http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/news/article2733302.ece

Says alot more about those nutty religious people than tesco as a brand.

That's genius. Tesco Loyal We Are The People with the really good prices.

So the shop allegedly formerly owned by Dame Shirley Porter comes up trumps again.

We need to build a bloody great big wall…

5thElefant – Member

We need to build a bloody great big wall…

But we have all the good trail centres… 🙂

dmiller – Member

5thElefant – Member

We need to build a bloody great big wall…

But we have all the good trail centres…

exactly 😉

Says alot more about those nutty religious people than tesco as a brand.

Don't think you will find too many of them at Church on Sunday.

Says alot more about those nutty religious people than tesco as a brand.

How's that then? Orange Flute bands represent sectarianism, they play anti Irish and anti catholic tunes, and are un-mistakenly a symbol of protestant/unionist traditions. While I accept they are historic and traditional, and much of their music and traditions are positive and celebratory for the communities they come from, much of the music they play directly references a voilent and troubled, mostly Irish history.

How does booking a band like that to play at a store opening NOT reflect badly on Tesco?

If Tesco had booked a Republican equivelant that celebrated the daring-do of the IRA over the years, would you just have dismissed that as nutty religious stuff?

What you need to understand about this is that the presence of this band in this setting is as offensive and insensitive as the above, or dare I say it as the BNP turnin up to open a Tesco.

It's funny, but it should never have happened.

Their music is probably rather jolly in isolation, as I'm sure are many Irish nationalist songs. But I do think the red hand should have been a clue that there was a problem here. 🙂

That page flashed up a MacAfee warning

If Tesco had booked a Republican equivelant that celebrated the daring-do of the IRA over the years, would you just have dismissed that as nutty religious stuff?

loyalist bands hardly comparable to the scum that is the PIRA.

loyalist bands hardly comparable to the scum that is the PIRA.

There's scum on all sides, and inexcusable violence has been handed out by all sides; orange bands happen to celebrate (among other things) the scum on their side.

Please try and accept that the depth of feeling you feel (and I share) about the PIRA is also the depth of feeling some feel about Orange Flute bands and what they celebrate and represent.

Who cares about the ins and outs, its downright funny.

And yes, Scotland has it's problems with the whole sectarianism garbage, but the rest of the uk isn't without it's stupid in-fighting about s**t that doesn't matter.

Unfortunately we live in a country (well a world really) that is full of backwards prejudices, but none of this is ever one sided and for every ****t on one side shouting the odds there'll be a ****t on the other side shouting right back

@ SV There's no such thing as a Loyalist terrorist group in NI then?

Both sides are as bad as each other.

Unfortunately there seems to be sectarianism of one form or another throughout Scotland. Some football team supporters choose their team based on its percieved affiliation to Celtic or Rangers. Even if that affiliation only stretches to the colours of the strip, Green/White or Red/White/Blue.

A local Academy (school),where I used to live, had to ban Celtic and Rangers strips being worn during its PE classes due to the tensions it caused amongst pupils. I'm not just talking "my team's better than your team" either. It came down to anti Catholic/anti Protestant comments and threats of violence. All of this from 11 to 16 year olds. Charming.

So, Fields of Athenry played over the ASDA tannoy anybody? As somebody who is religious, neither of these groups have anything to do with Christianity any more than a Muslim suicide bomber uses the Koran to justify his or her actions.

Even if that affiliation only stretches to the colours of the strip, Green/White

I'd just like to say that Celtic FC was founded in 1888 in Glasgow by Brother Walfred as a charity to help alleviate poverty among the immigrant Irish population in the East End of Glasgow. So Celtic's affiliation to Ireland goes a bit deeper than the colour of it's strip.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UY-ZrwFwLQg

There's scum on all sides

Agreed but there are ordinary decent people, who are band members, invovled with celebrating a 300+ year old battle victory. The Loyalist bands themselves did not carry out violent acts.

@ SV There's no such thing as a Loyalist terrorist group in NI then?

Unfortunatley there most cerainly is. If the PIRA didnt exist neither would the UVF/UFF/LVF etc. I am disgusted by both sides but feel it unfair to tar the Loyalist bands with the paramilitary brush.

People claim its religious but as I said you will not find them attending their local place of worship on a regular basis.

@ Feenster, I think you misunderstood my comments. I was trying to make the point that other teams or fans using certain colours may be trying to affiliate with Celtic/Rangers. I know that not all fans attach sectarian values to their allegience of a particular football team. I was trying to make the point that the whole Catholic v Protestant conflict in NI has been hijacked by fans in Scotland. Not all parties are card carrying Loyalist/Republican terrorists. The vast majority of folk are simply trying to raise families in a safe environment and aren't interested in the politics of it all.

Most people don't seem to realise that the increased military presence in NI was there to protect the Catholic residents from Protestant attack in the 60's. Eammon Holmes (TV presenter) was forced from his home as a child due to anti Catholic violence, 1 of many 1000's.

@notlocal

Didn't misunderstand you.

Not many people realise or understand why fans of a Football club in Glasgow so visibly and fanatically affiliate themselves with Ireland.

It seems ridiculous, unless you understand how and why Celtic FC started, and I just wanted to point that out for the benefit of anyone who didn't know.

I never realised how tribal scotland was. Weird.

No probs feenster. Just think a team should be supported for its sporting history and present day performances. Naive maybe?

Reminded me of the fall in sales of Sugar Puffs in Wearside after NUFC manager Kevin Keegan appeared in the TV advert. 🙄

As somebody who is religious, neither of these groups have anything to do with Christianity any more than a Muslim suicide bomber uses the Koran to justify his or her actions.

Of course they do! Both books preach violence, intolerance and misogyny in spades.
Selective reading perhaps?

a team should be supported for its sporting history

Ok then – Celtic were the first British team to win the European Cup – 1967. With team of fellas from Glasgow, apart from one who was from Lanarkshire, just nearby. 😉

and present day performances

Let's not go there 😉

If the PIRA didnt exist neither would the UVF/UFF/LVF etc.

The UVF were formed before the IRA. 1912 and 1913 iirc but both prior to WW1.
The later UVF (no link to first was formed in 1966)and the PIRA in 1969.Given that I dont see how your statement can be considered true or accurate.

i think pipe bands are for retards and bigots and i'm an ulster protestant

Actually I wondered when you would turn up surfer,please link either the UVF or the PIRA to Christianity for me please.

These bands have nothing to do with Religion. They do not generally have beliefs in a god, they do not follow the guidance set out by Christianity and they do not represent it.

I cannot get over why they use the terms Catholic and Protestant. One of societies biggest misnomers.

Junkyard – agree there is no way that you could link the brave men of WW1 with the drug dealing gangsters of today. Only in name are they connected DEFINATELY not in bravery.

The loyalist parailtaries would/could not have survived if the PIRA had not started their thirty years of murder.

I am in no way supporting the Loyalist Paramilitary cause just pointing out that the bands do have a vast majority of decent people playing within them. As in all walks of life there is a small minority spoiling their name eg GAA.

sv you should probably re read what fenster originally said. He compared the presence of the flute band to a another band that SUPPORTED the IRA, not the IRA themselves.

Having been brought up in Motherwell, very close to Belshill, the sooner all such bands and marches are outlawed the better. They are, or at least were, nothing more than an excuse for drunkeness intollerance and hatred under the guise of "tradition".

presence of the flute band to a another band that SUPPORTED the IRA, not the IRA themselves

The majority of loyalist bands dont support loyalist paramilitaries and as I have said the majority of people who make up these bands are decent folks who cannot be tarred with the one brush.

The majority of loyalist bands dont support loyalist paramilitaries

Either I'm niave and deluded or you are

I'm originally from Lanarkshire myself and I completely agree with Gonefishin – whatever the supposed "noble" cause of these bands/marches – they are just an excuse for "ra peepil" and the Plastic Paddy's to get pished and wind-up "the other side" with all their sad wee songs – like an Old Firm game set to music I suppose 🙄

Either I'm niave and deluded or you are

So then you suggest the majority of band members and their families/followers support loyalist paramilitaries. Says a lot about what you think of the people of Ulster.

An old firm game set to music

Like it! I am from Kilmarnock and we used to have to put up with that crap. Till we moved to Dundee and only had to put up with it when the old firm visited.

sv – Member
The loyalist parailtaries would/could not have survived if the PIRA had not started their thirty years of murder.

Again the IRA and the PIRA were both created AFTER the UVF. They also decomissioned before them as well 2005 v 2009. Why do you think the PIRA /IRA caused the organisations that predated them and outlasted them?

The troubles began after an apprentice boys of derry march led to rioting and about 2000 RC fleeing from their homes in NI and a number being destroyed hence the PIRA was formed to defend these communities. They later developed the strategy of armed resistance/long war etc.

To suggest that the bands /marches are just like Morris Men out enjoying tradition is naive it is a very political act.

Also from Kilmarnock FWIW

I love STW. How to equate flutes with violence.

Duckman, sv, you seem to think that the "issues" in Northern Ireland are not related to christianity.

Ever heard of the "no true scotsman" fallacy?

I assume that (using your definition of "christianity" or "religion") the crusades, the inquisition, the pogroms and all those other naughty historical facts must have been just the result of bad PR, and nothing to do with religion either?

I grew up in NI, in a pretty ugly area. I used to think (probably like you?) that in this sort of tribalism, religion must just be a bystander or an excuse. But experience has shown me that the divide between "the bands" and "the boys" and the church groups they belong to is a slim to non existent one, and that religion is the main way in which they define themselves (and "the other") on both sides.

Religion is completely central to the conflict.

While you may think that christianity precludes violence / ethnic cleansing and hatred, it seems that some members of sectarian terrorist groups have a broader knowledge of the behaviour of religious groups through history than you do.

PS.. Where I grew up the main place used to identify potential recruits for "loyalist" paramilitary organisations was … the local band.

I never realised they were so thick, hating and religeous!

And Tesco made an error opening over there…