After generations of attempting to change its image, largely successfully, tomorrow Glasgow takes a massive step back into the dark ages.
Less than a year after throwing the city open for the Commonwealth Games, the city that recognised Nelson Mandela while he was still a terrorist will reinstate the view that Catholics are second class citizens.
Orange Walks, celebrations of triumphalism and hatred, have apparently been pegged back in recent times with the burden of policing and polluting the streets no longer acceptable in a cosmopolitan city.
Once a year, on the first Saturday of July, the city becomes a no-go area as low-lifes from darkest Ayrshire, the dregs of Lanarkshire and the half-wits of Lothian and Fife join up with marchers from Ireland to legally parade their superiority and advertise their hatred of others through Glasgow city centre.
All this at a time when football fans can get a criminal conviction for singing a song that reached the top twenty in the UK charts less than two years ago!
Rather than edge the marchers further towards the periphery of city life, Glasgow City Council are playing their part in the laughable Orangefest which is apparently about opening up the ‘culture’ of the marchers to give others an insight into their ‘traditions’.
Demonstrating their own levels of tolerance and respect for the democratic process the Orange Torch newsletter branded Scotland “nation of psychiatric basket cases” calling the Scottish electorate “barking mad” for being “won over by the lying propaganda and fruitcake delusions of the SNP”.
The mind boggles at the thought process that allowed this farce to get off the ground.
Not content with putting the city centre out of bounds once a year GCC are now doubling the inconvenience by encouraging another parade of hate. Will they come up with another excuse for intolerance next year- why not turn the city centre into a no-go area every summer Saturday?
Saturday’s stunt has been given little publicity by the council. Rumours started last weekend on social media with most right thinking folk believing that it was some sort of set up. Surely Glasgow CC couldn’t be so out of touch?
Like their comrades that used to make an easy living from Westminster the Labour run council have lost all touch with reality- highlighted by Saturday’s folly.
Over 26,000 people have signed an online petition protesting against the Orangefest.
Typical of the comments are: “It’s a disgrace to have this or any form of Sectarian, racist and divisive gathering promoted as a festival. What are Glasgow council thinking of?
Another added: “I’m sick of my voice going unheard in relation to sectarian, hate filled orange marches. Now we have to put up with Orangefest. We demand that GCC answer to the people of Glasgow as to why this was allowed to go ahead in a city centre location on a busy Saturday. Gordon Matheson must be held accountable.
Another petitioner added: “To end the hate culture that this march brings. It has no place in society and generally drink fuelled people wanting to cause trouble. People who I might add probably have no clue why they are marching just want to cause trouble.”
From the city that refuses to commemorate the Irish Famine or allow on March 17 a St Patrick’s Day parade the message is loud and clear, beneath the PR veneer Glasgow is a city locked in the ignorance of the 1950s while the rest of the world moves on ditching the sick baggage that was once tolerated.
CLICK HERE to sign the petition.