bha_dave Posted September 6, 2013 Share Posted September 6, 2013 As a Brighton ST holder I thought I'd join in the argument - it's something that gets discussed a lot on our board. Just to clarify: I didn't hear what your two fans said so I am speculating "We can see you holding hands"/"Does your boyfriend know you're here" is sung to us at every game and I'm sure I speak for everyone at the Amex when I say we really don't care. We'll just throw back a "You're too ugly to be gay"/"We pay your benefits"/"You're not a big club anymore"/whatever depending on the club and everyone can have a laugh at silly stereotyping. Someone calls me "a poofter" in front of a Policeman and I won't expect the OB to do anything. Its homophobic abuse, but I'm confident in my sexuality and my ex-wife, girlfriend and two kids tend to prove I'm not. Someone says "I'll smash your f**king head in" then, if I believe it might actually happen, its Assault and I'd expect the policemen to step in. "I'll smash your f**king head in, you f**king poofter. I hope you die of Aids you gay c**t" while I'm walking to/from/in the ground with my 10 year old son, then that's Aggravated Assault and I'd expect the police to bang up the worthless little ****. I have no idea what the two guys said to get banned, but I'm pretty sure that Sussex/Derbyshire police don't want the paperwork that comes from seeking a Banning Order for everyone who sings "we can see you holding hands", so I'm happy to assume that it was something closer to aggravated assault that got them in trouble. As for "can I be offended if I'm not gay?". Remember that the abuse in question was being directed at Brighton fans who, unless these two came down the night before and got intimately acquainted with one or more that they wanted to single out, are predominantly straight men. We have a large gay community, but its not large enough that straight men are a minority. So the question should actually be "can I be offended by being called gay when I'm not?". The answer from any intelligent person should be "no, why should I be? There's nothing wrong with being gay". But, as I said, I seriously doubt that calling someone gay was the offence in question! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albion man Posted September 6, 2013 Share Posted September 6, 2013 It's a version of - Get into them, f*ck em up Sang when we're playing **** and need to put a foot on it. I get that. We (and probably 100 other clubs) sing it to. I was curious as to why it was changed to 'touch em up' for us. We are 'all gay' - I understand that part. I'm confused as to how that connects to touching people up. Straight people touch each other up, too, don't they? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uttoxram75 Posted September 6, 2013 Author Share Posted September 6, 2013 I get that. We (and probably 100 other clubs) sing it to. I was curious as to why it was changed to 'touch em up' for us. We are 'all gay' - I understand that part. I'm confused as to how that connects to touching people up. Straight people touch each other up, too, don't they? That's the point I was trying to make earlier. Its that daft you have to laugh.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rippleman Posted September 6, 2013 Share Posted September 6, 2013 Greetings. BHAFC fan & STH. To be honest, we are used to the songs and have our own retorts. The fact is that Brighton does have a very large LGBT community and our responses - as you can tell from the retorts posted by bha_dave - are generally of a "whatever" or "so what" nature. Whatever our sexual orientation we can handle the songs sung in the ground. It's BANTER! Now there is a tiny minority - the BHAFC Supporters Club (membership less than 500 when we have over 24K STHs) and their leader who have stirred this particular pot. She was all over the news a week or so back spouting the total nonsense that "BANTER IS BULLYING". No it isn't. It's BANTER! This women does NOT represent the views of the vast majority of BHAFC fans...she just has access to the media that your regular fan doesn't. Isn't the game becoming sterile enough without finding an excuse to take offence at each and every chant? I have no idea what was said or where by your boys. But there is a world of difference to the boyfriend/holding hands chants inside the ground (we ain't that precious!) and directing REAL homophobic abuse at an individual or group of individuals outside the ground. If your boys came out with "I hope you f**ing die of aids you dirty f***ing queer" then three years aint enough. IMHO what's said in the ground stays in the ground, and after the game we can all go skipping off on our merry way. Thanks for reading and all the best Rips PS BTW this was the first time I have come across "Get into em. Touch em up". And it made me chuckle and spit out my coffee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladyram Posted September 6, 2013 Share Posted September 6, 2013 At the end of the day, they did plead guilty. If they were convinced they did no wrong, wouldn't they have pleaded not guilty? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cannable Posted September 6, 2013 Share Posted September 6, 2013 At the end of the day, they did plead guilty. If they were convinced they did no wrong, wouldn't they have pleaded not guilty? Being a law student I'd say it's advisable to plead guilty when in the magistrates, even if you didn't do it. I did an assignment on it last year and it's very unlikely that a football fan would leave the magistrates without some form of sentence. So in theory they could have pleaded guilty so they could have 30% of their sentences knocked off. Probably not, but it's nice to think outside of the box once in a while Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
May Contain Nuts Posted September 6, 2013 Share Posted September 6, 2013 I'd love it if Brighton fans responded to 'We can see you holding hands' by standing up, en mass and holding hands with whichever man, woman or child is next to them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mostyn6 Posted September 6, 2013 Share Posted September 6, 2013 I would like to thank the Brighton fans for at least coming on this forum and showing that we (Derby fans) are not now regarded as their enemies! It's nice to have a sensible response without people being so offended all the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alph Posted September 6, 2013 Share Posted September 6, 2013 I'd love it if Brighton fans responded to 'We can see you holding hands' by standing up, en mass and holding hands with whichever man, woman or child is next to them. That would be brilliant. "We're all just friends, We're all just friiieeeeends Welcome to Brighton We're all just friends" As they all stand up holding hands. Would make a right mockery of any away chant. Serious note, cheers to give Brighton lads for coming on and giving your views. Bet it gets boring doesn't it the gay chants? It'll wear off though now you've sort of got a retort. Might take a while. If it winds you all up though then people will do it. That's the game? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrivateDerby Posted September 6, 2013 Share Posted September 6, 2013 I get that. We (and probably 100 other clubs) sing it to. I was curious as to why it was changed to 'touch em up' for us. We are 'all gay' - I understand that part. I'm confused as to how that connects to touching people up. Straight people touch each other up, too, don't they? Sorry mate What Utch said really, it's that silly (and thick) that it would make most people chuckle if they heard it... Derby fans are anything but nasty, it was more than likely just a stupid mistake by two drunken lads. Bet they're not bad lads, doubt they go shouting homophobic comments in the Westfield. Away days can easily go to a lot of people's heads, beer, a bit of sun, by the sea in Brighton.... "Oi, you've all got aids you dirty buggers" and bang, you're in the van. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sage Posted September 6, 2013 Share Posted September 6, 2013 get into em, touch em up is wrong in ny opinion because it perpetuates the old ignorant lie that homosexuals and paedopholess are the same thing or connected. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albion man Posted September 6, 2013 Share Posted September 6, 2013 That would be brilliant. "We're all just friends, We're all just friiieeeeends Welcome to Brighton We're all just friends" As they all stand up holding hands. Would make a right mockery of any away chant. Serious note, cheers to give Brighton lads for coming on and giving your views. Bet it gets boring doesn't it the gay chants? It'll wear off though now you've sort of got a retort. Might take a while. If it winds you all up though then people will do it. That's the game? It doesn't wind us up. We kind of find it funny - not the chants themselves, but the idea, that they are started by some spotty little sniggering virgin, wetting himself, that he's come up with this amazing chant (that we heard the week before, and the week before that, and the week before, that...). Listen out, next time you play us, for the response. I GUARANTEE you, that when you start your first "We can see you holding hands" or "Does your boyfriend know you're here" that the response from the Albion fans will be an ironic cheer. Some of us have been known to have a fiver a head sweepstake, on the match-time of the first chant. It's usually won by about 20 minutes. Then we'll respond with "You're only here for the nightlife" or "1-0, to the nancy boys" in the event of an Albion lead. That stuff is all just pantomime. Nobody in their right mind thinks otherwise. If these two lads genuinely got picked at random, from a big group singing that kind of stuff, then I'm gutted for them. I'd be massively surprised if that were the case though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albion man Posted September 6, 2013 Share Posted September 6, 2013 get into em, touch em up is wrong in ny opinion because it perpetuates the old ignorant lie that homosexuals and paedopholess are the same thing or connected. That. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McRainy Posted September 6, 2013 Share Posted September 6, 2013 black comedy admittedly Bit racist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McRainy Posted September 6, 2013 Share Posted September 6, 2013 get into em, touch em up is wrong in ny opinion because it perpetuates the old ignorant lie that homosexuals and paedopholess are the same thing or connected. Does it really? The point has already been made that 'touching up' isn't the sole preserve of homosexuals, let alone paedophiles. Surely any two (or more) people who are attracted will touch each other at some stage on the path to intimacy. In response to this observation that straight people are also inclined to touch each other, so the football chant makes no sense, there are only men on the football pitch.. so 'touching up' in that context would indeed be 'a bit gay'. Ha ha! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SillyBilly Posted September 6, 2013 Share Posted September 6, 2013 Keeps the courts busy anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sage Posted September 6, 2013 Share Posted September 6, 2013 Does it really? The point has already been made that 'touching up' isn't the sole preserve of homosexuals, let alone paedophiles. Surely any two (or more) people who are attracted will touch each other at some stage on the path to intimacy. In response to this observation that straight people are also inclined to touch each other, so the football chant makes no sense, there are only men on the football pitch.. so 'touching up' in that context would indeed be 'a bit gay'. Ha ha! touch em up means touch them up, ie something you do to more than one person, rather then a shared experience Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McRainy Posted September 6, 2013 Share Posted September 6, 2013 touch em up means touch them up, ie something you do to more than one person, rather then a shared experience That'll never catch on as a chant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boycie Posted September 6, 2013 Share Posted September 6, 2013 Oh sage, you do talk sense, I could kiss you. But alas, I was never confused. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sage Posted September 6, 2013 Share Posted September 6, 2013 Oh sage, you do talk sense, I could kiss you. But alas, I was never confused. Ever the bi-curious one Boycie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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