SEEMS I upset a few people by claiming that the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Act 2012 might actually be a good thing as it appears to be working.
I am not surprised that some of my detractors were from the Celtic supporting side. They can’t seem to get over the fact that some Celtic fans have been ‘criminalised’ for singing songs about the IRA which has nothing to do with Celtic’s history as an avowedly non-sectarian club.
Leaving aside the Fifa statutes which specifically ban religious and political singing inside football stadia, I am always amazed that people try to justify bigotry and sectarianism – for that is what we are talking about – in a football context.
Sure, I used to join in when I was a boy at Celtic Park, but guess what? I grew up and got real. I suggest it’s time that all perpetrators of sectarianism in this country do the same.
I remind you that I wrote that I was not entirely happy with the Act, which is even now under review. It must be thoroughly and comprehensively reviewed, and changes made to make the Act more workable.
Yet as the Act was passed by the Scottish Parliament in December 2011, and came into force on March 1, 2012, it is the law of the land and however imperfect, it must be obeyed.
Therefore, I presume that those Celtic-supporting people who slate the Act as potentially discriminating against football supporters will be most unhappy that three Rangers fans were banned from football for six months and fined £450 each at Livingston Sheriff Court last week when they admitted singing songs about the UVF.
No Act, and the three who pled guilty to these offences would have been free to chant their sectarian nonsense. I await with interest the messages of support for the Rangers Three from the Celtic contingent of Fans Against Criminalisation…
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here