The video below, which we just found today, is taken from a promo by the American news channel CNN in 2017. It’s deeply ironic now, because CNN has been thoroughly captured by gender ideology. But it’s the reason Wings Over Scotland won’t change what or how we write, even if it means we have to shut our doors.
The truth is everything. Non-negotiable. No matter what. It’s as simple as that.
So, it being Good Friday, we’re definitely not going to receive our legal opinion before Monday now, so Wings Over Scotland will be shutting down, at least temporarily, on Sunday evening. No posts will be visible on the site and our Twitter account will be either locked down or deactivated while we await advice on whether either can return.
In the meantime you can hear of any developments, or get in touch, on my personal account @RevStu or on @TheGhostOfWings, both of which have had, or are about to have, all their old tweets wiped.
We’re not going to overdramatise, because we hope this is only for a few days. We’re optimistic that the Scottish Government’s abysmal, sinister and totalitarian Hate Crime Act, opposed across every sector of Scottish society and even by the police charged with implementing it, will not put an end to 12 and a half years of political journalism.
Last week SNP MP Fulton MacGregor told Newsnight that the grotesque, draconian Hate Crime Act was necessary because “hate crime is a major problem across Scotland”, which “wreaks havoc on individuals, on communities and on families”.
If there have been stories of rampaging mobs terrorising gay people, of a wave of violence against Sikhs, or widespread arson campaigns against Italian chip shops, they’ve escaped our attention.
But of course, the onscreen discussion focused mostly on the group that the Scottish Government is obsessed with to the exclusion of all others – transgender people.
Welcome, readers, to what may be the final week of Wings Over Scotland.
We’ve been covering the Scottish Government’s horrific, draconian Hate Crime Act for almost four years now. But until this month, we hadn’t felt directly under threat by it. Wings is – sorry if this comes as a shock to anyone – based in Bath, in England, and we couldn’t see how the Scottish police could come after us.
I make no apology for what I am about to write because while I’ve said it before, the time to do so is running out.
In a couple of weeks, the Scottish Government’s Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021 will come into effect and my world, and that of women up and down Scotland will enter a very dark place.
DaveL on The Shortest Day: “How about settling down and stop your moaning and creeping?” Aug 30, 19:22
Hatey McHateface on The Shortest Day: ““He will share … the secret to success” He’ll reveal how much he has in his pension fund. And you…” Aug 30, 19:19
Hatey McHateface on The Shortest Day: “What’s that you say, Sooty? Why does Auld Lochnagar want to airbrush the Norman Conquest out of history? I guess…” Aug 30, 19:12
Hatey McHateface on The Shortest Day: “Commentators already saying that the thought of being forced to share their wealth as the first net contributor to the…” Aug 30, 19:07
Hatey McHateface on The Shortest Day: ““With stronger coordination, dedicated support and sustained ambition, the potential exists” Wow! After decades of Independence and quite a long…” Aug 30, 19:01
Spartan 117 on The Shortest Day: “Quite pleasing to see a small independent nation reject the EU’s advances. Democratically, as well, rather than bring railroaded by…” Aug 30, 18:57
Hatey McHateface on Spot The Problem: “Prick AND bawbag, Dan. Yet you still expect to be taken seriously? OK, I’ll do it. What kind of soup…” Aug 30, 18:55
Dan on The Shortest Day: “@ AIdan The residents of my village are for the most part appreciative of my efforts to interact and educate…” Aug 30, 18:21
DaveL on The Shortest Day: “Away back to your whinging and moaning about posts you don’t like but can do nothing about. Beg Stu to…” Aug 30, 18:21
Dan on Spot The Problem: “Just noticed the site bawbag and keen typist swerved addressing the main points of my post, and instead tried to…” Aug 30, 17:55
Aidan on The Shortest Day: “Okay – it was first published in Jan and then republished in another journal in May. Either way, it came…” Aug 30, 17:50
sam on The Shortest Day: “Chas seems to be one of those proud Scots who think that Scotland never could manage its own affairs. He…” Aug 30, 17:41
Saffron Robe on The Shortest Day: “Good comment, Sam — thoughtful and forward-looking. An independent Scotland would be a nation reborn and, more importantly, revitalised.” Aug 30, 17:40
Saffron Robe on The Shortest Day: “They may be long dead, but that doesn’t alter the fact that our ancestors never voted for the Union. Our…” Aug 30, 17:34
Mark Beggan on The Shortest Day: “On a lighter note. Has anyone else seen Useless’s new attempt to reinvent himself as a Leader advisor! whatever the…” Aug 30, 17:17
Chas on The Shortest Day: “Strange response Dave. Does the ‘L’ represent loony?” Aug 30, 17:13
Hatey McHateface on The Shortest Day: “Iceland says “No”. I guess it’s too much to hope that we might get a few Icelandic regulars posting on…” Aug 30, 17:03
Mark Beggan on The Shortest Day: “Why don’t you ask the people of Ulster about that one. I’m sure they will be very interested in what…” Aug 30, 17:02
Young Lochinvar on The Shortest Day: “HMcH The supplanting of the name Scotland in lieu of Alba (basically the landmass north of the Forth – Clyde…” Aug 30, 16:51
Hatey McHateface on The Shortest Day: “Good post, Northy. Lacking only references to and quotes from the post colonial boys (Fanon, Memmi, Cesaire, etc.) to make…” Aug 30, 16:47
Hatey McHateface on The Shortest Day: “I’m sure something happened in 1066 that made the “English” of 1018 a different people/race/tribe/dynasty from the “English” of 1067…” Aug 30, 16:39
Young Lochinvar on The Shortest Day: “MB “He (Cnut) became King” Should read “He became King of England”. As for never being beaten, dying at 40…” Aug 30, 16:36
TURABDIN on The Shortest Day: “everywhere fools, useless idiots and referendum freaks. Scottish democracy is a grotesque inarticulate Frankenstein monster best not viewed in daylight.…” Aug 30, 16:10
Mark Beggan on The Shortest Day: “@ young Lochinvar It is artistic licence. Loosely based on history. Uhtred spanned four kings and fought in about eighty…” Aug 30, 15:58
Young Lochinvar on The Shortest Day: “MB Errr, that’s a no. No matter how much you wish it so..” Aug 30, 15:31
DaveL on The Shortest Day: “If it was up to Chas we’d still be living in caves. “What? Build a shelter? Best not, we don’t…” Aug 30, 15:09
Mark Beggan on The Shortest Day: “No Lochy I was there., I remember distinctly Uhtred kicking the shit out of the Scot. I can still see…” Aug 30, 15:01
sam on The Shortest Day: “The first paragraph of Aidan’s post is irrelevant. “Growth in a time of Debt” was published in January 2010. George…” Aug 30, 14:49
Mark Beggan on The Shortest Day: “That was a worthy effort Northy. The psychiatrists just give him 100mg of largactil three times daily.” Aug 30, 14:44
Young Lochinvar on The Shortest Day: “One to celebrate; On this month in history (best reckoned as August 1018) the Scots under Malcolm II “Forranach” (the…” Aug 30, 14:42