in Britain’s case in 2018, this is a war like no other because, as Professor Philip Alston’s report lays bare, only one side in this war has been throwing all the punches and only one side has been taking them.
With Christmas season upon us, the scale of human suffering across the UK ensures that the elaborate ad campaigns inviting us to shop and indulge to our heart’s content – ads depicting the middle class dream of affluence and material comfort – take on the character of a provocation. In fact, they call to mind the truism that wars take place when the government tells you who the enemy is, while revolutions take place when you work it out for yourself.
In austerity Britain, who the enemy is has never been more clear.
To NorrieM & the McCabe family whose mother goes to her rest today may perpetual light shine upon her RIP x
Marspapa…
Tend to agree with you there mate, not a big fan of McInnis but Ryan’s time there seems to have been good for him.
Not forgetting that Ryan himself has put a lot more work into his game.
I wouldn’t be against loaning others to Aberdeen, also has the bonus of pissin off the zombies. ?
Canamalar
13,000 ex-soldiers? Wow .I wonder how that sits with those who wore their Poppies With Pride whilst simultaneously berating those `beggars who foul or town centres`.
I have only read a part of your post as I have to go out but it looks powerful stuff. I will read the rest later ( and Macjay`s likely rebuttal!).
Cheerio for now,
JJ
Canman
Rudd used her speech in the Commons yesterday to dismiss and refute and condemn the report..
Heartless to a man and woman
Is the end of domestic leagues getting a step closer as European matches & tournaments take precedence in the not to distant future ?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/46259269
Canamalar
Great read, thanks.
Particularly liked the end of the article…
In fact, they call to mind the truism that wars take place when the government tells you who the enemy is, while revolutions take place when you work it out for yourself.
In austerity Britain, who the enemy is has never been more clear.
HH
BT
Rudd took the fall from the Windrush scandal saving May’s skin, now with ,Duncan Smith , Esther McVey Lord Freud, May herself & the rest of the architects of the horrific ” Hostile Environment “policy have headed for the hills, leaving millions in poverty & dire straits. Which was a war aimed at the sick & disabled those least able to fight back. But to there credit they did just that
Some or most of these Chancers should be charged with manslaughter as there duty of care to UK citizens was negligent to be almost non existent
MAH
Hope you are recovering and receiving plenty of support
NorrieM
The thoughts and prayers of S and myself are with you and the family today Norrie,
God Bless Janet Noel McCabe,
BLANTYRETIM @ 9 48 .
Saw a lovely clip on Italian tele of Rudd condemning ” the political language” of the UN Report .The correspondent added that obviously there was nothing “political ” about a Govt policy which eg -causes a woman dying horribly with CJD to have to undertake a workplace capability assessment (or else lose her entitlement to benefit !!!)
Even Arlene Foster is on the raging huns’ hit list due to her choice of attire:
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=arlene+foster+green+and+white+scarf&rlz=1C1GCEU_enGB819GB819&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=tGu_ZLTuLTqT2M%253A%252CW_LAU9IfLWll1M%252C_&usg=AI4_-kS-sg5Mw5qOpuD3ys61CxIzreJ-FQ&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiZ1fm-4eLeAhUaM8AKHdyRBucQ9QEwA3oECAQQCA#imgrc=tGu_ZLTuLTqT2M:
SOT
Shocking and on a daily basis it gets worse..
Shameless
South of Tunis, I know you like a wee tune so have a listen to this. Freddie Mercury like you have never seen him before!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sl_4I7vLLc4
Lunchtime – way down south . 22 and raining
3 choons of the day –
The Kingstonians –
https://youtu.be/5Dm1ySbbHs8
The Progressions
https://youtu.be/uHwy2pIX8dg
Roy C-
https://youtu.be/jRwksa5UoKw
!
Off oot to get wet
NORRIEM
Prayers said for you and your family today.
May your Mum rest in peace.
On the way oot .
One of my highlights of last week was Mrs May expressing her admiration for Geoffrey Boycott -that has just been surpassed by the sound and vision of Jacob Rees Mogg expressing admiration for Captain Mainwaring. If David Davis (assuming he’s sober enough ) gets round to expressing his inner Benny Hawkins , I shall think I’m dead and gone to heaven.
BLANTYRETIM IS PRAYING FOR THE KNOX FAMILY on 20TH NOVEMBER 2018 10:19 AM
MAH
Hope you are recovering and receiving plenty of support
———————————————————————————————————————————-
Overwhelming BT to be honest the CQnrs have been outstanding & I would like to thank all who have been in contact online & off showing there support it really does mean a lot Plus the support from my family & Drs & health team has been superb
MAH
Next step is clinical trial on the 5th & 6th of December
MAH,
Great to see you posting good luck on 5/6 Dec.
As regards the Tories despite what they spout it is ALWAYS party before country. You couldn’t mark any of their necks with a blow torch. Then that stupid cow May at the CBI yesterday telling all the workers that they should be thankful to the employers for giving them work and putting food on their tables. Well where would the employers be without a workforce? Up shitcreek without a paddle and no longer employers. It takes two to tango ya moron May. I despair at times.
No doubt we’ll have our resident racist on later defending her, her party and all their policies! ??
Norrie
Thoughts and prayers today for you, your family, and, of course, your mum.
Take care pal.
You too, MAH. take car, mate.
new article posted.
Oot n aboot in Caltanissetta ( a Mafia town .)
Wee pit stop for a much needed ristretto –
This was on the radio . A mighty fine choon from the early 70’s . So good it has to be shared –
https://youtu.be/ofdLIor7c2E
Back to buying provisions !
https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fscontent.fman1-2.fna.fbcdn.net%2Fv%2Ft15.3394-10%2F40558974_274219980093817_1524795621523849216_n.jpg%3F_nc_cat%3D108%26_nc_eui2%3DAeEgyaHFFD1j38X7GHYiv7a3ZXu1e8GloP1FmS1NtlQqqzfk5-JdPdpkwdI6LHb7t7TLA3RW-0cdBBN2zDuQMB4ETP8rHD4Zqe_yTjvQT2CaAA%26_nc_ht%3Dscontent.fman1-2.fna%26oh%3D435f53079150d64826e9a7ea8ed90cd5%26oe%3D5C72B1E4&h=AT1MY927fvG6Sgl7iUOPjaybSEPheut_3d-ydNZOcvmvVQ4MaHe7_eyB5vvCf8gRLPv0aKOC2IW9xI0l4TgzJ6yaxrZnnU9nJd4biuHNqbs6dqkkAY_Pz6UEXHxS6nNl6QA
hope this link works MAH, this is the wee dug that was diagnosed with aggressive cancer, she got oils and within a month the diagnosis was cancer free, the above video was taken last month of her wanting a cuddle fae her mammy, best wishes to you and the McCabe family HH
Paul67
It’s worse than that he’s dead Jim.
SKY aren’t backing the ‘old firm ‘ that died before 2012. SKY are backing standalone skint Sevco, if you can’t see that in the new contract , you can see it before your very eyes with Seethen Gerrard ‘a full English’ face, in your face, with minimised Brendan Rodgers and all his trebles grimming it out, but firmly in the background.
SKY and money are the root cause of modern football as we know it, including all its ills all the way from Sepp Blatter down to the face painter
They are tickled by the appearance of Gerrard in region Scotland and love the notion of an Englishman beating the Irish and Scots and have come up with more sweetie money for Croker, Walker, and Nicholas to fan the flames.
A dreadful day for Scottish Football a dreadful day for all Jock Tamson’s bairns and a vote for the Paul Casgoignesque rascist English mentally that runs through the spine of Scotlands shame masquerading as present day Sevco 5088.
Good evening CQN from a freezing Garngad
With regards the sky advert, can BR not sue sky for using his image as surely he would not agree to be in the background to a rookie manager.??
D. :)