Americans call for Scotland boycott

A website has been created in America urging the world’s travellers to boycott travel to Scotland after the Lockerbie bomber was released last week.  

The website, Boycottscotland.com says “Unless the Scottish Government rescinds this decision to release al-Megrahi, we urge all Americans to protest this action by boycotting the United Kingdom and Scotland in full,” reported News.com.au.

Debates have also been raging on social media site Facebook and Twitter over the decision to release the critically ill bomber who was responsible for the death of 270 people in 1988.

America is the biggest single national market for tourism in Scotland.

By Alice Terlikowski  ·  August 25th, 2009 at 1:15 pm

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Comments


  1. George Corner
    25 Aug 09
    7:12 pm

    2. It never ceases to amaze me how knee-jerk we can be at times.

    I am from Edinburgh, live here now and am proud to call it my birthplace and home. Likewise, I am a proud Scot, our history stands proud on its’ many achievements.

    I should add right now, that I am as proud of the Justice Secretary’s decision to stand by the principles enshrined in our laws on this matter too.

    Megrahi was sentenced and jailed to spend up to 27 years inside. Under normal circumstances, he would be there still. Our system allows for a dying prisoner with limited time to be released and in the last decade 30 such applications have been released with 23 of those successful. Why would we change our moral purpose and belief for this man alone? If we are civilised, we treat all equally and fairly.

    Mercy is something we speak a lot of but practise little in our lives. The real test of our faith is to act in such a way when a great wrong has been carried out, yet we can still uphold our way of life by according those the same compassion and mercy who have carried out that wrong. It is our humanity which ought to be praised not condemned. These are the very ideals upon which we build ciuvilised society.

    Not all of the families wanted Megrahi freed, but equally, not all of them wanted him in jail either due to the doubt surrounding the case and his conviction. There are too many unanswered questions around Pan-Am 103; I doubt you’ll find that the US Administration has the stomach to push for the real answers to come, or that it would want them to necessarily with relations improving in the Middle East as they are (some thawing with Iran, Syria and Libya since Obama came in).

    I feel desperately for the bereaved; I can’t imagine the pain. But deflecting that pain in this way solves nor answers anything. If it makes you feel better, boycott Scotland by all means, but that won’t address the real issues here.

    I am proud we stood up to the plate here; there are some pills that are not easy to swallow, this was one of them.

    Very best wishes,

    George

  2. dave
    26 Aug 09
    5:47 am

    3. Well America does not run this country even so they think they do.so if they boycott us do the same back and boycott mc Donnels kfc America and its food and drinks play them at there game

  3. Jack Kalpakian
    26 Aug 09
    8:18 am

    4. George Corner,

    Yes, I will feel better when I do not buy your country’s products because I know that I am sharing a bit of my pain with you, in where you seem to understand things best, your wallets.

    Sincerely,
    Jack Kalpakian

  4. JenMac
    26 Aug 09
    12:39 pm

    5. Oh thank God – who wants loads of Americans ruining Scotland with their silly questions about Braveheart (no the movie is not accurate) and Da Vinci Code tours (ditto about that movie).

    While the Lockerbie bomber’s release and homecoming was distasteful in the extreme it is not the fault of the Scottish people. Why punish a whole country especially when you see who they have as neighbours!

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