What is it – nostalgia for a less complicated yesterday? A rush of blood to the head? Or maybe just pure bloody racism. Whatever the answer, the incident on the Paris underground where a black man was repeatedly ejected from a train carriage leaves many of us, I suggest, weak with disgust.
“Our captain is a racist and that is why we love him, we love him, we love him!” That was the chant the Chelsea fans fired at the ejected man. Which gives a heavy hint that it was bloody racism. And wouldn’t you know: there was an Irishman on board and one who’d been a former PSNI AND a former human rights worker.
Despair and contempt might seem the obvious responses to such behaviour but maybe pity would be more appropriate. Pity for people who only feel at home in the world when they’re mocking what they consider their inferiors. People who feel that if they can only do down the guy with the funny-coloured skin they will feel better about themselves and become an accepted member of the knuckle-draggers club.
What a way to move through life, propelled by hatred. And what a waste of a unique human life.
I cannot really say that I am surprised by this behavior from an RUC man.
At least he didn’t let himself down by denying it
Actually Patrick, he did deny it. He was alone, no part of the racist crew.and is not a racist.
fiosrach
None of that “innocent til proven guilty” stuff please!
I,m not saying that he is guilty _ just that he did deny it.
fiosrach
Yes I was being ironic.
I don’t know if he is guilty or not but seemingly his being a police officer is enough for some to decide he must be.
A neighbour of mine once spent time in hospital with a Catholic ex RUC man.The retired cop confided in him that he had joined pre troubles ,was basically apolitical and took up a career which he thought was “a handy number”.He made no secret of the fact that the conflict resulted in an influx of recruits that he never imagined he would have to work with.He genuinely stated that he was more afraid of his colleagues in the barracks than he was of the IRA.
I was discussing this deplorable incident with a friend, a couple of days after it happened. One idea i put forth was that a fair number of the Chelsea ‘fans’ who travelled over, could well be the (actual offspring of the ‘Chelsea Headhunters’ (Chelsea’s knuckle-dragging hooligan element from the 70’s / 80’s). Millwall fans had (and still have) the same notoriety. As for their “Racist Captain” (no doubt there) – he’s also regularly been ‘ticketed’ for parking his ‘Chelsea Tractor’ (aka a SUV / People Carrier) in Disabled parking spaces when himself and the wife go shopping. A ‘tool’ if there ever was one.
By the way – as regards the rapid decrease in football hooliganism at the end of the 80’s and into the 90’s – There was one major factor…..’E’s’ – Everyone was too ‘loved up’ to fight. (Even the Leeds fans. Sometimes).
The colour of language too, Esteemed Blogmeister, can also be a right divil. Take the word for a’black man in leprechaun: fear gorm. Gorm, of course, also denotes ‘blue’.
Which possibly presents the Free Southern Stateen’s lip-top laptopper, Roddy Doyle, with a dilemma of sorts, but probably doesn’t. As also Dublin’s foremost Uberdub he eschews, of course, all things Gaelic like the Dubs and chooses to wear the gansey gorm of Chelsea. He is quite adamant on such matters.
Which is not to say that he is unaware of languages of the Other. His Gandhi-like appearance reminds one that he is opposed (vehemently) to all sorts of cultural goose-stepping, not least from the Gael. Thus, he has shown himself to be a thoughtful and tireless advocate on behalf of immigrants from Afraca. He champions languages on Liffeyside, from Yoruba to Swahili to Hausa to Ibo to Bantu to Xhosa. Lends a selfless hand too with editing their newsletters, that sort of thingy.
Just as Falstaff was not only witty himself but also the cause of wit in others so too is the God-like Rod a source of multilingual verse in others, bless ‘m.
La Rouge et Le Noir
Chel-sea fans bound home for le bateau
With bellies round from beer and gateau
Fat Fred said ‘Cor ‘!’
Take look at ‘Noir !”
(Wot if ‘arrry should marry one and sire a mulatto?)
PS The length of the last line is explained and hopefully excused by the longevity to which the Royal Blues (and hopefully Reds) are prone. (And their subjects supine).
Line of the day, no contest: “With bellies round from beer and gateau”. Mangez gateau…
he claimed he’s not rascist. I could hazard a good guess he is not sectarian either.
There’a an assumption that this guy is a wrong un…. but where is everyone getting their info from? Has his life been a pretense? I’m completely non-racist…it doesn’t actually make a whole lot of sense to think like that anyway…and agreed ,I know nothing about the various football tribes of all the various followers . I’ve heard enough about them all over the years …right back to the skinheads and the various fighting firms though .
Are all Chelsea supporters racist by association or definition? Is it part of the team ethos and if so , why are they allowed to exist at all?. Is he a wrong un caught out by the scandal press or is he just some guy who happened to be in the same train carriage as this other bunch of fools? Is he a fool too? Where is the evidence?
Former RUC Man in ‘Is Racist’ Shocker!