to think this is unacceptable and wonder why Scotland is fair game for racist attacks like this

[ScotsWhaHae]

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/picture/2015/mar/09/steve-bells-if-

It's not even funny.

Incest? Wtf?

I'm disappointed in the guardian. It raises the question though, substitute the Scottish references for some other nation, would that be acceptable?

We got told repeatedly about the anti English sentiment north of the border last year, during the referendum. Shit like this isn't appearing in Scottish editions of the news papers.

Along with the casual racism lets add sexism into the mix. We have a female first minister. Repeatedly in main stream media I hear people talk about Alex salmond and the snp. He's not the leader of the party or the first minister. Is the press that out if touch with Scottish politics or are they just ignoring Nicola on account of her begin female?

And let's not get started on 'the wee lassie with a tin helmet' comment. But that won't be in any of the English editions will it?

no the incest bit is stupid .but they are correct they are two idiots who make me ashamed to be scottish .its not racist just making fun of two politicians .

This is one of the usual tactics of the SNP though - censoring other people's free speech and laying on the victimhood thick and exaggerated. Who can forget their list of "prohibited companies" which their supporters were meant to avoid after the Referendum, because they had publicly acknowledged support for the Union? Unfortunately it comprised most of the major companies in Scotland, and was quietly dropped. The motto of the SNP should be "You can't say that!"

There are thousands of cartoons daily, making fun of all sorts of politicians from all sorts of countries. If Scottish politics weren't so robust and active, there would be no cartoons about them...

"Both Osgood Mackenzie and Sir James Horlick were careful to plant big shelterbelts to protect their fine rhododendrons and azaleas. Shrubs need a shelter as much as a modern multinational company. On Gigha the plantings then encountered a hazard which their planter, Sir James, had not anticipated: socialism. They have been parcelled up and transferred into the “community ownership” of recently empowered Scottish crofters. If you are wondering about a spare Hebridean island, warmed by the Gulf Stream and not too populated by seals, think again. The Scottish National party will have it off you and your camellias will be split among Scots who are interested in firewood"
grin
FT 6th March archive.today/Fj7lm
(Gigha became community owned way before the SNP were in power btw)

The case for land reform in Scotland in a nutshell!

sconequeen The case for land reform in Scotland in a nutshell!

Lets hope you don't dare have a garden with flowers in it then! (or maybe you share it already with a local community group).

TheChandler There's a difference between my garden and the hundreds of thousands of acres in the Highlands and Islands from which people were cleared by force to allow the landowners to form sheep runs, deer forests, huge gardens or "unspoilt wildernesses".

This is one of the usual tactics of the SNP though - censoring other people's free speech and laying on the victimhood thick and exaggerated. Who can forget their list of "prohibited companies" which their supporters were meant to avoid after the Referendum, because they had publicly acknowledged support for the Union? Unfortunately it comprised most of the major companies in Scotland, and was quietly dropped

Link?

This is one of the usual tactics of the SNP though - censoring other people's free speech and laying on the victimhood thick and exaggerated. Who can forget their list of "prohibited companies" which their supporters were meant to avoid after the Referendum, because they had publicly acknowledged support for the Union? Unfortunately it comprised most of the major companies in Scotland, and was quietly dropped

Yes, please do tell us who in the SNP you are quoting here...

Itsallgoingtobefine Link?

Do you mean you want me to hunt down a link to SNP propaganda and post it here for you?

Nah.

sconequeen I wouldn't have thought Gigha was big enough to have hundreds of thousands of acres of deer forests, gardens or wilderness.

sconequeen Oh I see, you are pretending, disingenuously, that the SNP is a more fair and just party and that you think I am referring to official party policy, rather than its failure to condemn its supporters offensive views. Of course you are.

It was on the Wings over Scotland website and supported by the so-called "45" following the referendum. As both of you well know.

Memorably, it included most of the leading supermarkets, Tunnocks, Barrhead Travel, most newspapers, banks and financial institutions, the BBC, and so on. I think there were maybe one or two newspapers left out.

TheChandler
Gigha is part of the Highlands and Islands. Why not do a wee bit of research on the Highland Clearances instead of showing your ignorance on here?

And if you don't have firm references to back up what you said above, probably best not to level these accusations.

PS: don't believe everything you read in the mainstream UK media - they are part of the UK establishment which has vested interests in keeping Scotland under Westminster rule.

I detest salmond and sturgeon but that cartoon isn't funny

I am not part of the SNP though Chandler, I'm just an ordinary Scottish person who voted Yes despite never having voted for the SNP before and probably will at the general election. As for "laying on the victim hood" I'm not aware of an official SNP statement about this cartoon, and if I've missed it then I would be interested in seeing it to back up what you claim. Everyone I know that is offended by this cartoon are just like me, ordinary working Scottish people in real life.

Wings over Scotland has no connection whatsoever with the SNP. Rev Stu doesn't even vote for them. Can you provide us with a link to his "list of prohibited companies"? Because I'm pretty sure I've never seen such a thing, and I read the site daily.

I'm not denying that various individual Yessers shouted for various boycotts, but that's hardly the same as official Scottish Gvt/SNP policy.

sconequeen Gigha is part of the Highlands and Islands. Why not do a wee bit of research on the Highland Clearances instead of showing your ignorance on here?

Do you have a problem with your reading comprehension? I pointed out that Gigha was not that big. Gigha. Not the whole Highlands and Islands, not the whole even of Argyle. But Gigha. The small island of Gigha.

Which is currently struggling to retain its wonderful community.

Are you actually suggesting that the suggested boycott never materialised? And that people shouldn't mention it?

Why the hell not?

TheChandler
If you were better informed, you would realise that Gigha is just one small example of the unjustness of land ownership in the Highlands and Islands, where control of land rests with a tiny minority of, often absent, landowners. This is an issue which has starved communities in the Highlands and Islands of employment and economic development opportunities for generations, causing de-population on a massive scale. This is why land reform is so important.

Mention the boycott that some pro-Indy supporters wanted by all means. Just please don't suggest that it is or was SNP policy.

I'd like to see evidence of this naughty list of businesses that the SNP themselves have produced.

SNP and WoS are not one in the same.

I'm sure many people choose not to use businesses that they believe behaved badly (on either side) during the run up to the indyref. This has nothing to do with SNP.

I personally try not to don't use businesses who dodge tax or are known to be complete cunts that's you Nestle and since the indyref have avoided another couple of places/products. I also don't use my local butcher because he's a robbing bastard his prices are very high. It's free choice.

Gigha? last I heard the trust was in debt to the tune of £2.7 Million. Funnily enough, I know a number of crofters who would far rather deal with their landlord than a trust with all the petty local politics. Not saying that community ownership doesn't work, but it's not always the ideal some seem to make out.

TheChandler you are mighty confused.

Yes voter =/= snp supporter

Wings =/= The SNP

The Referendum wouldn't have happened without the SNP, that's true. However it paved the way for all/no party movements, blogs, and groups from the grass roots.

Women for Independence, Common Weal, English for Yes, Bella Caledonia, Students for Yes, Yes Farmers, not to mention the local regional groups. There are hundreds more.

The Women for Independence group I'm involved in didn't form until after the referendum. Most of these groups are full of people who are inspired and empowered thanks to the referendum.

It was so, so much bigger than the SNP.

ps the cartoon wasn't funny but the Guardian folk aren't known for having a sense of humour. It's not racist though.

Chandler at no point did the SNP call for a boycott of businesses who supported No and there is no list from them - you are either lying or mistaken. Other organisations such as Wings may have - they are not the SNP. So as for "hunting down SNP propaganda"??? The reason you can't is because it doesn't exist.

I'll try and explain this to you in simple terms.

SNP - SNP supporters.

SNP does not condemn actions of cybernats, those calling for a boycott of Yes supporting companies.

Equals link between SNP and those supporters. Still two different entities, but a link nonetheless.

Its also a very SNP trend to fail to condemn the actions of its supporters. We can only guess at the motivation for that. Perhaps it suits them to have the foot soldiers doing their dirty work?

Never mind, when you get your nice national database, its not only going to include your medical notes and tax details, but details about your society and sports club associations, according to current SNP plans.

Of course SNP wouldn't condemn those calling for a boycott of Yes supporting companies. Arf.

There are links between everyone and everything ultimately, it's a web. SNP have a country to run.

SNP - SNP supporters.

SNP does not condemn actions of cybernats, those calling for a boycott of Yes supporting companies.

Equals link between SNP and those supporters. Still two different entities, but a link nonetheless.

You are being ridiculous.

What are you on about Chandler?

Unless you have some kind of insider insight going on how could you tell which yes supporters were snp voters? I worked on stalls, canvassed and leafleted for Yes. May will be the first time I will vote snp.

And I'm not asking what you're on about regarding the database. I know where you're going with that. Don't make the mistake of assuming that as an snp voter I'm blindly supporting everything they propose.