The C Word

 

I had one of those experiences you get on social now and then, this week. I said on Twitter that the banner describing Douglas Ross, Scottish Tory leader, as a c**t, was a bit crude and lacked imagination. That’s not to say that I agree with anything Ross or his nasty party does, because I don’t. They have always been the party of the selfish, the imperialist, the Gammons, Brit-Nats and establishment. Grifters who use their chums in the media to help them convince enough people to vote against their own best interests while they enrich themselves at our expense. Rather, it was the fact they played the man and not the ball; there is plenty to slam the Tories for; reducing it to calling a man a ‘c**t’ was an opportunity missed. But that's just my opinion.

Of course, many disagreed with me as is their right, and expressed their whole hearted support for the banner. Most did it in a reasonable way and made points I actually agreed with. A tiny minority went down the depressing route of personal abuse. I never quite get that attitude. It kills debate and makes folk not want to say anything even mildly contentious on social media. It reminded me of the lyric in the Wolfe Tones song, which goes; ‘so this is your democracy-be silent or agree with me.’ Debate is nothing to shy away from, it is healthy and fleshes out the arguments. Personal abuse though, isn’t helpful in any way as it shuts debate down.

A friend sent me a direct message in which he quite clearly and intelligently laid out why the banner was acceptable to him, He said…

‘When I saw the banner, I thought to myself, what is the criteria for being a c**t these days?

If it’s voting against free school meals-Ross is a c**t.

If it’s demonising asylum seekers-Ross is a c**t.

If it’s supporting nuclear weapons-Ross is a c**t.

If it’s trying to destroy the NHS-Ross is a c**t.

If it’s causing ordinary people misery and worry-Ross is a c**t

If there are more food banks because of Tories- Ross is a c**t

If it’s blocking Scotland’s right to Indy Ref 2- Ross is a c**t

If it’s allowing energy companies to fleece us-Ross is a c**t

If it’s supporting policies which increase poverty -Ross is a c**t

If it’s supporting the rape clause-Ross is a c**t

 

It was hard to disagree with any of that and perhaps the difference between me and the people who made the banner is they way it was expressed, not the sentiments on it. If I used the criteria my friend sent me, then Ross is indeed a c**t.

There is an increasing trend of football supporters expressing views the establishment are not happy with. We saw this when the Queen died and conformity and ‘respect’ was demanded. Fans of many clubs refused to tug the forelock and expressed their own opinions on monarchy and the class system it helps perpetuate. Celtic supporters have always been political and have seldom been shy about expressing it. They have also been quick to debate and argue over what form political expression should take and within the bounds of decent debate that’s fine.

As for Mr Ross, I’m sure he has a thick skin and has got the message by now that a majority of Scots have no time for him and his poverty mongering party. That has been the case for since 1955 and I hope it remains so.