TRUMP: HARVIE AND CHAPMAN CONDEMN ISLAMOPHOBIC COMMENTS
The Scottish Greens Co-Convenors have condemned US Presidential candidate Donald Trump for comments which appear "increasingly fascist".
Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, today lodged a motion at Holyrood urging a boycott of Trump's business empire, while Maggie Chapman, who is also Rector of Aberdeen University, called on Robert Gordon University to revoke his honorary doctorate.
The billionaire developer, who was previously censured by authorities following a complaint from Mr Harvie about adverts linking windfarms with the Lockerbie bombing, has shrugged off criticism of his call for a ban on Muslims entering the United States.
Patrick Harvie MSP said:
"Donald Trump's latest comments have gone beyond his usual brand of ignorant and offensive posturing, and now appear increasingly fascist. He not only causes gratuitous insult but is creating division when the need for tolerance and understanding has never been greater. This bigoted blowhard of a man is being rightly condemned far and wide, and I'm confident that Scotland will reject his extremist rhetoric.
"Mr Trump has a reputation for trampling over Scottish communities, and in light of his latest comments I can't imagine any self-respecting person wanting to spend money in his hotels and at his golf courses. The challenge western society faces from Daesh must be met by tackling the flow of arms towards them, cutting off their funding and addressing what causes young people to be drawn towards them. Trump is now more than just a vulgar attention-seeker; he represents truly dangerous ideas, and should not be tolerated."
Maggie Chapman said:
“Donald Trump’s disgustingly racist campaign shows he is a totally unacceptable ambassador for the gloriously global city of Aberdeen, and its international universities.
“His fascistic proposals to make Muslims wear identifying badges and, now, to ban all Muslims from entering the country are the policies of far-right extremism. While we hope that he will not get the chance to implement them, pronouncements like these from politicians and media drive islamophobic aggression, exposing Muslims to more and more discrimination, harassment and violence.
“Continuing to honour Donald Trump risks sending a signal to current and potential students, staff and partners that they are not respected, and that they are not safe. Robert Gordon University would never give an honorary degree to a leader of the BNP or the National Front. Donald Trump is no less a racist extremist, and is just as unfit to hold that honour. I urge Robert Gordon University to revoke Donald Trump’s honorary doctorate immediately.”
The full text of Mr Harvie's motion is:
That the Parliament condemns Donald Trump for calling for a ban on Muslims entering the United States; further condemns his reported response to criticism of his announcement: "I. Don't. Care."; rejects Mr Trump's claim that there is great hatred towards Americans by large segments of the Muslim population; expresses solidarity with Americans at home and abroad including here in Scotland who reject Mr Trump's deeply divisive, offensive and ill-informed rhetoric; considers that several of Mr Trump's statements during the Presidential campaign have been so extreme as to be widely compared with fascism; urges Scots and visitors to consider boycotting Mr Trump's Scottish hotels and golf courses; and agrees with the statement issued by the White House: "We cannot turn against one another by letting this fight be defined as a war between America and Islam."
An online petition calling for Trump’s degree to be withdrawn is set to easily pass its target of 5,000 signatures.