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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think the Guardian is better than this?

51 replies

TheBogQueen · 14/09/2014 08:55

www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/sep/13/orange-order-march-edinburgh-scottish-independence-vote

Here we have an orange walk which caused the centre of Edinburgh to close down .
Everyone was warned to stay away do that these bigoted knuckle-dragging idiots could have their rally.

Even Better Together will not accept their support.

Yet here we have a lovely 'fluffy' piece about this quaint tradition.

And the orange walk 'in pictures' !!!

What will we have next? A BNP away day,?

Are you fucking kidding me Guardian?

The editor should be ashamed. Truly ashamed.

OP posts:
VikingVolva · 14/09/2014 09:00

Legal protest does include those with whom you do not agree.

If you want an organisation proscribed, then it can happen.

Police can (and sometimes do) ask for demonstrations to be rerouted or regimes to avoid public order problems. It seems they did not in this case. Times when they have (in London) have been condemned by some as actions of the nasty establishment who just want to silence certain views.

Original poster
TheBogQueen · 14/09/2014 09:10

Well of course they have the right march

I'm not questioning that.

They march all bloody summer

But running an article billing them as some sort of friendly pro union group is nonsense.

OP posts:
JudysPriest · 14/09/2014 09:23

I don't think TheBog was questioning their right to march Viking. More that people like my MIL who scream racist abuse out of her window at Celtic fans are getting this kind of support. Her lodge are awful.

Original poster
TheBogQueen · 14/09/2014 09:33

Most newspapers would not touch this sort of stuff without some critical analysis.

Instead we get a 'what a lovely day out' piece and a photo spread.

You wonder if they understand anything at all about this issue.

A friend was at a rangers match the other week where someone (wearing a rangers strip) unfurled a Palestinian flag in support if the people in gaza.

He was chased out of the stadium. He was confronted by a mob of supporters, called a 'Fenian bastard !?' Police officers were standing in front of him but being pushed further and further back before they managed to get him to safety.

And yet here we have an article characterising these bigots as unionist sympathisers.

Bloody hell.

OP posts:
WildThong · 14/09/2014 10:06

Ah, what started as an OO bashing thread has morphed magically into anti - Rangers, could have put money on that happening.

I was that match myself. Your description of what actually happened has obviously been through a few cycles of Chinese whispers because it certainly isn't what I witnessed first hand.

Fwiw, I don't belong to or support the OO in any way, before I get accused of that.

FamiliesShareGerms · 14/09/2014 10:08

I've given up buying the Guardian because of their coverage of various issues - I don't quite get what it stands for anymore

roughtyping · 14/09/2014 10:08

WildThong, what happened? Hadn't heard anything about this

Also a Rangers supporter, but v anti-OO and pro independence

WildThong · 14/09/2014 10:10

Everyone was warned to stay away do that these bigoted knuckle-dragging idiots could have their rally

From the article
Hundreds more spectators had thronged the streets, waving union flags and 'vote no' signs, while bemused tourists strained to capture the spectacle on camera.

IrnBruTheNoo · 14/09/2014 10:14

The problem is though, by flagging this up and drawing attention to the OO, you're giving them the ammunition they need. In the final few days left, we should be focusing on what is important and that's fighting for independence TheBogQueen.

WildThong · 14/09/2014 10:16

rough not wanting to out myself, let's just say that someone wearing a Rangers top who was later outed on Twitter/FB as being a fan of a different club, waved a Palestinian flag whilst shouting some unflattering things about the people he was sitting with.

He was quickly escorted out and yes was shouted at etc, but there was no mob or jostling etc. it's just another story that gains legs as it gets passed around.

PhaedraIsMyName · 14/09/2014 10:19

Who told whom to stay away?

Yes I would have preferred they hadn't held it and it's an odd story for The Guardian to cover but there's a distinct lack of facts to support your assertion.

Roads were closed and traffic diverted as would be the case for any approved legal march by any organisation but to extrapolate from that that people were told to stay away is a bit of a leap.

UncleT · 14/09/2014 10:21

It's called not having censorship, and being exposed to a range of viewpoints. Disgusting, eh ?

Terrierterror · 14/09/2014 10:30

Read the article again. Properly.

BIWI · 14/09/2014 10:38

Um. Did you actually read the piece? I don't think there was anything in there that was 'fluffy'.

It was an article illustrated with photos of people who were taking part.

With commentary describing but not supporting the event.

Original poster
TheBogQueen · 14/09/2014 10:44

I was shocked to see it in a national newspaper.

In the context of the referendum it plays so badly. There are any number of orange marches the guardian could have attended throughout July.
Yet they went to this one.

This is an organisation which the No camp will not align itself with.

Perhaps I have overreacted but I was genuinely shocked to see the way it was portrayed.

OP posts:
PhaedraIsMyName · 14/09/2014 10:45

Could it be that you are disappointed that it was,despite the numbers, a bit of a non- event?

I see on another thread someone , possibly you , referred to neo- nazis being in attendance which,if they were, has not been reported anywhere?

Would it have suited you if the EDL/BNP had visibly turned out.?

Terrierterror · 14/09/2014 10:48

Yes it has Phaedra, in the very article the OP is complaining about!

Terrierterror · 14/09/2014 10:49

'At the top of Edinburgh's Abbeymount, where Orange Order marchers congregated at the end of their parade on Saturday, a group of policemen were making their considered assessment of the morning's events: "Some arseholes, but in general a major success".

It is not clear whether they were referring specifically to a group of Britain First neo-Nazis who were making their presence felt by the Scottish parliament building.'

OOAOML · 14/09/2014 10:50

From the Guardian article, it looked like there were some BNP/Britain First people at Holyrood. I didn't see anything suggesting they were part of the march. To be fair, the march did close certain roads. That happens a lot round Holyrood. Does it mean that the Pride march is a bad thing? Pedal on Scotland? The closure of roads for various reasons during the Festival? Are these all bad things? Or just the Orange Order?

I am not a supporter of the Orange Order. But they aren't an illegal organisation and all sorts of groups march in Edinburgh as in other cities. I don't actually get mass rallies/marches, but clearly some people like them. I'm glad it seems to have passed without incident. But clearly that isn't enough material for some to whip up outrage about.

BOFster · 14/09/2014 10:52

The far right always show up at those kind of things- it would be more remarkable if they didn't, tbh.

Flipflops7 · 14/09/2014 10:53

YANBU, OP (not that I'm in any way a fan of the Guardian). It's sloppy, contextless journalism. They are not reporting dances round a maypole.

I was also horrified this week at the revisionism being applied to Ian Paisley, like he was some kind of co-architect of peace rather than a flaming bigot who had to be dragged kicking and screaming to the table.

Original poster
TheBogQueen · 14/09/2014 10:57

Right ok

I may overreacted.

I was just so shocked. During the summer we see and hear them on our streets and it's so depressing in 21st century scotland.

OP posts:
PhaedraIsMyName · 14/09/2014 10:58

The reference in the other thread read as if the neo- nazis were marching with the Order. Not quite the same. As for saying the "centre of Edinburgh had to close down" no it didn't- you couldn't drive temporarily along some streets.

PhaedraIsMyName · 14/09/2014 11:01

Yes you did overreact. If it's of any comfort after 30 years of buying The Guardian I was about to stop because of the utterly biased pro - independence stance it was taking until Saturday's editorial.

Terrierterror · 14/09/2014 11:02

I think if you read it again you'll see that it's very far from being an orange order puff piece. I particularly like 'visceral pro-union strength' and 'particularly pungent flavour of pro-union support.'