Yesterday's Community Shield, as at any domestic final, saw the playing of the English national anthem. It is also saw the common sight of Liverpool fans booing it. This may have angered some but to me, I just feel sorry that a group of people who are born in a country cannot bring themselves to support their own country.
It is not surprising that as a result of the Tories neglecting Liverpool economically, the city is poor and by 1985, unemployment in Liverpool was over 20%, almost double the national average. Liverpool always has been, and always will be, a socialist city and before home games there is always collection for food banks with fellow fans donating to help people who cannot afford to buy the bare necessities. The city is known for being poor so it should be expected that fans of other clubs should sympathise with their situation... but that's not the case. Away fans take this opportunity to mock Liverpool fans by chanting "sign on" and various other insinuations about the city's poverty. It is hard to support a nation that continuously mocks them for being poor and a nation that deliberately made them this way.
Then, in 1989, the Hillsborough disaster occurred with 96 fans tragically losing their lives. Liverpool fans did not cause the deaths of their companions but that didn't stop The S*n from publishing an article, on the front page, titled "The Truth", in which the outlet claimed Liverpool fans pick pocketed dead people, urinated on police officers and attacked officers trying to save lives. This, unsurprisingly, did not happen. The city of Liverpool annually remembers the 96 and their have been cases ongoing since the 1990s trying to earn justice by imprisoning the match day officials.
Apparently 96 Liverpool fans dying actually gives rival fans ammunition to, once again, mock the club. It is also a regular occurrence for fans to call Liverpool supporters "victims" for continuously wanting justice for Hillsborough and it is also in reference to fans demanding economic equality for the city.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson, in 2004, wrote an article in The Spectator about the city of Liverpool. It is one of the worst thing I've ever seen. In it, he says fans "wallow" in the "victim" status, "drunken fans" played their part in Hillsborough, the police were a "scapegoat" and The S*n a "whipping boy". All these things are wrong and when questioned upon this in Parliament recently, our PM refused to apologise for what he wrote. It is hard to support a nation when the people who run the country openly attack you with claims that are unfounded.
A victim is someone who feels helpless in the face of misfortune or ill-treatment. In that regard, Liverpool fans are victims - victims of social, political and economic discrimination for over four decades. This should not be used as a stick to beat them with. Everybody in England should be helping those that are disadvantaged in any way possible - but that simply won't happen.
Ultimately, Liverpool's angst with the English national team comes down to the policies of the Tory party since the 1980s. The city has been discriminated against in multiple ways and as a result, many, as it is not all, Liverpool fans do not feel represented by their country and see themselves as "Scouse not English". As already mentioned, I feel sorry that Liverpool fans cannot support their country because of one political party.
The reasons are their as to why Liverpool fans do what they do and it is understandable. Surely a song that commemorates the monarchy is out of date now? Surely Liverpool fans are right in their circumstances to boo it?
The reasons are very understandable. Firstly, the north of England has been economically deprived for decades, particularly under Thatcher's premiership from 1979-90. During this time, the city of Liverpool arguably suffered the greatest. It is no secret that Thatcher did not have any care for the state of northern England, as letters released show her government planned to put Liverpool into a period of "managed decline". Ministers also told her not to "waste" public spending on Merseyside as it was "stony ground". It is hard to support a nation that caused severe economic deprivation with absolutely no care for how that city may end up or how poor it may become. That, ladies and gentlemen, is the Tory party.
It is not surprising that as a result of the Tories neglecting Liverpool economically, the city is poor and by 1985, unemployment in Liverpool was over 20%, almost double the national average. Liverpool always has been, and always will be, a socialist city and before home games there is always collection for food banks with fellow fans donating to help people who cannot afford to buy the bare necessities. The city is known for being poor so it should be expected that fans of other clubs should sympathise with their situation... but that's not the case. Away fans take this opportunity to mock Liverpool fans by chanting "sign on" and various other insinuations about the city's poverty. It is hard to support a nation that continuously mocks them for being poor and a nation that deliberately made them this way.
Then, in 1989, the Hillsborough disaster occurred with 96 fans tragically losing their lives. Liverpool fans did not cause the deaths of their companions but that didn't stop The S*n from publishing an article, on the front page, titled "The Truth", in which the outlet claimed Liverpool fans pick pocketed dead people, urinated on police officers and attacked officers trying to save lives. This, unsurprisingly, did not happen. The city of Liverpool annually remembers the 96 and their have been cases ongoing since the 1990s trying to earn justice by imprisoning the match day officials.
Apparently 96 Liverpool fans dying actually gives rival fans ammunition to, once again, mock the club. It is also a regular occurrence for fans to call Liverpool supporters "victims" for continuously wanting justice for Hillsborough and it is also in reference to fans demanding economic equality for the city.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson, in 2004, wrote an article in The Spectator about the city of Liverpool. It is one of the worst thing I've ever seen. In it, he says fans "wallow" in the "victim" status, "drunken fans" played their part in Hillsborough, the police were a "scapegoat" and The S*n a "whipping boy". All these things are wrong and when questioned upon this in Parliament recently, our PM refused to apologise for what he wrote. It is hard to support a nation when the people who run the country openly attack you with claims that are unfounded.
A victim is someone who feels helpless in the face of misfortune or ill-treatment. In that regard, Liverpool fans are victims - victims of social, political and economic discrimination for over four decades. This should not be used as a stick to beat them with. Everybody in England should be helping those that are disadvantaged in any way possible - but that simply won't happen.
Ultimately, Liverpool's angst with the English national team comes down to the policies of the Tory party since the 1980s. The city has been discriminated against in multiple ways and as a result, many, as it is not all, Liverpool fans do not feel represented by their country and see themselves as "Scouse not English". As already mentioned, I feel sorry that Liverpool fans cannot support their country because of one political party.
The reasons are their as to why Liverpool fans do what they do and it is understandable. Surely a song that commemorates the monarchy is out of date now? Surely Liverpool fans are right in their circumstances to boo it?
I'm a Liverpool fan who supports England, most people in England do, but some Liverpool fans don't (possibly some Everton fans as well). What matters is that people understand the Conservative party's role in the economic destruction of the city of Liverpool.
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