WHAT’S in a name? My given name is Mary Anne Macleod and I hail from the Isle of Lewis. There’s nothing unusual in that as there are plenty of Mary Anne Macleods in this part of the world. Most of the Mary Anne Macleods I know are mothers who have raised their children to be decent, caring citizens of the world, be they religious or otherwise. And no, the majority of the inhabitants of the Western Isles are not religious, narrow-minded bigots as some would label us. Although I am in no way placing Gordon Murray, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar Councillor for Stornabagh a Tuath, leader of the SNP Group in this category, I do take issue with him on what appeared to be an unconditional welcome to the 45th President of the United States, Donald Trump ("Family connections earn leader’s welcome", The Herald, July 14).
I have no idea what led Councillor Murray to utter such ill-advised words and I’m certain that there are many, many people in these islands – let alone, Lewis – who would not wish to be associated with such a sentiment.
Let me remind Councillor Murray that the man to whom he would wish to give a whole-hearted Hebridean welcome has been described, and rightly so, as "a far right gun-lover, an egotist, a fantasist, a liar, a megalomaniac, a misogynist" to quote but a few of the more "acceptable terms’ fired his way. These are not my words: they appear, if not universal, at least oft repeated. And yet Councillor Murray states that it would be "un-Hebridean" not to welcome Donald Trump to Scotland. On your bike, Councillor Murray, you don’t speak for me nor, I believe, the majority of Hebrideans whether they vote SNP or not.
Just because someone has Hebridean blood running through his veins does not make him a decent human being, so why should he be automatically welcomed to any country? If this were the first half of the 20th century, Councillor Murray, would you extend the same welcome to one Adolf Hitler should he be found to have Scottish blood in his make-up too? Do not forget, rightly or wrongly, the guy believed the Brits, including the Scots, were part of a mishmash (my choice of word) of the Aryan race.
The question posed above is not a crazy one, nor is it rhetorical. Try putting yourself and your family, Councillor Murray, in the shoes of recently separated – some still separated – Mexican families on the US border. Where’s your Christianity? Where’s your soul? Where’s your humanity?
Donald Trump has close relatives on Lewis; they are good people. It’s a pity he hadn’t been raised on Lewis and been the one to emigrate to the US. In these circumstances he probably would have made an excellent 45th President.
Mary McCormack,
25 North Street,
Sandwick, Isle of Lewis.
A LOT of people are saying that we have no right to protest against Donald Trump's visit because he was democratically elected. There is some controversy about that, as there might have been some collusion with Russia, but during the 1930s both Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini were democratically elected, and look at what followed. We have to learn from history, otherwise we are condemned to keep repeating the same mistakes from the past.
Margaret Forbes,
Corlic Way, Kilmacolm.
IT has been reported that one of Donald Trump’s secret service agents suffered a stroke during the President’s visit to Turnberry, and that he is being treated by the NHS. Whilst wishing this poor man a speedy recovery I wonder whether the hospital will in question, as would happen to any British visitor to America requiring hospital treatment, demand to see proof of health insurance or take credit card details to ensure payment before commencing treatment. I wonder if in fact whether he will be charged at all.
Donald Lewis,
Pine Cottage, Beech Hill, Gifford.
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