Scotzine.com on the Rab C 'bigotry controversy'

[Boab 73]

Rangers fans fury over BBC Show Sectarian Jibe

December 25, 2008 · By Editor · Filed Under Celtic, Rangers

With Christmas now upon us and everyone is unwrapping their presents from the fat man himself - nope not Scott McDonald, but Santa Claus it is supposed to be a time for all men to put behind their differences and celebrate. However it seems that the Rab C. Nesbitt Christmas Special shown on the 23rd December has caused a storm amongst the Rangers fans. After the show finished in 1999, many had clambered for it to return and this year it finally arrived, with many Scots who had grown up with Gregor Fisher’s alcoholic Glaswegian’s antics looking forward to it. Although it was not as good as before, maybe having lost something through the time - however rather than people talking about the show and how funny it was - it seems that a three letter word spoken by Tony Roper’s character Jamesie Cotter has caused the Blue Half of Glasgow to descend into fury at another alleged attack on Rangers fans.

The Controversial Word on 3 minutes 35 seconds into the last part of the Rab C Nesbitt Christmas Special.

So after the episode ended the forums were flooded with furious Rangers fans who saw it as another attack on them by the BBC. Given that Tony Roper is also a massive Celtic fan and his character said the word in relation to former Rangers player Gordon Ramsay also - it has enflamed the situation.

On the Rangers Supporters site ‘Follow Follow’ many of the members have commented on it and some of the comments below are just a tip of the iceberg - all comments are unedited and in full.

* absolutely shocking and from Tony Roper too how much would he have loved that!! there was no need for it in the scene!!!

*

It’s fine to say Gordon Ramsey is a h*n. It’s not like Jamesy sang the hokey coke

*

Just heard it thought they had banned the use of the ‘H’ word?

* The switchboards would be jammed if it was the T word….but for the BBC and Roper its just the ” craic”

* Cant believe that they can get away with this - sitting here raging!!!

* Using his own choice of language, I can safely say that Tony Roper is a bitter wee f****n wankstain.

* There would be meltdown if somone had mentioned the famine or used the word f****n, yet were just supposed to accept this shite as part of the craic, not ****ing on.

* A blatant attempt to keep the H-word as a user friendly,cuddley,banter-like term.

* I do think complaining is a bit much seeing as it is set in a Glasgow junky scheme, and thats the workd the tarriers would use. It would be alot different if it was a serious programme calling us the h**s.

* They get offended by being asked why they don’t go home - We are told we face jail….They call us h**s - Nothing happens to them cause it’s aw fur ra crai.

We could go on and on and on posting the comments but the specific thread in question is now at 14 pages by the last count.

The organisation Nil By Mouth has labelled the term ‘h*n’ as sectarian and yet it seems according to the Rangers faithful, that the BBC disregard this yet they do not do the same with Celtic or its fans. They see it as another attack on Rangers, another unbalanced coverage of Rangers compared to Celtic and for the most part those up in arms complain that because the songs or chants they sing - there is uproar and outrage at it, yet a British media organisation can still pass a show and script with ‘h*n’ still in it - because they see the BBC as having a Vendetta against them.

However given the series of sectarian, bigoted and violent comments made on the FF website over the past few months, it could be said that its a bit rich coming from them. In truth, the word should not be used since an anti-sectarian organisation has labelled it as sectarian and although it is still used by Celtic fans and others - to take the moral high ground when the same supporters spout out their bile in regards to Jock Stein, the Famine Song and of course calling their counterparts ‘f****n b******s,’ t****, Tattie Munchers etc is baffling. Both sides are as bad as each other but to complain and jump at everything, our society is getting ridiculous now. We shall see if the BBC comment on the complaints they have received from Rangers fans in due course.

So we would like to know from our own viewers on this subject. Give us your views.

[Ibroxblue 122]

"Scotzine" is run by a Celtic fan who, as you would expect, doesn't like Rangers and Rangers fans. I wouldn't give his website any hits.

[Bluedell 14]

"Scotzine" is run by a Celtic fan who, as you would expect, doesn't like Rangers and Rangers fans. I wouldn't give his website any hits.

Correct. I wouldn't go anywhere near it.

[pcbear 10,924]

Hardly worth a comment, you would have to be pretty uptight to let that annoy you, let the tims make an arse of themselves over the hokey cokey and let the Rab C thing ride.

[meatball 0]

fcuk them ALL :harhar: :harhar: :harhar: :unionflag: :unionflag: :unionflag: :beer2: :beer2:

[KingKai 439]

Load of Bile!

[Carsons Dog 9,878]

That Scotzine editor is a bitter bitter tim.

When you box him into a corner with reasoned debate and facts he just deletes your posts.

I would urge all Bears to leave the site alone.

[mark_ni 12]

to take the moral high ground when the same supporters spout out their bile in regards to Jock Stein, the Famine Song and of course calling their counterparts ‘f****n b******s,’ t****, Tattie Munchers etc is baffling. Both sides are as bad as each other but to complain and jump at everything, our society is getting ridiculous now

exactly the point we have been making about celtic fans for months but typical the first time we complain and he comes off with that when they moan about everything. They have some cheek moaning about being called f*****s t***s etc or us singing the famine song or BJK when they sing death threats to our players, call us h*** and oranger b******s etc and sing songs gloryfying a terorrist organisation that murdered thousands of innocent women and children and didnt even give their families the dignity of being able to bury their loved ones. Another point is that we get all the press over those chants and time after time the spl, media etc just turn a blind eye to their bile. All we are asking for is consistancy, for everyone to be treated the same which they currently arent. If they had used the f word in the programme i guarantee it would have made front page news.

[D'Artagnan 13,319]

It makes a valid point though.

You cant claim to be offended if you use offensive terms yourself.

[rfc_no1fan 13]

I hate being referred to as a h**, but until the Rangers fans who dont mind being called one ( And I have no idea why) change their opinion, we dont have a case.

We had a poll on here not that long ago and some fans admitted using the term themselves

[brissybear 50]

It makes a valid point though.

You cant claim to be offended if you use offensive terms yourself.

While I do agree, there has to be parity.

Being called a h** doesnt enrage me, ive been called it by some of my mates for over 20 years.

The same way I call them t****** bastards, although I never ever use the term Fenian or T***.

If the same show had used the word fenian then there would have been uproar, there simply has to be parity.

[brissybear 50]

It makes a valid point though.

You cant claim to be offended if you use offensive terms yourself.

While I do agree, there has to be parity.

Being called a h** doesnt enrage me, ive been called it by some of my mates for over 20 years.

The same way I call them t****** bastards, although I never ever use the term Fenian or T***.

If the same show had used the word fenian then there would have been uproar, there simply has to be parity.

[Jelle1880 320]

It makes a valid point though.

You cant claim to be offended if you use offensive terms yourself.

The point is that saying those words could land you in jail, while it is ok to call someone a h** on national television.

[Fixxxer 4]

FF is hardly the voice of the People

[BLUE CYCLOPS 26]

Anyone watching Strictly Come Dancing tonight would have heard and seen Brucie singing and dancing the Hokey Cokey.

I think a e-mail campaign against the BBC for permitting this vile, racist and sectarian filth to be broadcast on national TV is in order.

It would certainly be interesting to hear the BBC response, if any, to any complaints.

At the very least, it would bring the debate about the song into the national arena. I can,t imagine the BBC apologising

for the song which makes the furore in Scotland look stupid.

If they did apologise, then we have a clear case of bias re the "H" word. If no Celtic supporters complain about Brucie, then their whining about Rangers singing it is exposed for the hypocricy it is.

[D'Artagnan 13,319]

It makes a valid point though.

You cant claim to be offended if you use offensive terms yourself.

While I do agree, there has to be parity.

Being called a h** doesnt enrage me, ive been called it by some of my mates for over 20 years.

The same way I call them t****** bastards, although I never ever use the term Fenian or T***.

If the same show had used the word fenian then there would have been uproar, there simply has to be parity.

Well it enrages me brissy.

Its a purely derogatory term...full of disdain and ridicule.......it has no connection to our club whatsoever.

[Dobie.7 0]

Hardly worth a comment, you would have to be pretty uptight to let that annoy you, let the tims make an arse of themselves over the hokey cokey and let the Rab C thing ride.

I would normally agree with you there but this time i dont:

The tims take everything in offence - that doesnt bother me as it is easy to wind them up - and then constantly uses the secretarian card - which does bother me as Rangers are played out to be Celtic's bullies, and that celtic are a peaceful club that doesnt cause any hassle what so ever and that Rangers are only picking on the wee lads.

What im trying to say is that Celtic try to Rangers in as much trouble as possible without damaging their reputaion.

But Celtic are slipping up recently by causing a big stir-up with the Famine Song then almost immediatly finding racial discrimination in a childrens song. Which means People might open their eyes to the feeblness of celtic. Hopefully.

And just one more thing, it all about religion. People are scared to offend any religion in case of a backlash/offence and being branded as rascists (As anti-racism is a big part of modern society), So no action is being put against Celtic because of people (SFA) covering their arses.

[brissybear 50]

It makes a valid point though.

You cant claim to be offended if you use offensive terms yourself.

While I do agree, there has to be parity.

Being called a h** doesnt enrage me, ive been called it by some of my mates for over 20 years.

The same way I call them t****** bastards, although I never ever use the term Fenian or T***.

If the same show had used the word fenian then there would have been uproar, there simply has to be parity.

Well it enrages me brissy.

Its a purely derogatory term...full of disdain and ridicule.......it has no connection to our club whatsoever.

If it enrages you then you have no right to use derogatory terms about the tarriers.

I agree, if it is deemed sectarian by Nil By Mouth and the courts then it shouldnt have been aired.

You could argue that it was representative of how a jakey tim would refer to us as.

[OlegKuznetsov 10,816]

Whilst I don't exactly get hugely offended by words, this is a great chance to pull up BBC Scotland via its own complaints procedure, but also with the regulatory body, Ofcom.

[airdrieloyal1 6]

Whilst I don't exactly get hugely offended by words, this is a great chance to pull up BBC Scotland via its own complaints procedure, but also with the regulatory body, Ofcom.

The reality is Scottish presbyterians can not become monarch because they are not Anglicans so why all the fuss about RC's. They form less than 15% of the Scottish population yet they seem to call all the shots. No political party needs their support yet they all go Kow Towing to them whilst the wishes of the silent majority are ignored. As has been said i am answerable to no one barr my conscience and ultimately when I shake off this mortal coil God(on a holy day :-). Roman Catholics have to follow the teachings of the infallablle one in Rome. Tony Blair went to the Vatican on the eve of the invasion of Iraq was this to get the go ahead for the 21st century crusade. Again as has been said they want to drop the Act of Settlement to allow RC's to become monarch yet the won't let Protestants teach in RC schools without a letter form a Priest and as for promotion for non RC teachers, in RC schools forget it. The monarchy is percieved as an irrelevance which does not affect the common man on the street yet non RC are being descriminated against in our eductaion system never mind our local authorities when was the last non RC Provost of Glasgow. If our politicians want to tackle sectarianism they have to first look at the political system and parties themselves, then they can look at eductaion and then once they have got their own house in order we might start to take them seriously.

[brissybear 50]

Whilst I don't exactly get hugely offended by words, this is a great chance to pull up BBC Scotland via its own complaints procedure, but also with the regulatory body, Ofcom.

The reality is Scottish presbyterians can not become monarch because they are not Anglicans so why all the fuss about RC's. They form less than 15% of the Scottish population yet they seem to call all the shots. No political party needs their support yet they all go Kow Towing to them whilst the wishes of the silent majority are ignored. As has been said i am answerable to no one barr my conscience and ultimately when I shake off this mortal coil God(on a holy day :-). Roman Catholics have to follow the teachings of the infallablle one in Rome. Tony Blair went to the Vatican on the eve of the invasion of Iraq was this to get the go ahead for the 21st century crusade. Again as has been said they want to drop the Act of Settlement to allow RC's to become monarch yet the won't let Protestants teach in RC schools without a letter form a Priest and as for promotion for non RC teachers, in RC schools forget it. The monarchy is percieved as an irrelevance which does not affect the common man on the street yet non RC are being descriminated against in our eductaion system never mind our local authorities when was the last non RC Provost of Glasgow. If our politicians want to tackle sectarianism they have to first look at the political system and parties themselves, then they can look at eductaion and then once they have got their own house in order we might start to take them seriously.

A well constructed and measured argument about the failings of the RC Church and its influence in the west of scotland. Whilst I dont personally agree that it is the war that it is in some folks minds, I however appreciate your well made points.

How refreshing to see a comment like yours devoid of the "Papish C*nts, Fenian" crap that you normally get when this subject is breached.

[lidorfc 6,685]

I hate being referred to as a h**, but until the Rangers fans who dont mind being called one ( And I have no idea why) change their opinion, we dont have a case.

We had a poll on here not that long ago and some fans admitted using the term themselves

dosent bother me gettin called a h** coz the ppl who call me a h** dont know why they call me it, they just jump on the band wagon. and if they knew what the word h** referes to they would realise it has nothing to do with rangers fans

[MosesMcNeil 1,664]

I hate being referred to as a h**, but until the Rangers fans who dont mind being called one ( And I have no idea why) change their opinion, we dont have a case.

Rangers fans who don't mind being called a nickname for nazi's - it's appalling.

[MosesMcNeil 1,664]

dosent bother me gettin called a h** coz the ppl who call me a h** dont know why they call me it, they just jump on the band wagon. and if they knew what the word h** referes to they would realise it has nothing to do with rangers fans

So if someone referred to you as 'that daft wee cunt who shags weans' you wouldn't mind as long as they don't know why?

[lidorfc 6,685]

dosent bother me gettin called a h** coz the ppl who call me a h** dont know why they call me it, they just jump on the band wagon. and if they knew what the word h** referes to they would realise it has nothing to do with rangers fans

So if someone referred to you as 'that daft wee cunt who shags weans' you wouldn't mind as long as they don't know why?

why would i care? their idiots. if sum1 called me a pedo i'd tell them to jog on, not get all raging and give them more ammunition.