Susan Aitken, leader of Glasgow City Council has said that the public mood has reached “tipping point” with regard to the anti-Catholic “hate crime” associated with Orange marches.
I hope she is correct in her assessment.
You can read it here.
A petition to “Call time on the Orange walk in Glasgow” has over 79,000 signatures at the time of writing.
The right of peaceful assembly is a cornerstone of any functioning democracy.
However, just as free speech stops at shouting “fire” in a theatre then the hate fest that is Orangeism has to be carefully examined.
For the avoidance of doubt, this is 2018, even in Glasgow.
There is a parade in the city today that shows the place in a much better light.
After the angry storm clouds of Orangeism and the shameful scenes outside of St Alphonsus, there is a rainbow of LGBT pride on the Clyde.
My friend and colleague Angela Haggerty is out on the road today.
Her outfit is about love and diversity.
The Orange sash is about exclusion and hate.
I hope Ms Aitken is correct about a “tipping point” being reached in Glasgow.
If she is serious about that then her council should re-consider the ridiculous “Orange fest” idea.
It is always a worrying development when fascism is publicly funded.
Glasgow is better than the Orange Walk and once it acts on that then it will be something that the whole city can have pride in.
Phil, Your Blog on 12th July ended with the call “Over to you, Nicola” so the announcement by Susan Aitken is a welcome start.
I share the hope of Susan Aitken that the public are scunnered with the annual parade of anti-Catholic bitterness. Call it what they will, no reasonable person should consider these marches, as Kevin McKenna seemed to do in yesterday’s Herald, as standing up for the symbols of Christianity. Equally, the protection of tradition or culture are weak arguments in support of noisy demonstrations outside Catholic churches, or playing anti-Catholic tunes.
Hell, the BBC World Service, I recall, had the anti-Catholic Lillibullero as its signature tune for decades, maybe still does. (Opening line: “Ho, brother Teague, dost hear the decree?)
During decades of domination of Glasgow City Council by Labour, councillors failed to put restrictions on the marches. It was easy to push the blame on to the followers, many sporting their RFC tops.
Now there is a council that is governing Glasgow with a minority. It is not going to be easy to introduce restrictions
I’m just saying, don’t expect matters to change overnight. Glasgow needs to build a cross-party and public consensus. No more feeling that we just have to put up with it. Susan Aitken’s statement is a brave start.
Shouting “fire” in a theatre is legal.
As a journalist you should look into the history behind this nonsensical concept and maybe you’d be less willing to use it. (Hint: it had to do with speaking out against the draft, and was later admitted as a mistake by justice Wendell Holmes.)
Hi Phil – any chance you can ask your tech expert to allow us to open links in another tab?
Press “CTRL” when clicking the link on a windows PC.
well said if angela susan and nicola got together we could have our wee green place back three queens against the jaffa hh
I am not a Catholic myself, but it amazes me that our society continues to tolerate this anachronistic carnival of sectarian hatred.
A march celebrating the deaths of black people, gay people or any other identifable social grouping would not be entertained for one moment.
So why is a march celebrating the deaths of Roman Catholics – explicitly, in banner form – allowed to proceed?
Except where free speech is actually enshrined in the constitution Nazi marches celebrating the deaths of 6 million Jews are actually allowed. So perhaps you should try to understand the purpose behind free speech before you attack it. I suggest some enlightenment authors might give you context of why it was important then and why it’s important now.
The Purpose of free speech is not to hide behind it in order to push yer outdated f- up ideologies onto those who have absolutely no interest in it or you?
These parades only serve one purpose.
Fanning the flames of division.
Get them tae f.
Charlie, please enlighten us on what the purpose of free speech actually is.
There is no protection of free speech in the UK, the constitution you refer to is in effect 3000 odd miles to the west
You know what – ever one to compromise, I think we should offer the Orange Order the American option Mr keddaw suggests…
1) Throw off the British yoke
2) Abolish the hated rule of the monarchy
3) Proclaim the new Republic of the United States of Scotland
4) Draw up a written constitution and bill of rights, allowing us to take up arms against any restoration of British rule
5) And finally my Orange brothers, all you have to do is pledge allegiance to the Republic and forswear loyalty to any… ahem… foreign power – and you can exercise your newfound right to stage your wee march in our newfound country
Have to say though – I’m no’ sure they’re gonna like it! xD
You must be confusing the UK with some other country you may be more familiar with.
In the UK we have strong laws against hate speech.
( In addition to which, our “constitution” is scarcely worth the paper it’s not-written on – although that’s tangential to the subject at hand… )
The point here is that the laws of the land need to apply equally to all, without fear or favour, and not be held in abeyance for bigots who have “traditionally” enjoyed a position of privilege in our society and been given a free pass.
No more free passes for peddlers of hatred.
Phil I hope you’ve signed the petition.?