Tight boots
Posted on
May 24, 2013 by
Rev. Stuart Campbell
We were hunting through a load of 1980s issues of 2000AD earlier today, looking for something else altogether, when we stumbled across this. It seemed somehow timely.
We can’t think why.
I dont like linking Herald articles but I stumbled across this Gem:
link to heraldscotland.com
So, the UK Government are being pressured to stop Sri Lanka, who certainly have a poor record for human rights, from celebrating the start of the most brutal conflict in Human history.
Irony? Getting a ticking off from the only nation state to not only successfully commit genocide, in Tasmania, but the only one to attempt it on three separate continents…
What a shameless peice of unionist bollocks.
My great grandfather was left on the scrapheap after the 1st world war unable to provide for his family and he was one of the lucky ones!
Why the fuck would I want to celebrate the start of his demise and countless others deaths?
A fucking disgusting and dispicable attempt at propaganda by Westminster to get into the minds of Scots.
I used to collect them all from March 1977 to when I moved down to Ayrshire. I took the lot into Glasgow to a comic convention to try and sell them as I needed the space. They were mint too, with all the free gifts, Space Spinner, Biotronic Stickers and all… Brilliant publication…
I suppose the BBC in Scotland will be all over it like a rash too?
An insult to all who lost their lives (on all sides).
Disgusting.
BTW, the “tight boots” comment, I assume was a reference to old “Stoney Face” when he was given a tip to take his mind off any doubts with upholding the Law? Wear boots a size too tight, to take your mind off anything else….
My Mum used to have a collection of RAF bomb fragments. She told me that the sight of a stack of bombs falling was quite pretty, like glitter in the air.
A shameful attempt of political manipulation using
the start of WWI to bring a jingoistic ‘Britishness’ into
the year of the Referendum.
If I were considering voting No (which I’m not) this
would’ve put me firmly in the Yes camp.
Disgusting.
“BTW, the “tight boots” comment, I assume was a reference to old “Stoney Face” when he was given a tip to take his mind off any doubts with upholding the Law?”
Indeed. By no less than Judge Morphy, later in this very strip. It’s the genesis of the line, referenced in several later stories.
I don’t suppose YOU can remember which story the quiz show “Many Questions” was in, Peter?
From the BBC piece linked-to via the why in Rev’s header:
‘Glasgow has been chosen to host the focal point of the UK and Commonwealth’s activities to mark the centenary of the start of World War I.‘
Maybe I’m just being a bit dim here, but who ‘chose’ Glasgow?
Was there some kind of competition?
Was there a ‘prizegiving’ ceremony?
It’s difficult to imagine anything more provocative, and the Lord Provost’s comments only bolster the impression that this ill-conceived ‘event’ is designed to foster unrest.
This putrid proposal will not go unchallenged.
Question – how to best challenge?
@ianbrotherhood
‘Question – how to best challenge?’
White poppies.
everywhere
“Glasgow has been chosen to host the focal point of the UK and Commonwealth’s activities to mark the centenary of the start of World War I.”
Yup, out of all the cities in the UK “Glasgow has been chosen”. My, what a great surprise! We should be honoured…NOT!
Who did the choosing? Why was Glasgow chosen ahead of other cities UK-wide? (I think we know the answer to that already.) Why is the beginning of a war being ‘marked’? (I think we know the answer to that already.) Is this the first example of a country choosing to ‘mark’ the beginning of a war, rather than its end?
The UK Unionist politicians/Establishment really are scum to use the start of a war, that killed far too many people, to attempt to influence Scottish people to vote for the status quo ie ‘No’ in the 2014 referendum. Dirty politics by dirty Unionist politicians and Establishmentarians.
sort of o/t –
can’t believe i don’t have any of my 2000ad’s any more
zaarjaz ya bass!
I take being mindful of the sacrifices of the armed forces and civilians in war, but I object to “commemorating” the start of this horrendous conflict.
Sorry to go OT, But I think you should be made aware of this.
Mr Alistair Darling, the former Labour Chancellor and Leader of Better Together has made an outstanding claim in the Financial Times.
Mr Darling claims that Scottish business leaders have told him that people “who they believe to be-in one way or another-representing the Scottish Government” have told them to stay out of the referendum campaign.
link to ft.com
Maybe I’m just being a bit dim here, but who ‘chose’ Glasgow?
Glasgow did, in a way. It’s hosting the Commonwealth games just before the anniversary, so many Commonwealth heads will be in the city anyway. The ‘festivities’ just take advantage of their availability.
Well, that´s one way to “bring the Commonwealth Games back down to Earth.”
When I saw the report one of my initial thoughts was, “Will they include, and invite, the Republic of Ireland then”? What is now the Republic of Ireland was then, as we all know, part of the UK and supplied thousands upon thousands of troops.
How many of the Commonwealth countries to be represented at the ceremony have become “independent” since 1914 / 1918 anyway?
Ps, I still have one of the free “spinners” from the early 2000AD comics.
@mrbeefaethedee & Dal Riata-
Me ain’t no spokesperson for the SSP or anyone else, but I confidently predict that Glasgow will NOT be used as the vehicle for this obscenity.
Too many Glaswegians, politically ‘active’ or or not, will unite to make sure that their ancestors are not misrepresented and exploited.
The bogus presentation of Glasgow via ‘City of Culture 1990’ was bad enough -this is something else altogether.
It will not happen.
No way.
Didn’t Glasgow have the highest per capita casualties in the ’empire’?
@ianbrotherhood
Yes, it would be very, very interesting to know who ‘chose’ Glasgow, wouldn’t it? I don’t know if it’s possible by some means to find out. Would that come under an FOI request? The answer would probably be fudged anyway, with stuff like, ‘by result of a selection committee’ or something like that.
“How to best challenge?” Good question. If we, who are aware of this despicable charade, and are doing all we can to help Scotland become independent, can make as many people in Scotland alert to what the true meaning is of these Unionist proposals then at least that will be something. As for other, more overt shows of protest I’m not sure as yet.
But we all know fine well that any words or signs of protest will be leapt upon and exaggerated out of all proportion by the UK’s MSM. I can see it now – ‘(SNP, Yes Scotland, ‘separatists’) ("Tractor" - Ed)s, disrespecting ‘our’ war dead, shameful behaviour, ‘our’ soldiers fought for their freedom, unpatriotic, we fought and died together and this is how they act, disloyal, these are the kind of people who want to help you Break up Britain’, etc.,etc, ad nauseum. I would say that the pro-Unionists are probably hoping for a big vocal or visual protest just so they can ramp up the faux outrage. I wouldn’t be surprised if they haven’t got their headlines ready to go already!
When Alistair Darling says “in one way or another ” is that in the same way as the Coalition Government represent us “one way or another ” ? From far far away ?
So the first “act of remembrance” will be in Glasgow, not the Scottish National War Memorial at Edinburgh Castle? Hmmm..? I wonder why? Regardless of whether one agrees or disagrees as to commemorate the start of WW1, should not the first act be at our national memorial? It would certainly be the proper and respectful thing to do, would it not? It does contain the names of all those who died from Scotland. What better place to begin the remembrance of the pain to come of a century ago?
@Kirriereoch You lucky…! I lost mine to the neighbours dog within the week.
BTW Prog 1, 26th february 1977.
@Jiggsbro-
Our comments overlapped.
I’m a fan of your strain of cynicism.
‘Glasgow’ may have (inadvertently?) invited this ‘celebration’ by hosting the Commonwealth Games.
Agreed.
‘Glasgow’ may also change its mind in accordance with its citizens’ wishes.
Agreed?
The ‘Commonwealth Games’ is a done deal. We all hope it goes well.
When it’s done, all the Heads go home. Sorted.
Then we deal with the other shite.
Agreed?
As noted earlier, just when you thought it was safe to come out from behind the sofa, its the Jubelympics again. I hope you all have stamina ’cause this is only going to get worse.
As soon as the menfolk of Glasgow had been sent off to fight in the trenches, the city authorities cut the wages of the women left behind (even those working in the manufacture of munitions for the Front) while simultaneously raising the rents.
I hope the people of Glasgow will remember that, and clearly.
I hope they will also remember that when the menfolk returned from four years of slaughter in the service of the UK state, and had the temerity to organize a strike for better wages and conditions, the response of the UK state was to deploy British army tanks and troops against them in the very same square where this celebration of war is to be held.
link to iainthepict.blogspot.co.uk
Now THAT is some history which should be remembered.
Despicable. As the son of an English father and Scottish mother I despise the use of a war to politicise anything – least of all a reasonable argument for independence. But this changes nothing. Better Together know no depths to which they will sink. I will still remember my grandfathers who fought on the Somme, and returned lice ridden and ignored, and in two places I am sure that they know and understand that there is a better way to live.
Adrian B reFT
He says that Scottish Business leaders are being “bullied into silence” and told to “shut up” re independence by people working for Alex Salmond’s government.
Yep vile CyberNats but who is turning them on and off?
and oh yes he brings up the abuse of Susan Calman.
The man is a vile example of Labour spin, smear and lies in action.
I guess he has lost the plot.
Adrian B
Comment added on FT
The only bullying I can see in the Referendum campaign, so far, is the psyops one of fear, smear and utter lies ( recycled ad nauseum) coming from the No camp.
The other comments, far more eloquent than mine are, with one exception from someone who is not British and does not live in the UK, are all hostile to Darling.
I still find it hard to believe we are going to commemorate the start of a war, exspecially one that cost so many lives not just in this country but throughout the world.
I believe this is a new low being imposed upon the people of Scotland just to suit a political motive for Westminster. We may have won World War One but the cost was beyond horrific, to lose a whole generation of men and then pretend we are doing this in their memory is surely one of the most shameful things ever done by a Westminster parliament.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn,
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them.
Still got all my old 2000ADs – and several issues of Vulcan too.
Stomm! Better Together must think we all sailed in from space on a synthi-biscuit.
Does anyone know if similar preparations are being made in France? Germany? Russia? Australia? Or in any other country which was dragged into this conflict?
James Kay
Not that I am aware of in France. Having asked several people their response was either to raise their eyebrows or just look incredulous.
I am of the opinion that this activity is not only against Scottish Independence but is part of the London based campaign to remove the UK from Europe.
Do not forget that the founding of what is now the EU was primarily to prevent another European war. In that aim it has been singularly successful.
The people who run the UK are truly evil.
Time to leave.
The Great War or World War 1 was an imperial war. It was a disgusting slaughter of a generation for territorial gain. “Our” King and their Kaiser were cousins. We will remember the carnage but damned if we glorify it. I sense a conclusion of unintended consequenses. We will not need do more than point out the folly of the Brittish Empire while remembering those who suffered!
War is awful. There’s no way to describe it. Nobody wins a war. Don’t let any historian tell you differently.
Indeed the unintended consequences are waiting.
The is no more Kaiser, no more Czar,
Remember also that there was an armistice not a peace and act II started in 1939. No more British Empire.
O/T
The fact that Scotland even has to vote for what is the default position of just about every other nation, speaks volumes about the mind set of our ‘overlord’ neighbours.
Get rid of these neanderthals, join the 21st Century.
It must be ‘YES’
If ‘we’ indeed ‘won’ it, it was a hollow victory for it merely sowed the seeds of another even more destructive war twenty years later.
it will be interesting to see how other nations view this sanctimonious circus when it comes.
Might I suggest a massive John MacLean Festival on the same day?
@ ianbrotherhood
no offence mate but that’s a pretty rose-tinted view you have of Glasgow & Glaswegians. I was at the media bias rally last week and only 200 folk turned out. And I’ll wager the majority of those had travelled, like my party, from outwith Glasgow. It is Glaswegians after all, who repeatedly vote for Unionist lackies. Turn around Glasgow and we could declare independence tomorrow.
Hail Alba!
OT, just found a story on ‘Puff Polls’ in the New Statesman’
Very interesting that it seems to show something that I have long suspected IE: the establishment will use skewered polls to attempt to convince people that other people are thinking in a particular way.
It is a know fact among psychologists that people will be attracted to an idea or way of thinking, if they know that a lot of others are thinking the same way, so we tend to think ‘If everyone else agrees with that it might be right’
So it is in the Unionists best interest to make sure that polls always return results that show Yes in a bad light.
Scottish Skier ?
Quote :That last survey was linked, by the Department of Education, to an article in the Telegraph, rather than the initial survey.
To be clear, five of the six “surveys” cited by the Department of Education in backing up a claim by a cabinet minister were PR-commissioned puff-polls. They were commissioned, not to find out information in a trustworthy and repeatable manner, but to ensure that stories about UKTV Gold, Premier Inn, the Sea Cadets , Bomber Command Memorial and “teacher-set exam revision service” Education Quizzes found their way into UK papers. End Quote.
Slightly O/T but maybe relevant to the A. Darling quote – I needed a plumber yesterday in Argyll and used google to find one. It advertised a site called Mr. What, which is a business directory for the UK. I clicked on one of its links to a local plumber’s details and noticed a google ad on what appeared to be the plumber’s page which was an ad and link for Better Together. I tried several more plumbers, builders in the area and sure enough for some of them the Better Together ad comes up and on others it doesn’t. When I went back to the original plumber’s page, it was gone. Don’t know if it just appeared to me because I took part in that Better Together poll a while back, but it’s a bit off-putting as it looks as though it’s part of the tradesmen’s pages. Just thought I’d mention it in case any posters use Mr. What to advertise their services – they might be putting potential customers off or, on the other hand, I suppose, encouraging Better Togethers.
Remember also that there was an armistice not a peace
There was an armistice on November 11, 1918. Peace followed six months later with German surrender and the Treaty of Versailles.
Roddy
John Maclean festival? Absolutely. And George Square should be renamed “John Maclean Square”.
How about Revolution Square?
Despite the City’s population record of hostility to the War, did Did Glasgow City Council leadership not volunteer behind the scenes to become the host city for celebrating First World War at a No campaign strategy meeting?
I wonder what the Heads of the Commonwealth think about this crass venture of linking what is a celebration of life, the Commonwealth Games, with the beginning of the slaughter and deaths of tens of millions across the world in WW!.
Has anyone seen a Memorial to the Nepalese, Chinese, Malays and other coolies killed during WW1 and Cameron is asking their democratic descendents, now free of British rule to celebrate the death of their countrymen in a blatant act of propaganda designed to influence the referendum on independence for the host nation.
To quote John McLean
“The trouble with the bayonet is that it is a weapon with a working man at both ends”
GCC being a Labour council should be reminded of that.
Jeannie says: at 9.12
The No campaign is using paid for Google Ads which come up on all sorts of sites.
I have come across these Better Together Ads with links to join them on Football Club forums and as mentioned on WoS there are several Football Club pro Union /UK facebook sites.
If someone has any influence or contact with the YES campaign HQ please alert them and try to get them to get their act together in this area of influence.
Many of the people who use these sites are not well informed politically so the YES campaign is missing a trick.
This petition to “Cancel the centenary celebrations of the start of the first world war, and to celebrate the end.” has been on the go for some time with disappointing results only 697 signatures. Time to resurrect it?
link to epetitions.direct.gov.uk
I was a pseudo vicarious fan of 2000AD myself. ‘Pseudo’ because I was about 26 when it started and used my first son as an excuse to buy it even though he was far too young to appreciate it.
Slaine and Strontium Dog were my favourites. Loved the artwork of Massimo Belardinelli in particular.
For other comic geeks can I recommend seeking out Millarworld, and Mark Millar is an Indy supporter to boot.
If YesScotland starts spamming the www with paid-for ads I will withdraw my financial support. It’s definitely a losing strategy and sign of desparation. It shows they have no grass roots support.
On the posts about Alistair Darling and the Business Community. This was also reported on Radio Four news this morning.
The double-triple speak from the Together group has degenerated into gobbledegook.
With a right wing Government in Westminster, and the the Together group claiming the overwhelming majority in Scotland are going to vote no, why would business people feel bullied by anything!
Ernst & Young, two years in a row, judged Scotland most popular in Britain for inward investment. Not the effect of bullying!
I can only assume that Alistair Darling is now going through some kind of breakdown. He was also claiming he would be back in Government and would be more powerful than ever with great influence.
I would think for the next general election the Conservatives will have a field-day with that claim. The man who was taken completely by surprise when the banking industry went into melt-down, and incidentally he blamed Scotland for it. Chancellor of the Government that gave Fred Goodwin his knighthood in 2004.
The Tories will remember it all.
@Jeannie …
The adverts are through Google AdChoices which means that Better Together have become a ‘Google Partner’. So if you go to the BT website and look around, a cookie will inform Google that you’ve been there so when you then go to another website such as Mister What, which displays Google ads, they will automatically make the connection and show advertising from websites that you’ve been to. I personally haven’t been looking around the BT website so I don’t get their adverts popping up.
I have a cookie/ tracker blocker with the choice of allowing them for specific sites.
@Holebender.
It may be distasteful to many, including me, but if I were to see evidence that it could factor in a yes victory then I would support it.
Right now, I don’t know what the evidence is either way, or even where to look for it.
Completely O/T –
I had the honour of listening to the workings of the mighty intellect that is Margaret Curran on Derek Bateman’s show at 8.10 this morning. Her argument started with her assertion that after independence her son, who lives in England would become a foreigner to HER. I won’t go into further details but even though I think that Derek tried to be kind to her, she sounded increasingly foolish as the interview progressed.
No wonder some people are afraid of independence because nitwits like her might well end up running Scotland. I must admit that the thought makes my blood run cold too. Is Margaret Curran the no side’s secret weapon?
If YesScotland starts spamming the www with paid-for ads I will withdraw my financial support. It’s definitely a losing strategy and sign of desparation. It shows they have no grass roots support.
Most definitely. BTA’s attempts to bring people to their facebook page and gain ‘likes’ via paid for ads suffered from the law of diminishing returns. It also appeared to attract people to YesScotland in equal numbers so was a gigantic failure. YesScotland way out in front in this area without the need to pay for ads.
@JOHN H
I have long expressed the opinion that the Scottish Unionists make the best possible case for continued London rule by dint of their own palpable ineptness.
Whether that is unintentional or by sleekit design of hidden apparatchiks is hard to tell, but I favour the latter theory.
link to youtube.com
Brilliant presentation from Gordon McIntyre-Kemp of Business for Scotland last night at the Referendum Roadshow in Strathaven. This is the message that is going to make all the difference. Cold, hard factos on economic issues, from an economist, without the usual media spin.
If you get the chance go and listen to BfS when they’re in your area, or read all about the fastest growing group in the debate here link to businessforscotland.co.uk
to Ian brotherhood: how to respond to this obscene celebration? How about a silent walk-by with each person holding a picture of the people from Glasgow who died or were crippled for life-and one large word about their fate “gassed” “maimed” etc. Let people remember that there were no heroes – just victims and villains. Let the war have a face and not just be “an event” for history books and bent politicians.
I have in my possession a 1947 white paper report called “Scotland’s War Losses” by Duncan Duff.
In reference to WWI:
UK total war casualties over all forces – 812 317
Scotland’s notional population “share” based on 10.5% total – 85 293
Scotland’s casualties in the infantry *alone* – 85 548
Total Scotland casualties over all forces – >110 000
For comparison, The US, with a population 25x greater than Scotland’s, suffered around 126 000 casualties over all forces.
heraldnomore
It would be good if BfS could video his presentation and put it up for all to see, so we could direct undecided people who cannot go to his presentation in person to see it.
“John H says:
25 May, 2013 at 10:14 am
Completely O/T –
I had the honour of listening to the workings of the mighty intellect that is Margaret Curran on Derek Bateman’s show at 8.10 this morning. Her argument started with her assertion that after independence her son, who lives in England would become a foreigner to HER.”
So by her logic, both my Lithuanian born daughters are foreign to me. Right, I’ll have to get them out of the house then.
@TMITJ
Petition now signed. Thanks for the link.
I also had the honour of listening to Margaret Curran this morning, she certainly knows how to sound ridiculous, and Bateman didn’t even have to give her any encouragemeant. She just ploughed on regardless even when he pointed out how ridiculous she sounded.
Hail Alba.
@scottish_skier
Not sure that the Yes site support would not have increased anyway. Countless on line poll results when compared to real world poll results have demonstrated that the yes ‘active’ community have been historically, much more active on line, relatively speaking, than that of the no community. i.e. there was already a very effective established network for engaging that large on line contingent of activists (small ‘a’).
This is great for recruiting potential foot soldiers because their efforts on the ground will be of paramount importance.
Having said that, the vast, vast, majority of people will not even be sufficiently motivated to join either the yes or no campaign sites or commit any time apart from voting. But they will vote.
My point is that, as activists, it is very difficult to get inside the heads of that huge majority who are only slightly minded one way or the other, but it is those very ‘convertibles’ which will decide the referendum result. It is very difficult to know what might sway them without extensive research and surveying. Site ‘likes’ numbers, I’m afraid, say nothing about this.
The following graphic was devised as an educational tool for activists some years ago. Back then it was more common than not for PI activists to be heavily critical of anyone who did not have independence as an overriding policy. Activist awareness has moved on quite a lot since then. The appeal for a deferral policy at the bottom may be ignored.
link to docs.google.com
Hopefully, and with reasonable expectation, it will be the foot soldiers on the ground which will swing it for that huge central swathe. It certainly will not be a Damascene conversion to democratic fair play by the media.
But advertising? I am no expert on the efficacy of this at all, but note that an awful lot of money is expended on it by all sorts of organisations.
I’m also concerned that the geeks hired from the States by the yes team, the ones who worked for Obama at the last presidential election, seem (from one interview I saw) to know what they are talking about. Their key approach seems to be to have no preconceptions, but just to go out there and get feedback from the people, then tailor their advertising to that. They are also adept at on line targeting, including all sorts of what must surely be boderline illegal spamming.
I know the yes team have been gathering data using their ‘One to Ten’ survey. Feedback I have had on that is that it does indeed seem that motivation approximates to the Bell curve in the above graphic (but with noticeable blips at both extremes as well).
My concern is the unknown (or perhaps known to the yes geeks) effect of advertising on that soft middle swathe. I suppose the worst case scenario is someone who is not too bright and hasn’t bothered to inform themselves at all, deciding on the run in to the referendum by taking a few seconds to read an ad or twitter which they would normally not even register. Hopefully, there will not be too many like that, but there will be some and the distribution from that low example up to someone who has fully informed themselves and thought out their position, is ‘unknown’.
Ad men know the commercial value of the last minute impulse buy.
Which segways irresistibly into a different but related topic. The One Million pledge campaign. I am unconvinced by the underlying psychology of this move and always have been ever since it was first mooted by the Edinburgh lefties.
Of course, I realise the theory is that if people commit to voting yes, then they will feel obliged to do so when the time comes, but I would challenge that. And I do not just mean that such a commitment is no guarantee that people will not change their mind, rather, I think it might well make some, who would otherwise have been likely yes voters, change away from that.
My reasoning – it is only when people have committed to something that part of their psyche starts to niggle, question and challenge whether they have done the right thing.
That is why there is a legal honeymoon period after purchasing something. That is why salesmen try to keep quiet about that period.
Effectively, the pledge is a commitment with an 18 month honeymoon period.
Hope I’m wrong on that one.
I think you may have missed part of the point with the million pledge. It could snowball when you see that there are many others of a similar mind, as opposed to some rabid loonies in a small group.
@Peter Miritsch
I think the election of an SNP government in Holyrood has long since established that those who support independence are not a small group of rabid loonies. Surely we are past the stage of needing a million signatures to establish that.
Although I take your point that a growing result might encourage some.
I don’t doubt the possibility that the 1 million target is achievable with the entire resources of the SNP and Yes campaign behind it. However I would suggest the possibility that the effect of it might not be the simplistic one intended by the small group of lefties who instigated it.
Despite having severe doubts as to its merit, I have signed it myself, urge everyone I know to do so and have trudged weary miles distributing forms to known SNP support so they can do so also, for the simple reason that to not achieve the target figure of 1 million would probably be worse than any such effect hypothesised. An effect which, as I said, I sincerely hope is unfounded on my part.
Rev Stu – in reply to your query – first suggestion is in ‘The Game Show Show’ Progs 278-279? [apologies if wrong – trying to do this remotely from collection….]
“Rev Stu – in reply to your query – first suggestion is in ‘The Game Show Show’ Progs 278-279? [apologies if wrong – trying to do this remotely from collection….]”
Sadly not. It’s also not the other one I can always remember, which features a question about the word “glynxxpittle”. I’ve been hunting for the damn thing for literally days now.
Have now checked collection, and Prog 278 is indeed the one with ‘Many Questions’ (albeit only for two panels of part 1 of the Game Show Show). Will check re “glynxxpittle”…
….and it is Prog 25 – ‘You Bet Your Life’.
“Prog 278 is indeed the one with ‘Many Questions’”
Dammit! How did I overlook that? Nice work, Beastie