Controversial Trump should be welcomed as ally and son of a Scottish mother
The Scotsman’s reports on mass, multiple demonstrations against President Trump’s visits are own goals for the UK, including Scotland.
One must ask why, practically, they are protesting, who benefits, who is encouraging them to oppose the visit of the head of state of our closest international ally and why this whole protest effort is being mounted?
Individuals and groups in a free society are, of course, fully entitled to protest, preferably spontaneously, against people and things they dislike, but there are dangers of “group think” and excesses in the behaviour of crowds and mobs, incompatible with civilisation and humanity.
President Trump is a controversial figure, disliked by many here and in his own country because of his conduct and right wing policies, but, in clearly working for his nation’s greater prosperity and standing, is doing what politicians and national leaders are elected to achieve rather than win international popularity polls. Is he so fundamentally different from other guests invited to our shores that his visits should incur such extravagent hatred?
This son of a Scottish mother has been voted president of our closest and strongest ally, with widely shared commercial and military interests and interdependence.
Therefore, should we not be showing him more civilised good manners than your reports today anticipate?
After all, he has not done us harm and could help us realise our proper national objectives.
(DR) CHARLES WARDROP Viewlands Road West, Perth
I agree with John Lloyd (Letters, 12 July). By flying the offensive Trump dirigible – even more so, the infantile proposal to ban his plane from landing at Prestwick – all the Mayor of London and all the other earnest and vociferous protesters will do is delight the attention-crazy US president.
The more the protests, the bigger the hot air balloon, the more vociferous the numbers of marchers, the more flags and banners, the more delighted he will be.
When will it sink in? Do the protesters not even grasp the very basics of psychology? It is clear that Donaldtrump exults in attention, any attention. Surely they cannot be so obtuse as to not understand that?
What would hurt Mr Trump and gain his close attention is to be ignored.
ALEXANDER MCKAY New Cut Rigg, Edinburgh As Catalan president Quim Torra visits Scotland and meets our First Minister, I assume the extent of the Police Scotland operation to assure his personal safety amounts to little more than a couple of constables provided more out of courtesy than as the result of any risk assessment. What a contrast to the £5 million to police Trump’s golfing holiday which would have bankrupted the force had not the UK government bailed it out!
JOHN HEIN Montgomery Street, Edinburgh