John Smeaton is the Glasgow Airport baggage handler who ’set about’ at least one would-be terrorist on Saturday with complete disregard for the terrorists safety!
Having watched the news footage of the Big Man in his ‘natural’ persona and his civilised persona, the latter no doubt being normally reserved for meeting his ‘birds maw’, it struck me that I know this man, or at the very least men like him. I grew up with them, I’ve drank with them, I’ve seen them at their best and at their worst.
I’ve seen what can happen when someone mistakenly attempts to abuse them, their friends and families or, as in this case, their wider community. They are inevitably disabused of any such notion in pretty short order. I don’t know if this mean streak to see right done extends across the globe, but it certainly exists in Scotland, and in Glasgow in particular.
On one piece of footage Big John has a warning for would-be terrorists coming to Glasgow:
“we’ll set aboot ye!”
Concise and to the point then … He might be right although I’d rather not count on the good people of Glasgow as our first line of defence against terrorism. Having said that through, it has been shown, given half a chance there is at least part of the community that’s willing ’slap-down’ all comers, regardless of their violent machinations.
So in the best traditions of Glasgow gangs:
you lot bring yersel’s doon tae the green at the end o the road, an’ we’ll bring Big John
Related Link:
http://www.johnsmeaton.com/
Anorak.com – John Smeaton Packs a Punch … a good article!
… and some other stories all about john!
Baggage handler becomes web hero
Website hails baggage handler as hero for tackling terror suspect …
Website dedicated to airport hero
Web site hails baggage handler as hero for tackling terror suspect
The baggage handler who tackled terrorists
Airport hero festival spot call
Surfers buy beer for Glasgow bomb hero
Raising a pint (or 1000) for Glasgow’s ‘Jack Bauer’
The making of a legend on the internet
Heroes, and why we need them now
John Smeaton, Glasgow terror hero
600 pints for Glasgow terrorist hero
Airport hero gets his own website
Glasgow baggage man is new hero
lets fight back
By: David McDonagh on 3 July, 2007
at 7:40 pm
Hi David thanks for dropping by ;)
Whom do you suggest we fight back against?
By: Alasdair on 3 July, 2007
at 8:04 pm
hey there
you have very cool site here I really liked it
By: morpheus on 3 July, 2007
at 10:47 pm
[...] john smeaton – local hero John Smeaton is the Glasgow Airport baggage handler who ’set about’ at least one would-be terrorist on […] [...]
By: Top Posts « WordPress.com on 4 July, 2007
at 1:01 am
“I’d rather not count on the good people of Glasgow as our first line of defence against terrorism. ”
How not? Just kick the c__ts into Kelvingrove Park at night so they can have a wee bit o’ bumr__e.
al.
By: Ally on 4 July, 2007
at 3:11 am
Got a link to the story? I’m not seeing it.
Thanks for alerting us, in any case.
By: Ed Darrell on 4 July, 2007
at 6:25 am
Hi Ally and Ed thanks for dropping by and leaving comments ;)
Ally, Whilst I’m sure this anti-terrorist ‘policy’ has been thoroughly thought through and is entirely achievable I’m afraid I just can’t see it working … are you volunteering to implement the policy personally?
Hi Ed, There is a link to johnsmeaton.com at the bottom of the piece, but I’ll see if I can add a couple of news stories too :)
By: Alasdair on 4 July, 2007
at 8:37 am
There we go, that’s one or two more links!
By: Alasdair on 4 July, 2007
at 8:53 am
From Brian Taylor’s Blog:
“David Davis of the Conservatives endorsed the efforts of the police, the security services – and the public, including the civilians who intervened to help officers at Glasgow Airport. He said “A real hero is someone who runs towards danger whilst others run away.”"
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/briantaylor/2007/07/recognising_grievances.html
By: jolenemartin on 4 July, 2007
at 12:29 pm
Hey morpheus, missed your comment earlier!
Thanks :) ;) :lol:
By: Alasdair on 4 July, 2007
at 12:36 pm
Thanks.
By: Ed Darrell on 4 July, 2007
at 4:07 pm
In glasgow iminent danger brings out this behaviour in a lot of people. Unfortunately the wish to ’set aboot’ someone requires far less incentive than the danger of an oncoming Jeep loaded to the brim with explosive chemicals or the threat of iminent bodily harm. Sometimes merely spilling a pint can be enough.
By: justmarketing on 10 July, 2007
at 11:32 am
Hi justmarketing,
Ah yes, the much neglected, ‘other side of the coin’. A spilt pint or so much less … perhaps Big John is one of these prone to violence people who was just in the right place at the right time.
Saw a scrap in the offing at leapt on the candidate least likely to get him fired or arrested … I wouldn’t be surprised. I hope his media absence talks of a higher calibre of baggage handler though ;)
By: Alasdair on 10 July, 2007
at 1:15 pm