Do conspiracy theorists fear a freedom-bellowing, kiltwearing Gaelic new world?

AS IN-THE-LOOP as I think I am on social media, occasionally an issue crops up that becomes so ferociously controversial that it takes me by surprise. High up on the list of subjects that prompts this reaction is anything to do with Gaelic in Scotland. Lo and behold, whenever the issue hits the news for any reason, it all kicks off.

Well, when I say “all kicks off,” it’s a relatively restricted number of people in the grand scheme of things that get into a virtual wrangle over it, but they’re a pretty determined and opinionated bunch.

The latest thing to kick the debate off was the Angus Macleod Memorial Lecture address by Deputy First Minister John Swinney, during which he announced fresh funding for Scotland’s Gaelic schools.

Responding to criticism about the Scottish Government’s support for the language, he added: “I know many of you have encountered this hostility to Gaelic.

“These views on Gaelic are just as groundless and unwelcome as they are inaccurate and misleading. They betray a poor understanding of our country, its history and the respect we should show to minority communities. My very clear view on this is that this hostility to Gaelic has no place in Scotland.” Now, I might just be living a sheltered life, but the battle over Gaelic had pretty much passed me by until I started noticing the social media spats in recent years. I had no idea people became quite so animated about it.

For me, it does all get a little over-dramatic. For example, some tweeters have become utterly convinced that the Scottish Government has set aside £26 million to create Gaelic road signs when in fact £28m was the Government’s entire spend on Gaelic projects in 2014/2015, with only £285,000 of that set aside for road signs – but you try telling social media users that.

Somehow, the myth has been created and a quick search for “Gaelic road signs” on Twitter returns quite a range of horrors happening in the world while that damn SNP spends millions of pounds on nationalist road signs. Here’s just a few from some random tweeters, who shall remain nameless to spare any blushes.

On April 4: “Spending £26m on Gaelic road signs not a priority when you are cutting home visits for vulnerable people to 15 mins.” On April 6: “SNP blame Westminster for homelessness problems. They’d rather spend money on Gaelic road signs!”

On April 8: “Maybe if millions not wasted on Gaelic road signs nobody needs, there would be money to fix potholes. SNP in power for years!”

On May 16: “Why does SNP target cuts on Education rather than Gaelic road signs, and subsidy for the middle classes. They hate clever people.”

On June 15: “The Scottish Government would rather waste money on Gaelic road signs than invest in grass roots football. SNP Scotland’s Not Playing.”

Of the anti-Gaelic complainers, social media suggests there are a couple of different camps.

Firstly, there is the conspiracy theorist camp, convinced of investment in Gaelic being evidence of a crazed nationalist plot to turn Scotland into a kilt-wearing freedom-screaming new world.

Then there are the cultural grumps incensed that a penny of public money is spent on Gaelic when it could be spent elsewhere – but these types are likely to be furious that anything cultural or artistic receives public funding, so beware who you retweet on these matters if you appreciate living in a vibrant, creative society.

Don’t get me wrong, there is a perfectly valid discussion to be had on the merits of investing in the Gaelic language, but you’re unlikely to find much of it on social media.

Rather, it descends into a bawling moralistic tit-for-tat which leaves little room for appreciation for culture and creativity.

I guess it’s obvious why: language represents identity, and that’s the hot topic in Scotland right now. IntermsofGaelicinvestmentinschools, it also represents minorities and poses the question of how much minority culture should be supported, which adds an extra dollop of controversy and prejudice to the mix.

Personally, I have what I think is a refreshingly nice and simple view on the debacle: live and let live. Let’s support our minority cultures and languages and recognise their value.

And anyway, it does seem rather futile to be grandstanding over how money can be better spent when, for example, renewing Trident at a cost of billions of pounds remains on the horizon of the UK Government.

Thankfully, at least on social media, the chorus of voices making that point is substantially bigger then these periodic gripes about Gaelic.