A few people objected to this post when we first ran it a year ago, then came to regret their decision. So for their sake we’re putting it up again, in a new and updated form, in the interests of civilised and productive discourse about Scottish politics.
It’s the most constructive contribution we can think of to make Twitter a less toxic place over the next 12 months. It’s our block list.
We’ll be honest, there are some bits of this that make us wince, and unfortunately most of them come in the first two minutes where they’ll do the most damage in terms of getting a persuadeable voter to watch the rest of it. But it’s an important piece of work, containing stuff even we didn’t know about, and it should be seen.
The tone of coverage deployed by the Daily Express (Scottish and English editions alike) with regard to the First Minister of Scotland in recent weeks has been both bizarre and disturbing. Yesterday the paper ran this “story”:
It’s a load of gibberish, obviously. But if the FM was preparing herself for a punch-up, you could hardly blame her given what’s apparently been going on.
“Bias” is a word we hate. Other than in the article you’re about to read, you’ll almost never find it used on this site, for a string of reasons. It’s one of those words that – regardless of context or literal justification – simply makes people switch off instantly and dismiss your arguments. (See also: “Zionist”, “Quisling”, “fascist”, “Liebore”.)
It’s also largely irrelevant, because there are very few people or organisations who have any duty NOT to be biased. When it comes to Scottish independence we’re as biased as all heck, and there’s no legitimate reason to expect the Daily Record or Scotsman or Daily Mail to be any more impartial than we are. They’re privately-owned businesses and entitled to take any position they like.
(The difference, of course, is that unlike them we’re committed to still telling the truth when we’re being biased, and to always providing linked original sources so you can judge our biased interpretation of facts and events for yourself.)
Hatey McHateface on Scotland’s Most Frightened: “Excellent choices, Northy, man cannot live by synthetic carpet alone. Are you quite, quite sure ye dinna tak the drink?…” Mar 7, 13:37
Hatey McHateface on Scotland’s Most Frightened: “Reminds me of the joke where the voluminous matron asks the ragged wee urchin “Is mass oot?” I’m afraid you’re…” Mar 7, 13:33
Hatey McHateface on Scotland’s Most Frightened: “Geri says: “Looking more and more stupid by the day”” Mar 7, 13:26
Northcode on Scotland’s Most Frightened: “a think a’ll hae Tuscan Chicken fir ma tea the nicht… served wi a crunchy green salad, or mibbe wi…” Mar 7, 12:58
Northcode on Scotland’s Most Frightened: “Here’s a verse or twa fae wan o ma favourite Andy Stewart songs. Oh, ma maw came doun Fae an…” Mar 7, 12:30
TURABDIN on Scotland’s Most Frightened: “Provided it is all going on elsewhere the Anglo-Saxon west sleeps content but when it reaches homeground the pearls may…” Mar 7, 12:23
Geri on Scotland’s Most Frightened: “You are being gubbed, Shiteface. AGAIN. It’s game over. USA & it’s minions driven out of the ME. The cash…” Mar 7, 10:58
Dan on Scotland’s Most Frightened: “FFS, comment held in moderation because of using a certain word.” Mar 7, 10:43
Geri on Scotland’s Most Frightened: “The masonic lodges & the prody interpreting shit for the dumb. The moment a Brit is involved, hearing of some…” Mar 7, 10:36
Hatey McHateface on Scotland’s Most Frightened: “Dunno, TURABDIN. Are your lot losing? Bigly, perhaps? There’s some irony to be enjoyed here. Decades during which the west…” Mar 7, 10:00
TURABDIN on Scotland’s Most Frightened: “IS HEGSETH a woman despising, overscompensating closet «fag»…. https://archive.is/lXH6A uniforms, miltarism, butchness, discipline, macho postures, hazing, men, men, men….adds up…” Mar 7, 09:30
Hatey McHateface on Scotland’s Most Frightened: “Anybody can do international law, Mark. You take a soft pencil, crayon or piece of chalk and scrawl some international…” Mar 7, 09:01
Hatey McHateface on Scotland’s Most Frightened: “Easy to answer. Unable to build a solid, reliable majority in favour through the ballot box, and thus unable to…” Mar 7, 08:50
Hatey McHateface on Scotland’s Most Frightened: “Alert readers will be only too aware that if either of you two ladies had been quicker to answer your…” Mar 7, 08:34
Hatey McHateface on Scotland’s Most Frightened: ““fast and loose with our taxes” Too bad, Twat H. The gubermint will analyse your online posting history and discover…” Mar 7, 08:26
twathater on Scotland’s Most Frightened: “Having watched the news where it was announced with some fanfare that Shabana Mahmood had proposed that certain immigrants should…” Mar 7, 03:08
Cynicus on Scotland’s Most Frightened: ““Whatever happened to Scottish nationalism?” ========== Is that the right question? I suggest a better one: whatever happened to the…” Mar 7, 00:58
Mark Beggan on Scotland’s Most Frightened: “Bet she reapoears in a Quango. There’s that many quangos no one really knows what and where they are or…” Mar 6, 23:07
Mark Beggan on Scotland’s Most Frightened: “” I never thought I’d see the day when it was hip and cool to be Right wing”. John Lydon” Mar 6, 22:25
Mark Beggan on Scotland’s Most Frightened: “Lets discuss International Law. Is it made up like gender ideology or is it just made up for cowards to…” Mar 6, 21:59
Geri on Scotland’s Most Frightened: ““President Trump is nominating high-caliber and extremely qualified candidates to serve in his administration,” Cheung maintained.” *Takes a look at…” Mar 6, 21:00
diabloandco on Scotland’s Most Frightened: “ooh ! Just the chap one would choose for an extremely important and delicate job eh? Bloody hell! Thanks Turabdin!” Mar 6, 18:47
Hatey McHateface on Scotland’s Most Frightened: “And I read it. Looks like nae ither cant did!” Mar 6, 17:06
Hatey McHateface on Scotland’s Most Frightened: ““washing, managing toilet needs” I wonder how many claimants post regularly on here.” Mar 6, 17:00
Hatey McHateface on Scotland’s Most Frightened: “Every time you post one of these I get a mental image of you being humiliated and knocked back at…” Mar 6, 16:58
Hatey McHateface on Scotland’s Most Frightened: “Deal with it, Cynicus, they’re not going to be herded, two by two, into the gas chambers a second time.…” Mar 6, 16:48
Hatey McHateface on Scotland’s Most Frightened: “Does President Trump believe he’s a thousand year old, space traveling Pict, Northy? Naw? Then he’s not as utterly insane…” Mar 6, 16:36
agentx on Scotland’s Most Frightened: ““ADP can be worth up to £10,000 a year tax-free and is designed to support people who need help with…” Mar 6, 15:58
TURABDIN on Scotland’s Most Frightened: “apologies….defective link. https://archive.is/CoRTW” Mar 6, 15:54
