CRE cautions against “anti-English sentiment”

SLG · CRE cautions against “anti-English sentiment”

Mibee they should also be warning the Sun, Telegraph etc to guard against anti-Scots sentiment that are becoming a regular feature in their columns.

Reluctant Hero

SLG

It was. It might be worth a wee email to the CRE about it.

IF Convenor

Perhaps the CRE should investigate the crowd trouble at the recent boxing match in Birmingham. A scottish boxer beat an English boxer so the "home" fans began unprovoked physical attacks on any and all Scots at the venue.

Daily Rectum

Aventinian

The CRE are pathetic.

SLG

But it suddenly becomes big news when they say anything though.

Morph

It seems to be SLG that anything they say is taken as gospel without any debate or challenge to it. Its a shame because groups like this may actually be driving people towards Right wing groups such as the BNP, which no one wants. A more common sense approach might be better than this

elidir

Yes Morph, it seems that the CRE are immune to criticism as criticising them is somehow seen as automatically racist! However, they dont mind criticing the Celts in relation to perceived english interests. The CRE are a statutary body and require a complaint from an individual or orginisation to become involved (I have this in a CRE letter); but they often abuse this power when criticising poiliticians who are not Labourites, as the CRE is full of establishment Labour groupies.

They've done this plenty of times in Wales - condemned Welsh people or groups of anti-english sentiment - unjustifiably (some years ago it was considered anti-english just to speak Welsh)- without receiving complaints but are reticent the other way round, claiming that they cannot condemn or comment on peoples opinions- hiding behind their official limits: they don't have the right to censor or proscribe behaviour, but they attempt to do so constantly in the most underhand "concerned" way. However, they dont apply this principle equitably!

SLG quoted:-

"What we are saying is that fans need to guard against sentiments that encourage or act as a smokescreen for other prejudices and intolerance."

Substitute: "...fans..", for: "the CRE", and the statement is still as valid!

And What does:-

..."an increase in the number of ENQUIRIES it [CRE] received RELATING to CONCERNS about anti-English sentiment..." [my emphasis]-

And: "...speciffic enquiries..."

- actually mean? It means that theyv'e had no actuall COMPLAINTS of racism; or: or those they have had don't constitute a breach of anti-racist laws and are, therefore, definitionally - not racist! By thier own legally proscribed parameters, therefore, this appears to be an issue outside of their remit; (unless, of course it was a finding of an official report, which I don't beleive they are saying) so why is it an issue for them, such pronouncements could indeed, as someone said, contribute to ill feeling.

They had no problems with Welsh fans and players actually being called Welsh bastards by english fans in Manchester in the world cup qualification game - which can be defined as incitment to racial hatred - a punishable offence. So don't expect any help from them if you perceive anti-Scottish sentiment in the London press, as complaints about the traditional and continued anti-Welsh sentiments have so far been met with the response that they can't comment on the opinions of individuals in the absence of a complaint which falls within the 1976 race relations act -unfortuantelly you are also likely to receive the same response! but I suppose there's no harm in letting them know your opinions eh!

Forgive me I know this thread is Scottish news but I can't resist highlighting the comparisons with the CRE's attitude to Wales and Scotland which I was not aware of before, as hostility to both our nations is likely to increase in the near future.

mercatcross