Monday, February 13, 2006
Celtic to meet with Willie Frazer
I was disappointed to learn, courtesy of the Belfast Telegraph, that the 'Families Acting for Innocent Relatives' boss Willie Frazer is set to travel to Glasgow to tackle Celtic Football Club over alleged sectarianism.Frazer made a blistering attack on the club following an incident in which players John Hartson and Stephen Pearson were filmed amid a republican sing-song in Donegal last April.
The pair admitted singing The Fields of Athenry but insisted that they did not participate in any pro-IRA chanting.
Celtic has proposed demonstrating at first hand that it is "tackling sectarianism, racism and religious intolerance".
The club has emphasised that it "stands firm against bigotry in all its forms and will continue to be a club for all".
Speaking following the invitation, Mr Frazer said: "We hope they genuinely want to rid football of this intolerance."
I find it hard to believe Willie Frazer really cares about sectarianism but here's quite possibly the funniest quote so far of 2006, courtesy of Mr Frazer. Are you ready for it? Take it away Willie...
"Rangers seem to have knocked this sort of behaviour on the head."
Bwahahahahaha! Oh man! Wow. Have you all stopped laughing yet? OK, I'll continue. A reader of the Belfast Telegraph has quite rightly pointed out that Frazer's website contains fierce references to Celtic and republicans.
"Why should he bring the club into it?", the reader asked.
Mr Frazer responded that he represented those who had suffered at the hands of the IRA, and he would always challenge both the terror group and any apparent support for it.
"For too long people have thought it is OK to attend a function where others chant IRA slogans," he said.
"Anyone who finds themselves in that situation should at the very least get up and leave."
Can you believe this? Moral chastisement from a guy who will march alongside loyalists in the upcoming Love Ulster parade in Dublin! You couldn't make it up!
I'd like to highlight to United Irelander readers the following quote from Willie Frazer, spokesman for the Love Ulster campaign and victims group
"There is a difference [between loyalist and republican paramilitaries] loyalists are not trying to get into the government. They're not trying to get into the police force. They're not trying to get 'on-the-runs' returned. They're not trying to turn justice upside down. They don't really come into the equation the way the IRA does."
Surely if Celtic truly want to "stand firm against bigotry" and be a "club for all" then they ought to cancel the invitation to Willie Frazer forthwith!
# posted by United Irelander @ 12:03 AM 
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