Free Speechand the Offensive Behaviours Act.

[franton]

Free Speech and The offensive Behaviours Act.

The Ins and Outs of the Offensive Behaviours at Footballs Act is at this stage beyond the comprehension of a non-legal mind such as mine; and probably most other people as well, as witnesseed by the reaction of the Legal fraternity and some practitioners who said it was "Unworkable". Hmmm.... Must be something to do with the integrity of its introduction, me thinks, as it all seemed to done so hurriedly following the
"Game of Shame"
where three, or was it four? Old Co. players were sent off at Celtic Park. It seems that the Act is the politicians imnterim solution to that ever present problem in Scotland of
"Sectarianism".
"Sectarianism" has yet to be defined by any proponents of its opposition, the politicians, yet the term is bandied about in a way that suggests that if you don't know what it means then you must be exemplary because "We All Know" what it is and how awful a blight it is on Scottish society.
The impression is also laid that the poiliticians are doing all they can to eradicate it, yet they cannot define its meaning. How do they propose to eradicate it, if as it seems, they are unable to define it? The rest of us have to live with their inability to control it, as it is made manifest in obnoxious anti-social behaviour, especially after what used to be known as "Old Firm" matches. The politicians must be sitting, eying their winnings gleefully, awaiting the next hand to be delt after Old Co. shot themselves in the foot/back or whatever it was and got themselves into Liquidation problems.
And so they seem to have raised the stakes somewhat and have taken a ride on their luck to have a go at the Celtic support as well! From a gamblers point of view, they are up on the demise of Old Co. so why not have a go at Celtic, since if they don't win, they will still be up on Old Co. and they don't have to gamble such a big stake and they are going to come out winning anyhow! Celtic are the other "Half" of the problem, so why not gamble and go for the jackpot with the minimum stake? They can leave it to the Courts and the Celtic Supporters, who inadvertently or otherwise get in the way, as it were, of the "Legislation" and let them sort it all out. That is how it seems to be! The problem for the rest of us is that if the Politicians are unable to define what the problem actually is, then it will be up to us to find the solution with minimum help from them!
The problem seems to be a question of "Free Speech". Celtic fans wish to express their God given Right to a free expression of their cultural identity. Banned songs like
"The Fields of Athenry" and "The Boys of the Old Brigade"
are to the establishment provocative or what have you. But to the Scots-Irish, they are songs which, when sung are a legitimate way of expressing their distinct cultural identity. They are only offensive if you don't like them! They offer a representation of Irish history as winessed by the Irish. They are indeed a legitimate expression of cultural identity.To say that you can't sing them is an infringement of our right to free speech and the right to express in a peaceful way,our cultural identity as Scots-Irish Celtic Supporters. It is an act of racism in itself because it denies us the right to express our ethnic and cultural identity. The reason the politicians cannot see that and the Legals can is because the Poli's. cannot or will not understand the problem in the first place. They cannot reasonably define their own term "Sectarianism" because it is a euphamism for societal problem they would rather ignore, or at least not tackle head on, until hopefully it goes away or ameliorates itself into a form which is capable of being tackled. You have to say "Good On Them" and praise them for their shrewdness! Time is, as they say, a great healer!