The Times ready to attack Union Flag display...

[McBoyd 355]

Rule Britannia

I hope this is sung ten times as loud from now on.

Hundreds of Union Flags here, as well as English flags and Scottish Saltires.

Bigotted sing song at the proms?

[lorney 218]

this a a joke.... anyway has it been proven that a rangers fan sent the bomb??? no so y drag rangers into it... it has nothing to do with the club

[GOAT 30,449]

Why would waving the flag of Great Britain and Northern Ireland offend a Brit?

[TartanTeddy 771]

It's an article designed to elicit a response.

If you write to the papers in anger or dismay, then the journalist gets a pat on the back. And to his credit, he seems to be getting paid off big style.

If Rangers had been smart, particularly if they had wanted to get one right up celtic, they should have got the Assembly to distribute Saltires. If you go for Union flags, your always going to get this type of response, and it makes them feel good about their ignorant flying of the tricolour. Rangers traditions are firmly tied up with being Scottish, it's something a lot of folk on here seem desperate to ignore (to our cost).

Nothing, and I mean nothing, would wind the tims up more than Rangers pushing a Scottish identity - it would absolutely murder them, and leave them standing there with their foreign flags and IRA paraphenaliia looking like thick twats pushing a sectarian image.

We have to be smart, we have to understand our real history, and we have to come out of this mess as winners!

[ogbg 20]

For what it's worth, this was my response:

I'm writing to you regarding Matt Dickinson's article "An insensitive response to sectarianism" published in your paper on the 26th of April, 2011. From the general tone of this article, through to the selection of facts presented within it, this comes across as the work of a person who has observed a culture that he doesn't understand and decided that he doesn't like it. He has then proceeded to baselessly attack it.

"The Union Jack is not an official symbol of Rangers FC. It is not part of the club badge, not on the shirt. It is not to be found on any page of the Rangers website," he writes. This is true. It is a symbol of the community from which Rangers FC draw their support. He may not like the fact that Rangers FC has a strong community of supporters, but to confuse this positive show of self-identity as a negative display of hate betrays an ignorance on the topic.

Glasgow does not have to search for its problems. As citizens of this city we are all acutely aware of this, regardless of which football team we and our fathers and our grandfathers supported. The solution to these problems certainly does not involve breaking down and villainizing the communities which have given us all strength for hundreds of years. But then I very much doubt that Matt Dickinson carries more than a passing interest in the well-being of the people of Glasgow. He would much rather fan the flames of ignorance and hate.

A retraction and apology would be the right thing.

[BLUEDIGNITY 34,077]

'Twas on the twelfth day of July in the year of '49

Ten hundreds of our Orangemen together did combine,

In the memory of King William, on that bright and glorious day

To walk all round Lord Roden's park, and right over Dolly's Brae.

And when we came to Westbridge, wasn't that a glorious sight

To see so many Orangemen all willing for to fight,

To march all round the old remains, the music so sweetly did play,

And the tune we played was "The Protestant Boys" right over Dolly's Brae.

And as we walked along the road not fearing any harm,

Our guns all over our shoulders, and our broadswords in our hands,

Until two priests came up to us, and to Mr. Speers did say,

"Come, turn your men the other road, and don't cross Dolly's Brae.

Then out bespeaks our Orangemen, "Indeed we won't delay,

You have your men all gathered and in a manger lay.

Begone, begone, you Papist dogs, we'll conquer or we'll die

And we'll let you see we're not afraid to cross over Dolly's Brae.

And when we came to Dolly's Brae they were lined on every side

Praying for the Virgin Mary to be their holy guide;

We loosened our guns upon them and we gave them no time to pray,

And the tune we played was "The Protestant Boys" right over Dolly's Brae.

The priest he came, his hands he wrung, saying, "My brave boys, you're

dead,

Some holy water I'll prepare, to sprinkle on your heads,"

The Pope of Rome he did disown, his heart was grieveful sore,

And the Orange cry, as we passed by, was "Dolly's Brae no more!"

Come all ye blind-led Papists, wherever that ye be,

Never bow down to priest or Pope, for them they will disown;

Never bow down to images, for God (you must) adore,

Come, join our Orange heroes, and cry "Dolly's Brae no more".

There was a damsel among them all, and one we shall adore,

For she wore the Orange around her head and cried "Dolly's Brae no more!"

And if they ever come back again, we'll give them ten times more,

And we'll christen this "King William's Bridge", and cry "Dolly's Brae no

more."

Lie down and grunt ya treacherous bhastards !

[McBoyd 355]

It's an article designed to elicit a response.

If you write to the papers in anger or dismay, then the journalist gets a pat on the back. And to his credit, he seems to be getting paid off big style.

If Rangers had been smart, particularly if they had wanted to get one right up celtic, they should have got the Assembly to distribute Saltires. If you go for Union flags, your always going to get this type of response, and it makes them feel good about their ignorant flying of the tricolour. Rangers traditions are firmly tied up with being Scottish, it's something a lot of folk on here seem desperate to ignore (to our cost).

Nothing, and I mean nothing, would wind the tims up more than Rangers pushing a Scottish identity - it would absolutely murder them, and leave them standing there with their foreign flags and IRA paraphenaliia looking like thick twats pushing a sectarian image.

We have to be smart, we have to understand our real history, and we have to come out of this mess as winners!

Our club has been linked with royalty since the early foundations, The Marquis of Lorne, Queen Victoria's step son, was the Patron of Rangers, and gave money towards our growth. That's quite a link to being British.

Whilst I think we should also promote ourselves as being scottish, as we do in displays, and on the kit, there is nothing wrong with promoting British pride either.

[SteveJ 743]

Regardless of traditions, we are a British club and proud of it.

Why is it okay for the Celtic fans to stake claim to being the first British club to hold aloft the European Cup, but when we want to retain our British identity by waving the Union flag, it is deemed wrong?

[1st_Jan_1994 4,868]

Regardless of traditions, we are a British club and proud of it.

Why is it okay for the Celtic fans to stake claim to being the first British club to hold aloft the European Cup, but when we want to retain our British identity by waving the Union flag, it is deemed wrong?

That's a good point. I've always said they are British when it suits them and Irish when it suits them. The cunts don't know what they are.

[WVB 2,560]

The biggest surprise is not that the article was written, but that so many are full of indignation, especially those who will be feeling guilty over their previous comments.

You made your fucking beds!

Go sit on the naughty step until you've calmed down.

[McBoyd 355]

Go sit on the naughty step until you've calmed down.

[caseyjones 3,009]

Go sit on the naughty step until you've calmed down.

Why don't you give us fucking peace? You're one of the biggest hypocrites on the board.

[MisterC 12,751]

What else can we expect from a paper owned by Rupert Murdoch, the biggest threat to British democracy there is.

[Jela 2]

Rangers are steeped in both British and Scottish history, surely the club can celebrate this without being deemed bigoted? Also I think the flags helped stop being singing banned songs by encouraging them to celebrate a different part of Rangers culture. Also its a small point but the union jack is the same colours as Rangers and I reckon this is part (all be it a tiny part) of why it is flown by Rangers fans. I'm sure if we had used Scottish flags some reporters would have gone out of their way to condemn it for some reason, they are just doing it to try and keep this story going and to sell more papers.

[WVB 2,560]

I see in the authors twitter there is a message to Odious Creep, pretty much saying he will do Creeps job for him today.

I have now removed the "sectarian" flag from the drawer it was in, and am displaying it across the back seats of my motor. Just to antagonise random catholics obviously.

[gogzy 31,195]

But this is why dropping sectarian singing was so important!

Now that there is nothing - and I hope that stays that way - religiously offensive to complain about, we have people resorting to the absolute pits to have a go at Rangers. They're allowed, they can do what they want. As long as they realise that they are making utter fools of themselves!

After the game on Sunday some idiot celtc fan phoned up the radio to aver that, since we failed to join in the applause for Lennon, we condoned the assasination attempt and were a disgrace. he was laughed off the line, I'm pleased to say. Shouting 'fenian' or stuff about the Pope didn't leave us a leg to stand on; waving a flag (and goodness knows, I'm no fan of the Union or it's flag) merely reveals the bored and the stupid.

WE WIN OUT OF THIS. DON'T LET THE DUMMIES DRIVE YOU BACK TO DOING WHAT THEY WANT!!!

[BLUEDIGNITY 34,077]

And why are the mhedia not reporting the lennon bheasts most recent incident with Strathclydes finest ?

[Turnberry18 3,204]

Why don't you give us fucking peace? You're one of the biggest hypocrites on the board.

Well said. A man who already deprives the Club of its much needed revenue, and under the guise of 'principle'

[SteveJ 743]

Why don't you give us fucking peace? You're one of the biggest hypocrites on the board.

Really, what is your point? You have done nothing but antagonise people recently and I see you had to back down this morning to 'Boss', after having one out with him yesterday.

You are clearly having a dig at members, like myself, who did not back the need to retain the add-ons in certain songs but this is completely different. The Union flag has never been deemed as sectarian, yet the word 'fenian' for example, has.

On looking at your post count, you must have had opinions at some point, rather that trying to pick faults with everyone else, so maybe you should get back to doing so and join in on debates?

[gogzy 31,195]

This is indeed a very sad day.

Now wait for the hadwringers to say we must get rid ..

Until we close they will not be happy.

lol to be fair mate, a ton of the so called "handwringers" have already posted ITT saying how stupid that article is.

when they are having a go at the songs, that have a valid argument that is backed up by uefa.

when moaning about flying a brittish flag in Britain, well thy just look like uninformed stupid biggots themseleves.

I do agree that the club could do with making a statement condeming that article though.

[WVB 2,560]

Why don't you give us fucking peace? You're one of the biggest hypocrites on the board.

In what way?

You are the one constantly digging out supposed fellow Bears.

The author is a fud, The Times is a rag owned by an Opus Dei cunt, but you're too busy trying to be some sort of 1970's throwback,so now you're starting another week of in-fighting?

Some of us, however unwillingly, are prepared to leave all that behind for the sake of our club.

I await some nonsensical reply.

[ritchieshearercaldow 22,389]

This, from a so called serious newspaper.

Since when has the Union flag not been associated with Rangers? forby being the nations flag it displays the colours of our club, we have always been a proudly Unionist club.

Why is it that everything we stand for is faulted by these uneducated journo's?

What annoyed me most was the fact that there was no mention of the sea of tricoulors displayed by the scum, on a weekend that their heroes have vowed to kill more policemen and told our Queen she is a murderer and is not welcome on their shores.

Maybe we should all be sending this article to 10 Downing street, I wonder what they would think?

It's time to fight back, but we need a leader.

[gogzy 31,195]

This DICKinson is trying to make a name for himself by being controversial and jumping on the tattie munching bandwagon , The very flag he refers to is the flag of which my late Grandfather fought under ,was injured under and was glad to come home under , so all of us in this Country can be free and can be here , he would be turning in his grave to see nonsense like this printed . Maybe being a neutral he just does not understand our history,club or people ,if so why put a negative spin on his non-story and turn it around to yet again appease those hoardes of people with dis-liking's toward's all of us and our Club .

GREAT CLUB

GREAT PEOPLE

GREAT Britain

:uk:

:21: :21: :21: :21: :21:

:21:

:uk:

my late grandad is the same mate, 5 tours of ireland,a stint in the falklands, and a lot of other battles in his 22 years service under that flag.

ANYONE condeming the flying of our brittish flag is gonna look fucking stupid.

[1st_Jan_1994 4,868]

And why are the mhedia not reporting the lennon bheasts most recent incident with Strathclydes finest ?

Has the police dealt with him after Sunday mate? I got the impression they weren't bothering their arse with him.

[WVB 2,560]

Well said. A man who already deprives the Club of its much needed revenue, and under the guise of 'principle'

Something you obviously have no comprehension of.