http://scotfella-directimpact.blogspot.nl/2014/08/damaging-boycott-is-cost-of-city-flag.htmlDamaging boycott is cost of Glasgow city flag stunt
PLANS to bring 600 US visitors to Glasgow have been abandoned because of the city council’s decision to fly the Palestinian flag.
The trip, which would have injected hundreds of thousands of pounds into Glasgow, and the Scottish economy, was a reward to 600 salesmen and women, and their spouses.
The Vice-President of one of the leading special event companies in the US has told the council that the planned six-day trip is off.
The company is one of the Fortune group whose members are the top 500 worldwide corporations, including WalMart, Royal Dutch Shell, ExxonMobil, Volkswagen and Coca Cola.
But, after reading about Glasgow’s decision to fly the Palestinian flag over the City Chambers to show solidarity with Gaza, the New York-based vice-president of the company wrote to Glasgow’s Lord Provost, Sadie Docherty, saying: “I was, until I read the article in the Scottish Express, and substantiated by the press all over the world, spearheading an event in Glasgow for 600 business visitors to be guests of your wonderful city.
“We were scheduling six days in Glasgow, three for business and three for leisure time.
Hopefully, the Muslim population that you so sincerely endorse will have the spending power of the very people you have chased away so well
Vice-President of the Fortune 500 group company
“Having read your statement endorsing Hamas and its leadership due to the number of Muslims in your city, I have decided to cancel all plans for our trip. We are a Fortune 500 Company, so costs were really not a serious consideration, location was.
“Hopefully, the Muslim population that you so sincerely endorse will have the spending power of the very people you have chased away so well.”
In another email, sent to the Express, he described Glasgow Council’s decision as a “stupid move” and asked whether Ms Docherty would have the “courage of her convictions” to reply to his message.
However, after four days, the Lord Provost had not replied to the vice-president and he sent Ms Docherty a further email saying: “It appears that being Provost of a wonderful city such as Glasgow does not require the holder of said title to have any manners, or upbringing whatsoever.”
A council spokeswoman said: “The council has received more than 1,500 emails/calls/online forms, etc, about the flag and is responding to each.”
Shortly after the council’s response, the New York vice-president revealed that he had just had a reply from Councillor Archie Graham.
Councillor Graham told him: “Glasgow utterly abhors and rejects any forms of discrimination, including anti-Semitism and Islamophobia.”
The vice-president responded saying his decision to abandon the trip to Glasgow would not be reversed.
Topic: 600 US visitors to Glasgow have been abandoned because they flew pally flag (Read 468 times)