Even Scottish bar owners are more responsible than Republicans

Scotland’s men’s soccer team hasn’t been to a major tournament since the 1998 World Cup, where they finished last in group play. But that changed on Friday, when a penalty shootout win over Serbia secured a berth for Euro 2020, the continental championship that will be played next year as a result of this summer’s soccer calendar having been ravaged by coronavirus.

Also because of coronavirus, there was nobody in the stands at Red Star Stadium in Belgrade to watch the game, in which Luka Jovic forced extra time with a 90th-minute goal, setting up the penalty kick tiebreaker in which the first nine shooters all scored. Finally, Scotland goalkeeper David Marshall turned away Aleksandar Mitrovic, and the party was on from Edinburgh to the Highlands.

The party was entirely indoors, of course, because, again, coronavirus.

The Scots celebrating their team’s win all seemed just as thrilled about it as they would have been had they gone to a stadium. Is there something missing about not getting to celebrate with friends and family in a big, joyous crowd? Sure. And there was a bar in Aberdeen where there was a celebration — that bar now has to remove all of its televisions by noon on Sunday.

Did Stuart Clarkson, the bar owner, throw a temper tantrum about how the government was trampling his rights?

No. He said, “Having seen the videos I am shocked, disappointed and saddened. This simply is not acceptable and I understand why people are so upset by this. … I will now be carrying out a thorough review of what went wrong and what steps we have to take to prevent any such repeat incidents. We will also comply fully and assist any reviews or investigations by the police, Aberdeen City Council or the Scottish government.”

Meanwhile, in America, Congresswoman-elect Marjorie Taylor Greene lied that gyms in Washington, D.C., are closed, as she tweeted a video of herself working out in her hotel room. It’s just as well that she didn’t go to the gym, though, because she doesn’t even want to wear a mask in Congress, and it’s just a matter of time before she becomes a super spreader herself.

How do we get some Scottish bar owners in Congress instead?