Just reading about this new law and what type of songs/chants that are to be banned it looks like the Cowden Family song can get us all locked up!

http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Bigotry

Naebody is going to get locked up for singing humourous songs.
What the new legislation is about is banning stuff that is giving our national game a bad name. No more crap about terrorism or anti-Catholic songs. Sadly it's the only language that these arseholes understand.

could you be one of them.?????
I notice you never mentioned anything about anti Protestant songs,hmmmm.
Kiss goodbye to Flower of Scotland too then.
You may not be locked up,but you will be fined.
And this isnt only for the national game.

FTOF. That is all.

FifeyBoab makes a good point. This law is necessary because the bigots just will not get the message otherwise. The phrase "other forms of hatred" is too open to interpretation though. Lawyers will make a mint out of frivolous complaints.

Sometimes we call Rovers fans 'lino-lickers' and they call us 'the great unwashed'. How long before some fan with no sense of humour tries to say that incites hatred and gets a lawyer who agrees? The Police would have to put that one before the Courts and anything could happen.

We need a precise definition of 'hatred' and until we do we all take the risk of being complained about.

I was involved in a couple of meetings when the legislation was being drafted.

While everyone involved agreed that there is a need to address the bigotry problem, very few were in favour of the law as published.

I still feel that the bill is badly worded and in fact that existing legislation can deal with the problem.

As I pointed out to Nicola Sturgeon, I have a sense that the Government have got themselves in a position where they feel they have to create a law and have lost track of whether it will actually do any good.

Agree Eugene. The problem is the old firm mainly, Protestants/Catholic. There is rarely trouble outwith these subjects. The Goverment are hiding behind the new law so as not to single out the two clubs who cause the problem.

Hey Eugene, I think the most pertinent point here is this - is Nicola Sturgeon fit or a minger, it's hard to tell on the telly?

As for the law, don't worry - we have the Procurator Fiscal Service to ensure that most people who break the law are let off anyway.

I think “nippie sweetie” is the expression that comes to mind!

It looks like she cuts her own hair. Eugene, if there are any follow up meetings, could you ask her if this is indeed the case? Ta.

You look like you cut your own hair as well Mary, perhaps you and Nicola could start up a wee club

:-)

What is freedom of expression ?
Without the freedom to offend,it ceases to exist.
Salman Rushdie,Quote.
ya dig ya p.c. controlled sheep.

Well said.

Religious bigotry is repugnant and sickening and needs to be stamped out, it's not acceptable, in the same way as racism isn't acceptable. People who indulge in it deserve to be locked up, end of story. They are an embarrassment to football and to society.

If existing legislation was enough, why did the police ask the Scottish Gov. to intervene and to grant them greater powers? More laws are not intended to be a silver bullet solution but even if they make people stop and think, and question their actions, then that's fine by me. I dont want my kids to grow up thinking bigotry and racism are acceptable at football matches or anywhere else. Not that it's ever been an issue at Bayview, and long may that be the case. At least we now have a government in place with the guts to try, instead of just talking a good job.. like the last shower!