Lennon Calls For An End To Offensive Chanting

I fail to understand how you can support the Republican cause by calling the Republican movement "terrorists"??

Neil Lennon has carefully chosen his words. We are a club with traditional Irish links which centred on the struggle to liberate the 6 counties. You think because a large proportion of our supporters are too young to remember the war then we should stop singing these songs? They are part of our club whether you or anyone else likes it.

We should be educating our fans through songs and encourage them to learn about Celtic & irelands history. We should get back to our political roots rather than dilute them, it makes our club different from almost every other in the world.

 

The vVlunteers and the Old IRA didn't attack civilians. Thats what the majority of our songs are about.

 

Seems simple enough, you can want Ireland to be its own country without the killing of civilians. The "Republican cause" is freedom for Ireland is it not? You can support that idea whilst being against killing.

 

Would you call people who fought in WWl and WWll murderer's?

 

Dear *.

 

The Provisional Irish Republican Army are now in partnership with Unionists in a partitionist government in the 6 counties.

 

Here's a question for you, Do you class the british army as terrorists?

Back on topic - I get the impression Lenny was advised on his statement and it's not something he decided he wanted to make a stance on, thoughts?
I love the rebel songs but agree they should stay in the pub or outside the ground to keep our noses clean.

 

Of course they didn't.

But unless you sing "up the (old) IRA" then it leaves it open to interpretation, and in this country, mention the IRA and I can assure you it is the terrorist atrocities of their predecessors that will be recalled.

And, a majority? We're celtic. We're so much better than that.

 

I think that's a term that suits the brits far better :icon_mrgreen:

 

I would class any armed force that engages with unarmed civilians, be that via rifles or explosive devices, as terrorists. If that makes them terrorists then yes, I do.

I fail to see the relevance of that however, as I am not calling for any songs about the British army to be included in our repertoire. Because I go to the football to sing about my club, not the rights/wrongs of past military atrocities.

 

Precisely Matt.

Don't see why that is so hard to understand.

 

I remember when the fans in the old Jungle were praised by the Club as the best fans in the world, and the team's inspiration. We used to sing about dead Para's, dead coppers, Lord Mountbatten and much more.....this was during the war and obviously tensions were running high. IRA volunteers were also being killed along with civilians on both sides of the conflict.

I find the fact we are even debating whether we should sing the Boys of the Old Brigade incredulous. These songs are completely inoffensive to any other inhabitants of this planet other than in Britain. Why should we worry?

 

Pretty weak line of argument. Just because it only offends one country that makes it ok?

So the billy boys telling Irish scots to * off home is ok as it only affects the Irish diaspora in Scotland?

 

Again, there is a difference between ethic cleansing and songs about a war with Britain. Our songs are as offensive as any American song about the American war of Independence. Who's going to find that offensive?

The IRA's campaign was not a sectarian one therefore should not be considered illegal to sing about.

 

You only mentioned causing offence, not matters of legality.

And don't think for a moment that I am equating our singing to being on a par with them, obviously it isn't.

But shouldn't our standards be set a little higher than "not being illegal like the huns"?

Singing about the IRA, and the connotations it carries, is offensive to many and is a tasteless practise that has no place in football.

 

Thats people's own ignorance to history.

 

Again, if you only mention IRA, it is a blanket term that covers a multitude of sins as well as the brave freedom fighters that those 3 letters represent to you.

And that's before we even start on the PIRA pish.

 

The people who find the IRA songs offensive need to read history book. End of.

 

Spot on.Same could be said about songs about the Scottish War Of Independence.

 

I despair. I've just pointed out to you that IRA is a blanket term that can cover
almost any incarnation and their relevant actions.

No amount of reading history books is going to make the glorification of terrorism any more palatable.