Know Thy Enemy

[D'Artagnan 13,319]

The sirens started to sound at the first of several references to Rangers supporters as “the Ibrox klan”. The author makes no attempt to disguise his hatred for Rangers, stating at one stage “please let this football club die”. And yet he yearns to be taken seriously as a journalist, repeatedly complaining that no-one from the mainstream media ever calls him. As the tale unravels, - The Failed Journalist starts to disappear up his own rear, declaring: “I am aware of my own contribution and I rather like the guy I see in the shaving mirror every morning.” These are two classic mistakes: believing you are the story, and wanting a story to be true. When it’s not.

Scotsman Book Review - Best Scottish Sports Reads 2012.

Like many others, I have no intention of entering the online battles which seems to afflict us at times as a support, however our status as despairing and passive observers should not prevent us from challenging some of the collateral damage which occurs from time to time during such exchanges. With considerable reticence, no small measure of reluctance and a considerable tinge of disappointment, I find I have to avert my focus from our club’s real enemies, to a thought process which requires challenging.

Today’s RSL article “For the avoidance of doubt” has been the subject of considerable discussion and conjecture, in fact not only the article itself but also the comments section. Yet it’s a train of thought from the original article itself which I would respectfully suggest should give all of us considerable cause for concern.

Bill McMurdo writes:

I personally have no issue with Phil - The Failed Journalist. He is what he is. If it wasn’t him, it would be somebody else. He has his job to do attacking Rangers and we have our job to do defending the club. The best way to deal with Phil is to ignore him. Even where he gets facts right, it is his “add-on” that is designed to poison. Even where he gets facts right, it is his “add-on” that is designed to poison. This is demonstrably seen in the King/Ashley meeting.

Funnily enough Bill we know what he is – he, by his own admission hates our club and wants it to die, and the opening quotation in this chapter, written by someone outside the Rangers community, demonstrates this. What I didn’t realise is however that “He has a job to do attacking Rangers and we have our job to do defending the club.” He has a job to do? One could be forgiven for thinking we were describing something here akin to gainful employment. Furthermore I don’t think it’s the job of Rangers supporters to be constantly defending the club from unwarranted, unjustified attacks from those who hate her. Hating our club and wanting it to die is not an “add on”.

What should concerns us most about the above paragraph however is that it gives an almost sense of normality, perhaps even legitimacy, to - The Failed Journalist’s constant attacks upon our club. There is not only a playing down of - The Failed Journalist’s history and conduct over the years, but an almost frightening rationalising of it as normal behaviour which is part of a wider bonafide job remit.

Nothing could be further from the truth and we should never, ever lose sight of that. For our club’s sake.

[AlBear. 8,499]

He backed himself into a corner. He convinced himself he was right and the majority were wrong, he'll now do and say anything to justify that. No matter how vile and irrational.

[eskbankloyal 19,446]

[sandyinroyalblue 16,478]

Aye the failed journalist is just a wee bit sectarian in the same way that a woman can be a wee bit pregnant.

[billmcmurdo 462]

Furthermore I don’t think it’s the job of Rangers supporters to be constantly defending the club from unwarranted, unjustified attacks from those who hate her.

Whose job is it, then, D'Art?

[RFC55 108,792]

[Blue Nosed Babe 20,560]

Well said.

[D'Artagnan 13,319]

Furthermore I don’t think it’s the job of Rangers supporters to be constantly defending the club from unwarranted, unjustified attacks from those who hate her.

Whose job is it, then, D'Art?

I wrote about this a few months ago Bill - and outlined my reasons

https://immortalrangers.wordpress.com/2015/03/21/when-the-wind-blows-cold/

[Drunk and disorderly. 14,418]

Furthermore I don’t think it’s the job of Rangers supporters to be constantly defending the club from unwarranted, unjustified attacks from those who hate her.

Whose job is it, then, D'Art?

Have you ever exchanged communication with 3names Bill?

You know, emails, texts, etc?

Just wondering how this empathy for 3names developed. Is there a personal relationship or just a shared agenda?

[billmcmurdo 462]

I wrote about this a few months ago Bill - and outlined my reasons

https://immortalrangers.wordpress.com/2015/03/21/when-the-wind-blows-cold/

Tell it to the VB, D'Art.

You are not going to get a robust defence of the club from this present regime and maybe not from any other.

It will always fall to the fans.

I am grateful we have guys like VB who defend the club, whether you think it's their job or not.

[BRITNEY IS NOT FEELING IT 8,293]

Again

[topgoalie 637]

Have you ever exchanged communication with 3names Bill?

You know, emails, texts, etc?

Just wondering how this empathy for 3names developed. Is there a personal relationship or just a shared agenda?

Shared agenda me thinks....

[gmcf 34,124]

I don't like criticising any blogger that writes about Rangers , happy within myself I can agree or disagree with them , but you just cannot ignore the ramblings of mad men that seek to do us harm .

What starts off as a blog can often end up on mainstream press ala the RTC , or even into books full of lies and deceit. Without challenge , these would be accepted by the general public , so ignoring them is not an option. We have to fight them at every turn.

Particularly the ones written by those tarred with the sectarian brush.

[D'Artagnan 13,319]

Tell it to the VB, D'Art.

You are not going to get a robust defence of the club from this present regime and maybe not from any other.

It will always fall to the fans.

I am grateful we have guys like VB who defend the club, whether you think it's their job or not.

There is a limit Bill to the extent any group of fans, however determined or professional, can defend the club - its a question of authority.

No group of fans can deliver a rebuke to our haters which carries the authority that such a rebuke coming from the club itself could.

Notwithstanding our difference of opinion over defending the club - why is it 3 names "job" to attack our club ?

[standup 829]

If it is someones job to attack Rangers then they should be sacked.

[Siam69 26,872]

I don't like criticising any blogger that writes about Rangers , happy within myself I can agree or disagree with them , but you just cannot ignore the ramblings of mad men that seek to do us harm .

What starts off as a blog can often end up on mainstream press ala the RTC , or even into books full of lies and deceit. Without challenge , these would be accepted by the general public , so ignoring them is not an option. We have to fight them at every turn.

Particularly the ones written by those tarred with the sectarian brush.

And those who while masquerading as Rangers fans, actually defend and give a platform to Rangers haters who are tarred with the sectarian brush.

[Helicopter Sundae 5,973]

Phil 3 names, to me, is just like a renegade terrorist intent on satisfying his specific cult's plan/desire to kill us off as opposition.

I could compare him to a lone wolf jihadi, similar to so many that we have become familiar with, but his favourite club had their own terrorist army decades before this new mob, and the IRA and their verminous supporters have been a poisonous sore in our land for years.

The love-in between the fans of CFC and the IRA is utterly emetic, yet have been strengthened since the campaign to destroy us came so close to fruition.

As D'Art asks, who gave him the "job" of attacking Rangers?

Yes, by all means attack this cancer, but ask what sane society allows this sort of economic terrorism in the first place, because that is what it is.

Everything he does is to denigrate this club, and that must ultimately cost us, both in damage already done, and in concerted campaigns to stop sponsors feeding in money to the club.

This guy, I believe has a death wish, no different to a jihadi, who would accept becoming a martyr for the republican/celtic cause.

It is insanity.

But this little shit keeps getting away with it.

Why?

[B1872 20,699]

My stance is anyone who is in cohorts with 3 names isn't a bear and should be banned by the club from attending Ibrox. I urge all fellow bears to ignore these characters and treat them accordingly!

[The Dude 20,026]

The normalisation of Phil by anyone related to Rangers should be viewed with huge distrust. The language used against Rangers fans by him in itself abhorrent but the constant stream of lies about the club he posts should have seen action taken against him any number of times. To have no issue with someone who has referred to you continually using language favoured be the Nazis to denigrate the Jews shows an enormous amount of forgiving and understanding and is completely incomprehensible to me.

[Siam69 26,872]

The normalisation of Phil by anyone related to Rangers should be viewed with huge distrust. The language used against Rangers fans by him in itself abhorrent but the constant stream of lies about the club he posts should have seen action taken against him any number of times. To have no issue with someone who has referred to you continually using language favoured be the Nazis to denigrate the Jews shows either an enormous amount of forgiving and understanding and is completely incomprehensible to me.

[lancedeangers1 287]

D'artagnan you have absolutely nailed it.

[theiconicman 2,991]

Scotsman Book Review - Best Scottish Sports Reads 2012.

Like many others, I have no intention of entering the online battles which seems to afflict us at times as a support, however our status as despairing and passive observers should not prevent us from challenging some of the collateral damage which occurs from time to time during such exchanges. With considerable reticence, no small measure of reluctance and a considerable tinge of disappointment, I find I have to avert my focus from our club’s real enemies, to a thought process which requires challenging.

Today’s RSL article “For the avoidance of doubt” has been the subject of considerable discussion and conjecture, in fact not only the article itself but also the comments section. Yet it’s a train of thought from the original article itself which I would respectfully suggest should give all of us considerable cause for concern.

Bill McMurdo writes:

Funnily enough Bill we know what he is – he, by his own admission hates our club and wants it to die, and the opening quotation in this chapter, written by someone outside the Rangers community, demonstrates this. What I didn’t realise is however that “He has a job to do attacking Rangers and we have our job to do defending the club.” He has a job to do? One could be forgiven for thinking we were describing something here akin to gainful employment. Furthermore I don’t think it’s the job of Rangers supporters to be constantly defending the club from unwarranted, unjustified attacks from those who hate her. Hating our club and wanting it to die is not an “add on”.

What should concerns us most about the above paragraph however is that it gives an almost sense of normality, perhaps even legitimacy, to - The Failed Journalist’s constant attacks upon our club. There is not only a playing down of - The Failed Journalist’s history and conduct over the years, but an almost frightening rationalising of it as normal behaviour which is part of a wider bonafide job remit.

Nothing could be further from the truth and we should never, ever lose sight of that. For our club’s sake.

Of course, bloggers see it as their job in life - and to legitimise one blogger who hates our club as 'doing his job' legitimises Bill's own existence as a blogger.

Bloggers are a new breed of hormonal teenager who think they are special, with unique insight and deep understanding that the 'average joe' just doesn't 'get'.

Embarrassingly, they are mistaken.

[nemisis 358]

Anyone who ligitimises Phil in any way should be seen as an enemy

[Blue Avenger 22,567]

I wrote about this a few months ago Bill - and outlined my reasons

https://immortalrangers.wordpress.com/2015/03/21/when-the-wind-blows-cold/

Whilst 25 names is a serial hater, he is only one of the many, but I still feel he is the least of them, because he is transparent, not faceless and what is transparent you can deal with in whatever manner befits. Lets be honest, you wouldn't see 25 names in your road, so he hides in the safety of the rhepublic and that says much about his character and the mentality of the man.

My concern is with the faceless and the two facedness of prominent individuals and institutions, from the mhedia to politicians, to our footballing associations to government institutions both local and national.

I maybe too cynical or seen to be a conspiracy theorist, but the prejudice against our club and our fans must be at record proportions, all very adeptly spawned by the faceless.

SDM was an apologist and since his tennure none of our boards have had the interest in defending us. It's all been about the money and to hell with the principles and wrong doing levelled against us. We were illegitimately and uncerimoniously sent packing to the lower reaches, have been raped and pillaged by successive boards and demonised by all and sundry and continue to be so.

The mind boggles at how to turn this around, as there are now so many factors in play, but part of it is doing it on the park, getting back to the top in short a time as possible, but to do that we need serious investment, steady and prudent hands at the helm. I have every faith in MW, he gives everyone a good feeling. Appears to know what he is about. Of course I remain with my reservations with the board, mainly because I have yet to see the investment promised and that we have not yet arrived at the honesty and transparency bit. Time will tell.

In the meantime, we should try to remember who are our real haters. Everyone has their own valid point to make. If we don't agree with it, then try to explain why you think different and not the malevolency which is now too common place as the first line of defence, otherwise the haters will have won.

[D'Artagnan 13,319]

Whilst 25 names is a serial hater, he is only one of the many, but I still feel he is the least of them, because he is transparent, not faceless and what is transparent you can deal with in whatever manner befits. Lets be honest, you wouldn't see 25 names in your road, so he hides in the safety of the rhepublic and that says much about his character and the mentality of the man.

My concern is with the faceless and the two facedness of prominent individuals and institutions, from the mhedia to politicians, to our footballing associations to government institutions both local and national.

I maybe too cynical or seen to be a conspiracy theorist, but the prejudice against our club and our fans must be at record proportions, all very adeptly spawned by the faceless.

SDM was an apologist and since his tennure none of our boards have had the interest in defending us. It's all been about the money and to hell with the principles and wrong doing levelled against us. We were illegitimately and uncerimoniously sent packing to the lower reaches, have been raped and pillaged by successive boards and demonised by all and sundry and continue to be so.

The mind boggles at how to turn this around, as there are now so many factors in play, but part of it is doing it on the park, getting back to the top in short a time as possible, but to do that we need serious investment, steady and prudent hands at the helm. I have every faith in MW, he gives everyone a good feeling. Appears to know what he is about. Of course I remain with my reservations with the board, mainly because I have yet to see the investment promised and that we have not yet arrived at the honesty and transparency bit. Time will tell.

In the meantime, we should try to remember who are our real haters. Everyone has their own valid point to make. If we don't agree with it, then try to explain why you think different and not the malevolency which is now too common place as the first line of defence, otherwise the haters will have won.

If only we could divert our energy and time to changing this BA - we would be in a much better place.