View Full Version : Scotland. No place for racism?????
goldenguernsey
19-Oct-06, 01:15
Has anyone else had experience of this?
By virtue of the fact that my son has Scots grandparents, I didn't think we would encounter any racism. How wrong can you get?.
I am saddened to say it is apparent and wrongly directed, oh boy what a sad day for Scotland and Caithness in particular when this young lad gives his all for Caithness Rugby and finds himself on the recieving end of missplaced hatred in this of all places.
He bears no malice but I'm afraid I do, this is my lad after all, and not-withstanding Scots ancestry I am ashamed he has had to encounter this treatment/hatred in what is after all, a sport of gentlemen.
I can no longer accept blatent hatred (even if my son can) and I am not prepared to continue with a non reactive stance.
This is totally unacceptable in any form and I for one will not continue to be un heard. This must now go forward to a higher authority than "local level" and what will be will be. Hatred and Racism in any shape or form is not acceptable and unfortunately for some I will not allow my children to be victims of this trade.
These children by the way have Scots ancestry which makes it all the worse for their perportrators.
GG.
Kingetter
19-Oct-06, 01:18
We all need to vent at times, but you haven't given the circumstances - in this thread anyway. Can you share?
goldenguernsey
19-Oct-06, 01:23
I could but it would be pointless, this amazes me in this 2006 that folk can be this bad.
My heritage and ancestry is Scottish through and through but for my lad to be attacked time after time is unbelieveable
goldenguernsey
19-Oct-06, 01:31
If this were in England there would be plenty willing and able to shout out at the injustice of it all, however, because we are here and it doesn't matter that much, nobody gives a fig.
Lest we forget, it matters to me. It always will. And it does not go un noticed
Kingetter
19-Oct-06, 01:32
Well I'm sorry to hear about your son's experiences - there can be no defense for that kind of behaviour. Was it some sort of jealousy? Were you there and witnessed it?
goldenguernsey
19-Oct-06, 01:41
It has gone on for quite some time now, he might be big and good at Rugby which to me is all good for Caithness but for some individuals they cannot hack it and so at every opportunity they do him down. Why oh why is it like this? Caithness after all is our pride of place?
My lad is only trying to excell for his county and Scotland.
If locals don't want this then it's their loss I'm afraid, he can go and play for England or Wales equally well.
I still find it a bad do I'm afraid.
GG
I could but it would be pointless, this amazes me in this 2006 that folk can be this bad.
My heritage and ancestry is Scottish through and through but for my lad to be attacked time after time is unbelieveable
If this is the case, it is unacceptable, and if there is a higher authority, and you feel that contacting them will solve rather than exaccerbate the problem, then you should do so.
My adult son, Scottish through and through........but not Caithness Scottish...... had his head kicked in by a bunch of local yobs in Wick when he worked up there, because he spoke in passing to a local lassie he knew.........so is the problem racism, or just resentment of incomers of any kind? Not that that is acceptable, either, but less emotive than hatred and racism.
goldenguernsey
19-Oct-06, 01:53
Yes, I can go further without exascerbating the problem for my son.
He doesn't attach the same gravity to the situation as I do.
I find it hard to come to terms with all the advertising on TV re Racism in Scotland, I've never known anything like it!
And my son is of Scots descent!!!!
How in the name of anything else will other folk cope with their kids and their heritage?
This is unbelieveable to me in this day and age, why did I bring my family up here? I'm starting to wonder.
GG>
England is no better when it comes to such matters. It doesn't normally happen to people from the rest of Britain, but it is still there.
I've known people be subjected to such behaviour because they came from a different city, never mind a different Country or Race.
That is not to excuse such behaviour in any way, it is despicable and should be stopped.
Goldenguernsey, you and your son have my sympathy and I hope the situation is rapidly resolved.
Kingetter
19-Oct-06, 02:08
I suppose that we cannot judge the whole population by the acts of a minority, even if those acts impact painfully on our nearest and dearest.
Who said that Life would always be fair and honest?
goldenguernsey
19-Oct-06, 02:10
Why should your son have to suffer at at hands of "Imbeciles" simply because he didn't hail from Caithness?
What difference does it make?
He is a person in his own right, regardless of race, creed or colour.
Are we not all equal?
I'm sorry but it has never been more apparent to me that things are not as equal or level going as at first assumed in this place.
GG
......
This is unbelieveable to me in this day and age, why did I bring my family up here? I'm starting to wonder.
GG>
GG - As a born & bred Wicker, I am truly sorry that you are having to ask yourself this question.
You're obviously deeply upset by whatever your son encountered during his rugby playing and I agree - there is no place for racism here. As Jaws has said, there is no excuse, it is despicable & should be stopped. Please - do not tar us all with the same brush. I welcome your contribution to our county - I also would wish that this situation is resolved quickly - and to your satisfaction.
goldenguernsey
19-Oct-06, 02:30
Hi Jaws, you're right, England is no better.
So where does that leave us?
Do we have no place at all?
It certainly feels like that just now.
Caithness is one of the few remaining places in the whole entire world for such as us to feel at home, but is it real?
GG
goldenguernsey
19-Oct-06, 02:37
Don't get me wrong, folk are folk where ever you go.
We feel proper at home in Caithness.
We have had some of the best hospitality/ friendship ever in the history of mankind in Caithness.
We can make our own way where ever we go BUT we love it here in Caithness.
I'm only sad that a relative few have to make it so rough without any real cause this is not what we are about.
GG
goldenguernsey
19-Oct-06, 02:50
Don't worry, we don't tar everyone with the same brush.
We are all individuals and respect everyone else as such.
Viva la difference, it's what makes us all who we are.
I'm the first to congratulate anyone for their uniqueness, problem is nobody gives it a second glance these days, it's either right or wrong, black or white.
So decicive and final, but is it right?????
GG
GG, I am so sorry that you have experienced such ignorance towards your son. I glad he doesn't seem to be too upset but I understand your wish to take it further if nothing is being done about it at a local level.
You are quite right in doing so and then maybe those responsible will stop and think about what they are doing. This sort of thing goes on everywhere, between country folks and town folks, Wick and Thurso people, Scots and English; usually in a jocular vein but it is despicable that some idiots take it further.
It is totally unacceptable but please remember that most locals do not subscribe to such goings on and I am sure that you have many friends here who do not wish you to suffer at the hands of fools.
Good luck in your search for justice; you sound a very caring person, but I'm afraid you will never find an answer to ignorance whether it involves racism or any other "ism".
im afraid the best way to deal with it, is to just ignore it, im from england and have received that treatment from time to time, it happens everywhere and anywhere all over the world. Im afraid there is little that can be done about it. Going to the authorities will have little impact as it is just speculation that such things have been said, even if they did.
Im sure your boy is tough enough to take it and ignoring these goings on will just create boredom amongst these people and then they will go look for someone else who will react and fight back thus, giving them the results they were looking for with you.
Chin up this is a great county and most of the people here are diamonds.
David from Stockport
19-Oct-06, 11:11
Sorry your son is getting some stick by local idiots , look on the bright side if your son can take it like he seems to be able to it will only make him stronger and if he can keep up his intrest in rugby and concentrate on his training in a few years you will see who the winners are - your son will probaly be successful in whatever he deciedes to do becouse of his strenght of charecter whilst his tormentors will end up no-where in life and achieve not a lot apart from the odd court appearance .
Ive got a niece who was hounded out of her house in Preston and a mate who had to leave his house in Oldham becouse of rasism - they were both English and born within 10 miles of where they were living - the Pakistanies now consider these areas as theres - good old England
danc1ngwitch
19-Oct-06, 11:15
There are no excuses. People should get on with their own things and leave others alone. Makes me sad but people sometimes really do *SUCK*.!!!
I've had my fair share of 'racism' and anti-English abuse (although 'my lot' were from the Clan Robertson, Perth and I've been 'diluted' from a number of ethnic combinations since then, because of cosmopolitan movements) most recently was after I'd put a letter in a main Scottish paper about the Israeli's action against Hezbolah - which I thought justified. However that very night I had a 'withheld' phone call at midnight from a very irate Scottish man, who proceeded to berate me; I should not be in "his Country" I should not be writing in "his newspaper" you English should not be in Scotland - you know the usual thicko burble. Anyway funnily enough I have means ('nuff said) of seeing withheld numbers, and in addition I use an automatic recorder - for the business. I rang him back. To say he was rather surprised was a bit of an understatement. I told him his 141 did not work!.. Anyway a few gracious words (honest!) to him and left it at that. A bit of digging and found out his name, address, and the fact he had stood as a candidate for the SNP in an Aberdeen constituency. I've nothing against the SNP, so sent a transcript of said conversation to Nicola Sturgeon, I'm waiting for her reply..
Having served in the Forces and Fire service I never experienced any such anti-English sentiment, a number of my friends were Glaswegians, I had close contact with Scottish regiments and a good colleague in the Fire Service was Aberdonian.. Over the years sussed out that it was just parochial, ignorant and insecure prats who instigated abuse, anyone with anything about them were well balanced and accepted that we're all different and as Nicola Sturgeon says, I quote: "Scotland is a mongrel nation"..
From the days of the "Atomics" influx, non Caithnessians have suffered "racism" - you just have to rise above the insults and jibes and soon enough the local "wits" will forget, grow up and get on with being adults....
aileenmac
19-Oct-06, 13:40
Even if you come from another part of Scotland, some people make you feel like an outsider
Hi Jaws, you're right, England is no better.
So where does that leave us?
Do we have no place at all?
It certainly feels like that just now.
Caithness is one of the few remaining places in the whole entire world for such as us to feel at home, but is it real?
GGHi GG, I was just trying to make sure that the thread didn't get side tracked into an "England v Scotland" squabble.
Whilst your son can cope with the situation I would suggest that for the time being you take no immediate action as it might just prolong the situation.
I would suggest that you keep a very close eye on the situation though to ensure that your son doesn't start to suffer either physically or psychologically, bearing in mind that Rugby is a game which involves physical contact. I'm sure you will be able to tell the difference between run of the mill knocks and actual physical attacks, your son's reactions would probably give you a clue.
It could just be a case of "trying out the new boy" if your son is entering an existing group in which case any "difference" would be picked up and used.
It's difficult to remain detached and stand on one side when it's your own child but sometimes it's the best solution in their interests. Providing your son is not suffering any ill effects then acting now might just make him appear a "softy" and be treated even more as an "outsider". Even worse, it would mark him as somebody who needs "mummy" to back him up and that would definitely make him a target besides the fact that that he would probable feel embarrassed and humiliated.
caithness import
19-Oct-06, 20:07
This reminds me of a joke i heard really about Mel Gibson being bad at acting a Scot in Braveheart until his recent fall from grace.
The Scots are without a doubt very racist. I have to listen to anti English comments almost daily and it drives me nuts.
Just because I have a Scottish accent I'm treated like a leper in England.
You're both as bad as each other. But what really gets on my nerves is idiots in the scottish parliment, press and media appluading each other for living in and creating such a tolerant and un bigited, non racist society and culture! When did this happen. Not in any part of Scotland i've ever been in.
I've been blacklisted for my assumptions on my religious upbringing (I aint religious)
I've been hassled for my assumed footballing orientation (I couldn't care less for Rangers or Celtic)
I've been attacked cos my parents have English accents and I've stuck up for them
The scottish nation has a long way to go before qualifying as non racist.
From the days of the "Atomics" influx, non Caithnessians have suffered "racism" - you just have to rise above the insults and jibes and soon enough the local "wits" will forget, grow up and get on with being adults....
How true! I have lived here all my life, my great-great grandparents are buried in Bower cemetry. But my grandfather moved, married and brought up his family in Edinburgh. In turn my dad returned to Caithness in the early 60s as part of the "Atomics" influx - I am Caithness born and bred and yet to "locals" I am an "incomer". :roll:
Just to lighten the vein a wee bit! When I first got married, we moved to Bower and when our daughter went to school I got involved in the PTA. One evening we held a Whist Drive and when it came to making a speech at the end of the night, no-one wanted to do it! I got fed up with hearing the arguments and said I would, and I did.
My mother-in-law was at one of the tables and witnessed the following conversation:
"Fa's 'at at's makan 'e speech?"
"Och, at's her 'at moved intil so and so's ould fermhoose."
"Oh 'at incomers are in everything!"
I had moved about five miles from where I was born and bred! :lol:
Don't know if any of you noticed the story of Lisa Norris. It never made the national news today until 6:00pm. What a shame. Of course, it was on the Scottish news all day. I don't know why it took London so long to notice it. I mean, the story didn't change all day so why did it take them so long to bring it to the nation's attention?
Don't know if any of you noticed the story of Lisa Norris. It never made the national news today until 6:00pm. What a shame. Of course, it was on the Scottish news all day. I don't know why it took London so long to notice it. I mean, the story didn't change all day so why did it take them so long to bring it to the nation's attention?
It was on BBC Breakfast at 08:00 this morning, I did not have the TV on before that, so I dont know how early it had been first posted
Are you certain it wasn't the Scottish 'bit'? I don't remember them saying it at lunch either. I could be wrong.
The same thing happened with Misbah Rana (Molly) - nothing all day until 6:00pm.
Are you certain it wasn't the Scottish 'bit'? I don't remember them saying it at lunch either. I could be wrong.
The same thing happened with Misbah Rana (Molly) - nothing all day until 6:00pm.
So whats your point, are you saying the BBC and ITV are racist?
Anyone who moves to a different country/area believing that "things will be different" is living in cloud cuckoo land........everyone has their likes/dislikes/opinions.........some people are nice, some are not.........some are welcoming, some are resentful...just as they probably were in a previous home area. People in Caithness are like people everywhere.......no better.......no worse........just with a different accent.
So whats your point, are you saying the BBC and ITV are racist?I suspect the problem is not so much racist but more that the importance of national news declines in a direct relationship to the distance from Piccadilly Circus.
All points north of Watford shall be deemed to be further than the East of Outer Mongolia.
roblovesplastic
20-Oct-06, 03:21
Has anyone else had experience of this?
By virtue of the fact that my son has Scots grandparents, I didn't think we would encounter any racism. How wrong can you get?.
I am saddened to say it is apparent and wrongly directed, oh boy what a sad day for Scotland and Caithness in particular when this young lad gives his all for Caithness Rugby and finds himself on the recieving end of missplaced hatred in this of all places.
He bears no malice but I'm afraid I do, this is my lad after all, and not-withstanding Scots ancestry I am ashamed he has had to encounter this treatment/hatred in what is after all, a sport of gentlemen.
I can no longer accept blatent hatred (even if my son can) and I am not prepared to continue with a non reactive stance.
This is totally unacceptable in any form and I for one will not continue to be un heard. This must now go forward to a higher authority than "local level" and what will be will be. Hatred and Racism in any shape or form is not acceptable and unfortunately for some I will not allow my children to be victims of this trade.
These children by the way have Scots ancestry which makes it all the worse for their perportrators.
GG.
with every word.
peter macdonald
20-Oct-06, 16:29
"Anyone who moves to a different country/area believing that "things will be different" is living in cloud cuckoo land........everyone has their likes/dislikes/opinions.........some people are nice, some are not.........some are welcoming, some are resentful...just as they probably were in a previous home area. People in Caithness are like people everywhere.......no better.......no worse........just with a different accent."
Oddquine absolutly spot on !! The folks here are no better or worse than anywhere else !! The only thing is I dont see the situation getting any better I am starting to hear alot more grumbles about folks coming up from the south pricing locals out of property or buying crofts and then trying to resell them on after a few years at large profits That kind of thing is inclined to annoy folk
ie Some of the worst anti English comment Ive heard in a long time was on a recent visit to Cornwall where hardly any local young folk can buy houses Some of the remarks really shocked me
However Goldenguensey Im really sorry to hear about your problems and I hope you get them resolved quickly
percy toboggan
20-Oct-06, 19:56
Anti English feeling in Scotland is NOT RACISM!!!
It is narrow nationalism. We are the same race.
Unless, 'golden guernsey' your boy is black, or brown or some other ethnic group.
Your nickname suggests he might be tanned - which is altogether different.
When I come up I'll stomach any kind of nationalist taunt and give as good as I get.
What makes me think some oddbods have moved into coastal areas around and north of Lybster?
Threads like this, that's what!
goldenguernsey
22-Oct-06, 03:31
He's not tanned at all, and what makes you think we are "oddbods"?
In any case, what difference would it make?
If it were July/August he might well be tanned, but this is October, ie winter approaching, who is tanned at this time of year without the aid of sunbeds etc?
As for oddbods moving into coastal areas around and north of Lybster, who are you to jump in? your info doesn't even give your location! why is that I wonder?
SIDS where are you?
Why can't you say?
Threads like this????
Oh to be anonymous like you.
goldenguernsey
22-Oct-06, 03:44
Pray do tell, what exactly is it makes you think ?
Why are we of such concern to you?
Where do you hail from, and more to the point, why?
We can tell you why we are here, but can you tell us why you are here also?
We live in Mid Clyth and make no secret of the fact, where do you live?????
What makes me think some oddbods have moved into coastal areas around and north of Lybster?
Threads like this, that's what!Guilty as charged, but I'm a rather lonely oddbod. I've searched high and low for other oddbods or even anyone remotely similar but, if they are here, they are well hidden.
Still, sids, if you want to convince people that Caithnessians are full of hatred for anybody from outwith the area then feel free to do so. I'm sure with that sort of attitude will help the area prosper.
goldenguernsey
22-Oct-06, 04:13
Welcome to the world of oddbods Jaws, at least we are not alone.
Caithnessians are not full of hatred for people outwith the area, in fact it's the opposite.
As usual it's only the few who make the waves.
GG
goldenguernsey
22-Oct-06, 04:27
What a cracker from SIDS, oddbods in Caithness of all things.
As I said here somewhere before "viva la difference"
If you were asked, do you have
a the average number of legs
b less than the average number of legs
c more than the average number of legs
what would your answer be?
GG
b. Less? Don't have the time to look!
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