We don’t need no education

Is it safe for critical thinking yet?

They used to say that death and taxes were the only certainties in life. Now though you can set your watch by the tent poles of Poppy season.

1) Celtic fans will be slagged off

2) James McLean will be treated like he was born yesterday

3) The paragons of moral virtue will be out in force

I was having a discussion with a mate of mine this week, Jamie, and he reminded me of a game on November 12th, 1988 where we played Rangers (IL) at Celtic Park. If anything, there was even more tension than normal as in our previous meeting we had lost 5-1 at Ibrox and life had been unbearable.

We had to avenge it.

It was a 3pm kick off on a Saturday and when Rangers scored their ubiquitous penalty, we feared the worst.

Thankfully, we came storming back thanks in no small part to a Terry Butcher own goal, a brilliant turn and shot by Mark McGhee and a nice deflection in our favour to allow a Billy Stark goal.

3-1 up at half time, we could and should have got to five in the second half but for some phenomenal saves by Chris Woods.

Oh and by the way, the following day was Rememberance Sunday.

I’m going to shock you now so brace yourself. There was no minute’s silence, no poppies on shirts and no wreathe laying. Further to that, there was no media outcry when none of these took place either.

Of course; after Kilmarnock on Sunday, all hell broke loose. Derek McInnes fired the first shot. Now, I’ve never liked him. Not because of his allegiances or even his bizarre personality traits but it’s because he’s not as intelligent as he thinks he is (much like his pal Graham Spiers)

Derek forgot/doesn’t realise we live in a democracy and folk are entitled to free speech (yes, even Celtic fans) and lambasted us for not staying silent for a minute (instead, a lot of fans sung about a Celtic supporter killed in cold blood by the British Army)

That lit the blue touch paper.

The most ridiculous assertions I heard was from Tom English. Now, I don’t really understand how a rugby man from Limerick is front and centre of Scottish football. He trots out stats to cover lack of knowledge and really does absolutely zero insight into the game iof football here.

He flew in feet first on the Celtic support. Accusing us of a lack of eduction and displaying huge ignorance.

Oh really?

Celtic have the most politicised support in Britain. Anyone could provide numbers examples if that (how many people had heard of Arthur Balfour before Sunday?)

Then there’s Matt Lindsay at the Herald. I’ve met him and actually quite like him but he’s slipped into being a cheerleader for all the things we are against (Ally McCoist for one) and he was ranting in the paper too.

This all irks me.

Fairly recent revelations have proved that the British Army in Ireland murdered indiscriminately, tortured people, threw men out of helicopters and basically invented water boarding.

I spent two years writing a book and film about Celtic’s connection to Ireland, the songs, the flag and culture. Even in that relatively short historical period, there were the Black and Tans, state sponsored executions, two bloody Sundays, the Ballymutphy Massacre and a shoot to kill policy.

My point is this: I and many others will not be lectured on a subject that we have forgot more about than these paragons of moral virtue will ever know.

Let’s be clear here, yes we know there are Celtic players who died in both world wars. One of the most famous CSC’s is named after one. That doesn’t mean though we turn a blind eye to the atrocities committed by the British Empire and its Army.

We get preaches to about respect. Why not think about respecting our beliefs, our culture and our people.

No?

I guess I will see you next year then.