Those living in the world of Twitter would be forgiven for forgetting a game of football took place this weekend.
For, on Saturday afternoon the #ITFC hashtag was temporarily altered to #bannergate.
I say temporarily, discussions about the not-so-clever message a group of Town fans decided to unveil at The Amex went on long into the night and through to Monday morning.
Here, for the first time, I've invited a fellow Town fan and regular feature in my own timeline to offer his thoughts on the 'drama' at Brighton.
Some of you may know him as 'Disgruntled', though following The Blues amazing 4 wins in a row he changed his twitter profile to 'Contented'! As a special birthday treat I though you all would enjoy the chance to hear from him in more than 140 characters!
If you've ever thought of writing about Town please do feel free to get in touch with me: tweet me @tractorgirlamy8
We did play a game of football on Saturday, didn’t we?
Because from the #itfc TL it seems to me the only issue of note for many people who went to the game...was a ‘banner’.
Had the perpetrators of this heinous act been dressed and made up like ‘black & white’ minstrels, whilst burning a rainbow flag and saluting fascism: I may have the same outrage as everyone else.
But they weren't. The only things the 'banner boys' are guilty of are not being funny and unforgivable crimes against English grammar.
Yet, the Twitterati appear to be vying for a Frankenstienesque mob hunt. So be it. But, before we grab our pitch forks, light the torches and storm The Buttermarket looking for these monsters; can I just make sure we truly are the righteous mob we think we are?
If you don't mind, could you please answer these few questions:
1. Have you ever sung or clapped along to ‘There’s a Circus in the Town’?
2. Have you ever referred to a Norwich City fan or player as scum, inbred, 6 fingered or web toed?
3. Have you ever questioned Nugent’s parentage?
4. Have you ever made fun of Paul Jewell’s attempts at entering the adult film industry?
5. Have you ever sung ‘Where were you, when you were s**t?'
6. Have you ever referred to Grant Holt as either fat, a diver, a cheat or worse?
If you answered yes to even just one of those: you are as guilty of causing offence as the 'banner boys'.
If you answered no to all, then you’re truly righteous, go grab your pitchfork...
All I’m trying to say is that there is a great deal of hypocrisy when it comes to taking offence in Twitterland. My own brush with this came when I pointed out that people complaining about the bullying approach of another, were quite happy to engage in the same behaviour they so abhorred in response.
For making this reasonable point, I was given a sanctimonious reply coupled with a patronising end statement! Imagine my surprise when the same person called another ‘retarded’ just a few weeks later, obviously he doesn’t listen to himself.
My plead really is to ask everyone to stop being so sensitive of any comment that doesn’t go with their opinion. Twitter has a block button use it! But, the human brain has a better option ‘IGNORE’.
Just to be very clear: this does not apply to racism, sexism, homophobia etc. We all have a duty to rid society of those evils.
So I say: 'Save the ‘banner boys’ from the hypocrisy at least'.
And next year I’ll be at the Amex with my own banner “A SENSE OF HUMOUR, I DON’T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT IT”.
Thanks to 'Contented for contributing to Diary of a Tractor Girl. I look forward to being able to publish his work again in the future and, again, if anybody else would like to see their writing out on the #ITFC timeline: get in touch via @tractorgirlamy8
BTW, Happy Birthday @ITFC2802!
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