Trump - just not fringe or funny anymore !?!

There are two e-petitions on the government website, one to keep him out of Britain and one to allow him in.
The one to keep him out has over 300,000 signatures ; the other has less than 10,000.
It would be good to get over a million.

I have a couple of US based friends who have said that they will vote for Trump. A common theme is worry over the number of illegal immigrants entering the US, a strong dislike for Obama and his policies including gun control amongst other things, and a conviction that the American way of life is being undermined by 'giving way' to the demands of Muslim activists who want to see their own belief system over rule the traditional values of the US.

I hope you are going to tell your friends, DotM, that less than 1% of the US population are muslim, and a quarter of those are converts to Islam.
They do not live in impoverished ghettos but are spread all over the country. On average, they are better educated and slightly more prosperous than the average American. Or is that what they are worried about?

We have a law about hate crime, and muslims are denied entry into this country for saying far less than Trump has done.

My American SiL cites Trump as one of the reasons he lives over here.

I so hope others on GN will sign the petition to keep him out of Britain. It would be really great to get over 1 million and more indeed.

Does that mean that Trump has done some good, Deeda?

I misread the post also the first time I read it- her sil lives in the uk to avoid Trump (+ other factors).

That's what I read, too, granjura. It was good of Trump to make her son in law want to live here, assuming she likes her son in law.

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/dec/09/petition-calling-for-donald-trump-to-be-banned-from-uk-signed-by-85000

Lots more signatures needed.

www.theguardian.com/books/2015/dec/08/jk-rowling-on-donald-trump-voldemort-was-nowhere-as-bad

Also concerned about the rise of the front national in France, granjura.
Nearly a third of the vote is very worrying.

Oh I see - doh- get it now ;)

Yes, I'd urge anyone shocked by Trump's comments to sign. It is just a gesture of course- but it will get the message through somehow- the more people sign.

tompride.wordpress.com/2015/12/08/wounded-british-soldier-shuts-up-anti-muslim-racists-with-epic-message/

This is brilliant. The shame is he had to say it. Read it, then sign to keep Trump out.
On the other hand, if he came here, could he be arrested for incitement?

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/dec/09/donald-trump-ireland-sinn-fein-terrorism

That's a really good message from the ex-soldier durhamjen.

I'm undecided as to whether Trump should be banned from entering Britain. I don't believe he should be welcomed here by the government or any public body, or invited to speak at public functions. But I wonder if banning him raises the risk of him being portrayed as a victim just because he exercises his right to "free speech".

It may be a little complacent to think he is of no real significance. I believe he is polling way ahead of other Republican candidates and is certainly popular in some areas.

What shocked me was to hear on The Wright Stuff this morning two callers who enthusiastically supported what he had said. I don't think this is reflective of most British people's attitudes - at least I hope it's not - but still it concerned me.

This is the petition if anyone else wants to sign Block Donald Trump from the UK

As far as I am concerned this man is guilty of hate crime and should be banned from entering the country like others have been for holding extremist views. It's bad enough the way he talks rubbish about the US, but to do it again about the UK is just beyond the pale.

Let him in, let him speak, let him describe his plans on how Muslims should be treated in America, let him vilify London as a Muslim ghetto…then prosecute the bastard in the London courts!

I agree he should not be blocked. Extremism is overcome by open debate, not censorship.

Here's a good couple of tweets on the subject from Rory Sutherland and James Furman.

I'm with those who say he should not enjoy the attention of being banned.
But nor do I think any organisation, educational institution, or political faction should be allowed to accord him the compliment of being invited.
We have, or used to have a great British tradition of "cutting shysters down to size" - that is more effective.
Has everybody seen the FB picture of a ginger Guinea pig with his stick and hanky containing all his possessions over his shoulder a la Dick Whittington? It's headed "Donald Trump's hair decided to run away from home and start a new life".
With instantaneous internet access anything he says in the US is unfortunately immediately accessible here, but let's not go out of our way to make him or anybody think we want to hear his drivel.
(And that's me still being nice in this festive season)

The man would be best ignored except there seems to be quite a few insular twerps in the US who believe the silly b****r.

Harrison Ford tells him it's not like the movies:

www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-35059128

Posted pic of runaway hamster (hair) on page one Alea-am off to get pic of the awful clock he's erected at the entrance to Trumpton!

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/201512/medium-122923-image.png https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/201512/medium-636365-image.jpeg

Totally incongruous in the middle of the Aberdeenshire countryside.

I do not think Trump should be banned from coming to the UK. What happened to freedom of speech? Or is that only for people with a hook for a hand?

Yes if Trump comes here and "oversteps the mark" fine, throw him out, but until then........

We all know that by law, freedom of speech has limits, don't we. Any 'speech' that incites hatred, prejudice, etc, against s specific ehtnic or religious group is beyond said freedom. How would you react if a politicians called for the exclusion of Christians or Jews?