May 26 - Bigot day in Edinburgh

I guess it's the price you pay for being the capital city of a nation moving towards full independence. And unfortunately, being independent won't rid us off the braindoner brigade.

The EDL's 'Burkhas for Boys' campaign.

With the summer month of Beltane not far off, it seems as if the warming air, frolicking hares and budding trees have brought the boys out onto the streets. And it is mostly boys as well as haggard old fitba thugs with tattoos on their necks. Maybe the season that the Celts celebrated for its promise of fertility is bringing the stags out. But is the show for us, for the burrdz or for each other?

First of all, the active service unit of the Sally Army, the SDL/ EDL plan to march from St Giles Cathedral to the Grassmarket. Are they kicking off by having a prayer meeting? Why they are marching though is not understood. Is it against Muslims? Or are they protesting at they powerful branch of the Christian religion - also considered 'native' and 'traditionally British' - which has been embroiled in numerous child abuse scandals not to mention the horrific cases of castration in the Netherlands? Maybe the EDL are pissed off at Sunday ferries 'breaking the Sabbath' on the Isle of Lewis? Hell, maybe they've never been north of Larbert and think Sabbath wrote the hymn Warpigs?

Who cares. We don't need them. If they oppose Islamification and want to protect 'British' life then let them go to church, vote Tory and shop at farmers' markets.

The Apprentice Boys, Boys, Boys

The very same day has been earmarked for a march by the... Apprentice Boys of Derry! It seems as if these young trainees are going to down their set-squares and leave their 'Pathways to Work' scheme in Colm Cille's holy grove of Oak trees and take to the streets of Auld Reekie. I have some questions though. Will it coincide with the Gay Pride march as the last Orange parade did a couple of years ago? Are girrulls allowed? And, with Protestant churches closing down and being turned into night-clubs and housing faster than David Cameron can splutter 'oh, what a panic is in thy bresty'... shouldn't these Apprentice BoysBoysBoys get their bums on the pews before their precious religion dies out once and for all?

Not only that, but the new law aiming to clamp down upon bigots has dredged up its first pair of racists. And, guess what? They're Hibees. Not from the Ugly Sisters nor the much maligned 'establishment team' Hearts. Not even Clyde, Cowdenbeath or Airdrie. But good old Hibernian.

Bruce Findlay's Simple Minds, "Fuck the System"

I should admit an interest here. My maw is from working class Irish Catholic stock who happened to settle in Gorgie many moons ago and whose family subsequently became Jambos. Maybe some Irish Catholic settlers are more establishment than others? Someone though please tell the slavering Bruce Findlay - son of a Hearts' supporting Wee Free and former Simple Minds manager (!!!) who asks in the otherwise excellent 'We Are Hibernian', 'Who's ever heard of a racist Hibee'. The loaded svengali of stadium rock goes on to claim that Hibs are the 'anti-establisment' team in the capital. Well, he's obviously inherited his ludicrous black and white view of the world, to mention grasp of reality, from his old man.