Forget the famine, I'm as Scots as they come

[Guest Andypendek]

It's a point, right enough. George Galloway bangs on about being oppressed all the time, but he has one Irish grandparent out of 4 and his patrynomic shows he's from that region, Galloway. So why does he cling to an identity that (probably, can't be sure) makes up 1/4 of his lineage? Very odd.

Do you think she reads RM?

Quite a departure for Joan McAlpine, former Deputy Editor of the Herald. Along with Kevin McKenna and Mark Douglas-Home, she was party to the triumphalist triumvirate that deliberately denied Rangers supporters access to the debate on the Herald correspondence pages for in excess of 3 years. She mentions another former Herald columnist, Patrick Reilly, another rancid old bigot that held the designation of Dean of School of Enlish Literature at Glasgow University. His column was pulled by the Editor(in those days, Harry Reid) in the immediate wake of Rangers winning the title at ra Stydome in May'99. As for Michael McMahon MSP, he famously did NOT speak in the Scottish Parliament in it's first year, then Cardinal Winning lit a fire under him and he would not shut up about the threat to RC schools posed by section 2a(Clause 28) ie equality of same sex relationships. Michael wanted 'No Pooftas' in catholic schools(well, apart from the priests).

So, Joan is appearing quite reasonable; however, she is regarded as the very epitome of an idiot. I was told by a Herald photographer that Joan's duties as Deputy Editor was sometimes to select the front page photo from several selected by the team of snappers. The day the first pictures arrived from the Mars Lander was hugely exciting, alien landscapes under a red sky, every broadsheet around the world had a full front page spread of such a photo. Joan dismissed them all as containing no human interest. She is/was married to Hue and Cry's singer, Pat Kane(more famously known for more inclusions in Private Eye's 'Pseuds Corner' than anyother pseudo-intellectual. Joan and Pat were quite strident in their children receiving a denominational education in the west end, Joan even supported the last Lord Provost of Glasgow splashing £600,000 of public funds to purchase stain glassed windows from her old denominatonal school.

I suspect, like Spiers, Joan is attempting to put some distance as well as time between her Herald past, and her perception of where she wants to be currently. Like Spiers, she should always be regarded by Bears as a figure of ridicule.

This is narrow minded nonsense, Covenanter. People are allowed to mature and moderate their views, are they not?

[Dobie.7 0]

Assomeone pointed out it isnt about mocking the famine its more of telling them that it is over.

If anyone was to go at me for being offensive against the English i would tell them to f**k off Scotland has a reason to hate England as scotland was invaded and killed by the English.

If anyone was to go at me for being offensive against the irish i would tell them to f**k off as Scotland has a reason to hate the Irish as Scotland has to put up with Celtit

[Jimenez 1]

This is narrow minded nonsense, Covenanter. People are allowed to mature and moderate their views, are they not?

I think anyone who was part of the Herald's campaign to systematically demonize the Rangers support should always be viewed with suspicion and scorn.

[Guest Andypendek]

Their campaign must have been shite, I didn't even notice it!

[*Manticore* 1,893]

Their campaign must have been shite, I didn't even notice it!

You didn't notice britney?

Or some 3 years when not one letter defending Rangers fans was published?

[slimjim1690 4,534]

why dont they go home?

Cos the Irish widny have them either, fuckwits

[bluesnaw 0]

Quite a departure for Joan McAlpine, former Deputy Editor of the Herald. Along with Kevin McKenna and Mark Douglas-Home, she was party to the triumphalist triumvirate that deliberately denied Rangers supporters access to the debate on the Herald correspondence pages for in excess of 3 years. She mentions another former Herald columnist, Patrick Reilly, another rancid old bigot that held the designation of Dean of School of Enlish Literature at Glasgow University. His column was pulled by the Editor(in those days, Harry Reid) in the immediate wake of Rangers winning the title at ra Stydome in May'99. As for Michael McMahon MSP, he famously did NOT speak in the Scottish Parliament in it's first year, then Cardinal Winning lit a fire under him and he would not shut up about the threat to RC schools posed by section 2a(Clause 28) ie equality of same sex relationships. Michael wanted 'No Pooftas' in catholic schools(well, apart from the priests).

So, Joan is appearing quite reasonable; however, she is regarded as the very epitome of an idiot. I was told by a Herald photographer that Joan's duties as Deputy Editor was sometimes to select the front page photo from several selected by the team of snappers. The day the first pictures arrived from the Mars Lander was hugely exciting, alien landscapes under a red sky, every broadsheet around the world had a full front page spread of such a photo. Joan dismissed them all as containing no human interest. She is/was married to Hue and Cry's singer, Pat Kane(more famously known for more inclusions in Private Eye's 'Pseuds Corner' than anyother pseudo-intellectual. Joan and Pat were quite strident in their children receiving a denominational education in the west end, Joan even supported the last Lord Provost of Glasgow splashing £600,000 of public funds to purchase stain glassed windows from her old denominatonal school.

I suspect, like Spiers, Joan is attempting to put some distance as well as time between her Herald past, and her perception of where she wants to be currently. Like Spiers, she should always be regarded by Bears as a figure of ridicule.

I wrote this letter to her some time ago about her McVeigh article, where the mum complained about her son having to swear aliegence to the Queen - needless to say she never replied!

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I had the misfortune to stumble across your article about Mathew McVeigh in the Times online, and I’m utterly appalled by the sentiment of the content.

There is only one thing more unsavoury than a parent using his or her child as a political pawn; and that is journalists prepared to patronise these repulsive pariahs to further their own twisted agenda. Let me make it clear… you fall squarely into that category as far as I’m concerned.

Despite your best efforts - and those of Mathew McVeigh’s mother - to dress this up as necessary social commentary, it is clear that only the blind unwilling to see are likely to be swayed by your twisted tosh. The more enlightened need only scratch the surface of your piece to see that you and that despicable woman are in hock to this self-perpetuating myth that our country is inherently anti-Catholic.

It’s also clear from your literary elucidations that you are content to propagate the notion that the vast majority of decent folk in this country are complicit in this impiety. More galling is the notion that you choose to portray this discrimination in all aspects of life, and from every conceivable angle; yet we both know that this so called wholesale anti-Catholic discrimination is based on nothing more than anecdotal evidence. Most of which is regurgitated in the form of spurious newspaper articles dressed up as serious journalism by hypocrites like you.

Where on earth would a child of eight years old find the perceptiveness to understand the notion of institutionalised discrimination, if not from incessant indoctrination from the parents? Indoctrinating children into the sickening world of bigotry and intolerance is indefensible whatever form it takes. Whether it’s some screwball parent remonstrating their objections to the kafflics, and sporting a “we arra peepul” fixation; or some hand-wringer capable of poisoning their children’s minds about the big bad Protestants matters not… it all adds up to the same filth.

I honestly don’t care that my Catholic school attending son swore allegiance to the Queen when he joined the Cub Scouts. I don’t think me allowing him to do so is likely to corrupt his moral fortitude, or throw him into a cauldron of confusion. I do, however, care that you hijacked this story to in order to continue serving up your melange of pious drivel.

Perhaps you’ll have the courage to write about some of the many examples of institutionalised discrimination that goes on in certain other organisations within your scope some day. Something that is conveniently forgotten by those people ever prepared to espouse their one-sided version of all things sectarian.