Comments on: Boycott Scotch?

By: Alex C., Glasgow

Alex C., Glasgow — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 00:12:53 +0000

I find the idea that America and Britain are ‘peaceable nations’ rather an intriguing one but perhaps this is an aspirational claim, and more power to you Philip for that. Please feel free not to buy Scottish products if you don’t like Scottish values. I often avoid many American goods for exactly the same reason. Ethical buying is only a crime against international capitalism, buy local, support your neighbour. The money you pay into a country supports that nation’s world view: vote with your dollar, I vote with my pound (until we join the euro anyway). We have whisky, America has bourbon, I’m fine with that. We recycle bourbon barrels (paying for the privilege) and use them to make the world’s best whisky, but we hold no grunge. Lead by example is what I say.

By: Barry J

Barry J — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 00:13:14 +0000

Well, it’s good to see that this subject is both near and dear to one and all. I would suppose that one good thing is this. The bomber is dying a horrible death in an underskilled Lybian Hospital. Had he stayed in Scotland, huge amounts of Scottish money would have been spent keeping this monster alive…fearing outcry from human rights groups is they didn’t….money better off spend elsewhere. We whiskey drinkers, who understand the better things of life…with our sense of passion about that which is good just need to be guilding lights in this often confusing and misguided world!

Cheers to all…thanks John for allowing us all to vent.

By: Philip

Philip — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 04:25:56 +0000

What’s done is done. There is no sense in driving a wedge between two peaceable nations when there is so much to do with nations that cannot see eye to eye no matter what.

I, as one American, have no issue with the Scottish people over this act when so much has gone on in our own country that can be viewed with a jaundiced eye by somebody at some time somewhere in the world.

“The more you stir it, the more it stinks”
It’s time to let it go.

By: Gary

Gary — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 10:06:02 +0000

It’s all good. Adam and Sean I raise a glass to you both. Sláinte!

By: Adam Elmegirab

Adam Elmegirab — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 08:54:47 +0000

Gary – The sarcasm started with me at post 39.

By: monique at the dell

monique at the dell — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 01:08:02 +0000

The only kind of “cot” I’m game for with scotch is the type that I nap on when I’ve imbibed a bit too much!

By: Sean

Sean — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 21:42:07 +0000

Gary, did you notice that I was razzing you. (well at least the emoticon at the end is supposed to be razzing).

By: Gary

Gary — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 19:23:39 +0000

Obviously sarcasm is lost on this board.

By: Iain

Iain — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 17:49:07 +0000

Geez, there are some increasingly bilious and silly statements coming in from all sides on this media-engineereed “debate”. One side goading the other to make ever more extreme statements. I know what I’m going to do – I’m going to boycott this thread.

By: Sean

Sean — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 17:42:21 +0000

Gary,

A little history would let you know that at best they would only have to give the US 1/3 of the country. Another third would go to Russia and the last 1/3 would go to Japan for bombing Pearl Harbor and getting the US involved when the American people had shown no desire to get involved (though FDR did want to get involved).

By: Euan

Euan — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 17:09:05 +0000

Firstly I’m Scottish and have a close affinity with the US, I also have good friends in the Middle East who are Arab. This is the most difficult situation the Scots/we have ever found ourselves in , bar a few Viking and English raids in times gone bye.
Americas has “In God we Trust”, Scotland on our ceremonial mace in our parliament has “Wisdom, Justice, Compassion, Integrity”, The Aspirations of the Scottish People.
There are those that question our judgement in relation to Justice, I for one feel that we may be a little too lenient, however, we can never debase our humanity by adopting “an eye for an eye” this will never bring any form of peace between the Middle East and the rest of the world. Especially in the Arab countries where martyrdom is the supreme act.
It is written in the laws of Scotland that we offer compassion, Megrahi is terminally ill and the last thing we wanted as a nation was for this guy to die on our soil. So he had to go back to Libya. The unfortunate thing was that the agreements for repatriation of prisoners between UK and Libya did not allow that due to prior agreements with the families of the victims of the Lockerbie tragedy. The British Government conveniently and unfortunately turned a blind eye to proceedings and still have not declared why (I think we maybe all know why , as Im sure the US government do too). It left one man and one man only to make the decision on the basis of compassion. It was the only way out, the only way to get Megrahi off our soil (remember, we didnt ask for this atrocity, weve had enough atrocities perpetrated on the Scots in our land over 1000’s of years without having any more). And so our Justice Minister, MacAskill, bravely made the decision , he alone made it and to penalise all Scottish people and even penalise him is beyond reproach. Any form of reprisal I believe throws insult not only to the Scots , but also to those who died, some of whom were Scots. I think those who wish to demonise Scotland do not know how terrible we all feel about what happened 20 years ago, dont know how terrible we feel that this man had to be returned to Libya. We only ask that people from the larger nations of the world realise that Scotland is but a tiny nation that has been through some terrible trials of its own. Its a country of people who always show kindness to others and is of high moral principle.
Dont just throw care to the wind and make us pariahs.

By: Adam Elmegirab

Adam Elmegirab — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 15:30:30 +0000

Gary – The United Kingdom isn’t a product of America.

And America contributed to the World War victory, they weren’t the sole reason…

By: Gary

Gary — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 15:18:01 +0000

to Adam,
Sure we will do that right after the UK gives us their entire country that we saved from the Germans in WWII.

By: Adam Elmegirab

Adam Elmegirab — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 13:55:30 +0000

I’m requesting that those Americans who wish to boycott Scottish products begin returning the following ASAP;

penicillin, anaesthetics, pneumatic tyres, hypodermic syringes, anything to do with golf or ’soccer’, telephones, haggis, televisions, fax mac…hines, Bovril, radios, postage stamps, whisky, the US Navy, thermos flasks, lawnmowers, lime cordial, refrigerators, combs, keyrings, colour photos, digestive biscuits, bicycles, MRI and Ultrasound scanners, any cloned mammals specifically sheep (or cat-sheep, I think I invented that), you can forget about the theory of electromagnetism and the concept of latent heat, radar technology, the standard time of the Universe…

Stick it all into a big box and mail it to me please.

Thanks.

By: Rick Lyke

Rick Lyke — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 12:22:37 +0000

John:

For me this is personal. I am a graduate of Syracuse University and had the opportunity to spend a semester at S.U.’s program in London in 1980. Thirty-five of the 270 people killed in this mass murder during Christmas week 1988 were students from that program.

Scottish law did not have any compassion for the 270 people killed by this man. Instead, they had compassion for a mass killer. He spent less than 2 weeks in jail for each life that he took. Compassion? The U.K. obviously knew this was coming and did nothing to protest. Scotland is hiding behind a law that can be applied with a great deal of flexibility, trying to make it appear that this was not a political and econmic decision. Clearly it was just that and now Scotland does not want the world to react. Keep in mind that when the murdering thugs were identified as agents of Libya, the Tripoli government did not turn them over until economic sanctions took hold and they negotiated to have them tried in the U.K. It looks like they knew what they were doing.

Avoiding Scotch whisky and English ale may be viewed by some as nothing more than an economic action on my part, but in terms that the governments in Edinburgh and London appear to understand best, this is my form of compassion for the families of everyone on Pan Am 103.

This hurst even more because it was an action by people we consider to be our friends. I’m going to miss their fine beverages, but there are plenty of whiskies and beers from the rest of the world that I just feel like drinking more at this time.

Thanks.

Rick