Scottish Christian.com

Home > News > Scottish Christian News Monitor

Bigotry not just Rangers problem - academic

A leading Belfast academic has published a blistering attack on Celtic Football Club apologists for "wrongly" portraying sectarianism as a mainly Protestant problem.

Queen's University professor of political history Graham Walker – who co-edited the new book It's Rangers For Me? – asks why it is that the numerous attacks by Celtic fans on Rangers players in public over the last few years have been deemed less newsworthy than attacks on Celtic players.

There is a clear double standard in operation for Rangers fans, he argues: "Celtic fans mouthing abuse such as 'Orange b******s' is regarded as acceptably political or 'a bit of craic' while Rangers fans supposedly deal in a repertoire of straightforward bigotry and racism."

The book has chapters written by some 20 contributors including academics, intellectuals, journalists, politicians, players and fans.

Full story at the Belfast News Letter.

Celtic FC apologists 'need to look at themselves'

Professor Graham Walker of Queen's University Belfast feels there are double standards operating for Old Firm fans and challenges Celtic apologists to re-examine their stereotypes of Rangers and Celtic fans.

In a new book, Its Rangers for Me, he argues a number of facts and incidents relating to Celtic Fans and Irish culture are not adequately taken on board when presenting violence, sectarianism, racism and homophobia as mainly Protestant traits.

[Eleven examples are cited.]

Full story at the Belfast News Letter.