Magnus Llwellin, editor of Times Scotland, has endorsed an opinion piece that describes The Famine Song as a theatrical performance.
That was the opinion of Alex Massie as he explained to readers of The Times. Earlier this week Fiona Rintoul was given the same platform to explain that Catholic Schools are partly to blame for the ‘sectarian stuff’ on display across Glasgow last Sunday.
Fifi, it’s not the schools and it is not cuddly Old Firm sectarian stuff. It is racism. You wouldn’t dare to put together a similar piece defending and justifying thousands marching and singing their hatred about Jews, Moslems or any other group other than Irish Catholics.
Since Sunday’s street theatre eight men have been arrested and charged. The previous week two more were caught out with their attitudes to Kyogo Furuhashi.
Only Michael Stewart in the mainstream has highlighted and called out the racist singing inside Ibrox, most of the media has fallen silent in line with the SFA and SPFL.
Over the last few years The Times has been increasingly in line with the most extreme elements of Ibrox related social media, now many of that type are officially on board with the club formed by Charles Green in 2012.
With so-called respectable titles like The Times giving Massie and Rintoul the platform to justify their views it is clear that only dramatic actions from the Scottish Government and Police Scotland will treat anti-Irish racism seriously. Without it Llwellin and others will continue to find ways to promote the last form of racism accepted without outrage.
Two weeks today Glasgow City Council will be accommodating 34 hate marches throughout its boundary.
These sort of articles demonstrate that racism is just as prevalent and accepted in Kelvinside and Bearsden as it is in the areas that the marchers and hingers-oan come from.
Rangers and Celtic fans are as bad as each other .. But the Famine Song should be seen as a kind of theatrical performance, not an invitation to ethnic cleansing, writes ?@alexmassie? in Comment https://t.co/gTNsOun1eH
— TimesEditorScotland (@magnusllewellin) August 31, 2021
In what other country would you see media claiming co-blame following an incident of racism where only one group were present and responsible?
That’s exactly what you’re doing by mentioning Celtic fans; you do realise there are Irish people in Scotland that aren’t Celtic fans?
— Bryan (@BryanMc77) August 31, 2021
He was too busy singing it.
— Yankee1O570 (@Yankee1O570) September 3, 2021
Theatrical performance…… pic.twitter.com/K9JssYXg9S
— Neil ????????? (@mcfadzean_neil) September 4, 2021
You haven’t a clue, have you?
— Mallorca Bhoy (@Mallorca_Bhoy) September 4, 2021
This was a theatrical performance, we got rid of it from tv, then finally from the stage. It had a long history, and took generations to eradicate. The Jim Crow portrayal was deeply resented and damaging.
Hate is not neutralised by distance. pic.twitter.com/WVeYMAPDgs— Riddly (@RiddlywalkerB) September 3, 2021
Sorry that is not the case tell me when you last seen Celtic fans tearing up the streets of Glasgow, Manchester etc etc etc. What racism do you hear coming from the stands at Celtic Park? It’s not Celtic who is under scrutiny here it is Rangers* @Call_It_Out_
— Paul Wilson??????? (@Balnagowan67) September 4, 2021
Alex is part of the problem, if he feels the famine song,is nothing other than a theatrical performance…it was deemed racist in an Edinburgh court in 2009.
— Gerry M ???????????#Refugees Welcome. (@deedondeveron) September 3, 2021
The attitudes behind the Famine Song create violence. They are deeply racist. They are from the types of people who refused to let my dad work in a lot of the factories and foundries in Stirlingshire because he was a Catholic. It’s not “performance theatre”.
— Eddie? (@eddiedoch) September 3, 2021
Did you know that back in the 50s and 60s every team fans called their rivals huns. Rangers fans called Celtic huns and vice versa. As did hibs and hearts fans. What an eye opener it was to learn this.
— Declan Tim (@tim_declan) September 3, 2021
Dear Lord. I like Alex’s writing and enjoy his columns even though I rarely agree with him. But this is a bizarre take. If he had experienced Rangers and Celtic ‘away’ fans he would not have come to the daft conclusion that they are as bad as each other.
— Sandy Matheson ??????????? (@sandymatheson10) September 3, 2021
Should start calling the “Jaffa Jog” and putting out sponsors sheets!
— Ian Lowson (@smuggfifer) September 3, 2021
The Famine Song has been defined in case law in Scotland as explicitly racist. What is being promoted here is the idea that explicit racism, as expressed by a mob on public streets, should just be ignored. Utterly shameful for the Times to promote this.
— Gary Elliot (@GaryE1869) September 4, 2021