The New Establishment: An Unpalatable Prospect.

We are not the same. There's a difference between the two communities which breathe life into the Old Firm clubs: Rangers and Celtic. Historic Christian religions may be on the wane in these parts, but our denominational heritage shapes us today almost as much as it did when our churches and chapels were full. The suspicion that the R.C. and Protestant communities always had for each other hasn't gone away, and although there's a willingness to pretend that it has, a cultural stand-off, based on religious background, still exists. When it manifests itself publicly, as it does when Rangers meet Celtic, we feign shame and disgust if the occasion overheats, but this public conflict is merely a reflection of Scottish society and the tensions that have long lingered within it. Despite religious worship in Scotland being replaced by a growing atheism, the Godless still tend to look to their religious background to determine whether they should opt for blue or green. Protestantism and Catholicism may be diminishing, but what might be conveniently termed 'Protestant and Catholic atheism' is on the march. Ancient tribalism still influences our thinking, our choices, and our football club preference, even although the spiritual aspect is being left behind. The religious divide, unarguably, has had a lasting mark on the Scottish people, and it should not be ignored, but of course there are other differences between the two tribes that regularly assemble at Ibrox and Parkhead. The Rangers tribe has traditionally been the club of the majority community; the club of the so-called establishment, and this can manifest itself in a show of triumphalism. On the contrary, as the club of the minority community, the Celtic-minded have been motivated to organise, to politicise, and to enter the fray wherever influence can be garnered. Scotland's Catholics are a tighter community than the majority grouping, and this makes them more powerful than they are willing to admit. A 'Catholic vote' exists, and no political party dare alienate itself from it. If there was ever such a thing as a 'Protestant vote', it died and went to heaven a long time ago. Politicial leaders go to great lengths not to upset or anger the Catholic community because this constituency is in a position to wreak revenge. This is why Scotland still sponsors sectarianism in education. The influential Catholic Church wants to keep it, and no Scottish politician dare threaten or undermine Scotland's sectarian schools. Our politicians' spinelessness takes precedence over their political ideologies. The large minority community that favours Celtic, having perceived itself to be at a disadvantage, is more politically active than Protestant Scotland, and it has learned to box clever. The Rangers support, aware that it comes from a larger group in society, has an expectation that its views will usually prevail, but against a politically aware rival, often, they will not. Accusations that society is heavily influenced by the Masonic Order and Orange movement appear with some frequency from the Celtic support, and probably always will, but any influence these organisations ever had has long since evaporated. Neither of them comes close to exerting the kind of influence that the R.C. Church can wield in modern-day Scotland. No-one is afraid of the Masonic Order and Orange movement, but politicians, broadcasters and pundits think long and hard before falling out with the Catholic Church. The main Protestant church in Scotland wears a cloak of invisibility these days, and although it quietly does good work across society, it has ceased to be a leader for its footsoldiers. If anyone is inclined to put the boot into the Church of Scotland, they can do so safe in the knowledge that retribution will not be forthcoming. To caricature the position then, we have two main communities in the west of Scotland; one is terrier-like and politically active, while the other is bloated, leaderless and at ease resting on its laurels. Unless something changes, public debates will be won by the politically charged, and that means that the 'new establishment' is going to get its way for the foreseeable future, and that could be very damaging for Rangers. Until Rangers supporters properly organise themselves, they'll be the recipients of regular humiliations in Scottish society, and the 'I'll sing what I like' brigade is going to discover that it will pay a harsh price for doing so if it lives up to this oft-declared sentiment. Society has changed, and not in a good way, and our club - and support - is going to have to become politically cute in the very near future or it will spend the rest of its days as a punchbag for every Rangers-hater in Scotland and beyond. It's time to shoot our mouths off away from the terraces. Pointless bluster in the stands cannot match cogent, well-structured and articulate arguments from within the massed ranks of the Rangers support - and from within Rangers FC itself. No longer can we hide behind a dignified silence. The time has come for the Rangers family to finally find its voice.

Source: FOOTYMAD