ON Friday, on top of a hill overlooking Aberdeen Airport, I watched the plane bring Alex home. Three times a leader of the Scottish Parliament – a giant in politics. The man who truly put Holyrood on the political map. Did Scotland honour him? Quick answer – NO.
Shame on this nation to put his family through a waiting game as to who was going to pay for a flight back for this giant of Scottish politics. A man who put Scottish politics on the world map – we will be hard-pressed to see his like again. The cavalcade that was quickly but effectively organised by grassroots members brought out huge numbers to escort Alex home but the police presence was minimal. Traffic lights turned to red breaking up the following from the airport, no outrider to see him safely through. Why?
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This man placed Scotland on the world map and was still doing that. His dream wasn’t going to die. I –and others – felt the treatment shabby. He was perhaps no longer in post in Scotland but he still had done the country proud, and surely a three-times leader at Holyrood and giant of Scottish politics deserved better treatment on his homecoming. Well done to the huge number of cars for the cavalcade and to the bikers for independence who led the cortege From the airport to Fraserburgh, people stood at the side of the road at points all along the way to Fraserburgh. Alex, the people didn’t let you down and your dream will not die – indy is coming. Thank you for all you did for Scotland.
Frieda Burns
Stonehaven
TO be perfectly honest up until a few days ago I did not even know where North Macedonia actually was. I had to look it up on the internet. After seeing their treatment of our former First Minister I think I could consider living there. Red carpet and honour guard – the lot. No equivalent at Aberdeen airport but at least he was escorted by the Yes bikers and supporters at the end of his long road home.
SNP chief executive Murray (the Vow) Foote clearly decided to announce his resignation at exactly the same time as Alex was beginning his long journey home. I’m lost for words.
Disgraceful does not cover it.
Brian Lawson
Paisley
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THE Macedonians gave him the perfect farewell, with dignity and respect. As for his welcome home in Dyce, Scotland, the least said the better. The city council didn’t even lower their flag. I am ashamed of my own country.
Kenny Burnett
Dyce, Aberdeen
HOW deeply, deeply sad that the repatriation of a former First Minister of Scotland’s body did not make it onto Friday night’s ITV or Channel 4 news. I don’t know about BBC as I refuse to watch any of their coverage, but I suspect it probably made the BBC Scotland news but not the “national” news.
I invite everyone to consider equivalents and how differently it might have been covered if a former UK PM had died abroad. I think all of us in Scotland, regardless of whether you are a nationalist or a Unionist, know how very different it would have been. Perhaps on a par with England being in the Euros, when Scotland are also (albeit briefly) and all we ever hear about is England. We owe it to Alex not allow ourselves to be erased.
Jenny Pearson
Edinburgh
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IF we could have, we’d have made him bide.
Alex Salmond was probably the only man of our generation who could have seen Scotland through to independence.
The sad thing is that we could not protect him, or anyone else for that matter, from the spate of the gutter press, or snipes from all sources. Words are the worst weapons.
In the era of instant internet, or inter-wheecher, it is questionable whether democracy without spite can exist again. Yet it did, for the first four early session of the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood, as witnessed by MSPs who were in parliament at the time. This included the two sessions when Alex was First Minister, when it is acknowledged that all four parties were treating each other with some respect. Governing came first, as both Annabelle Goldie and and Henry McLeish bear witness to.
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For a time Holyrood was seen as a chance to do that, and not act like a Westminster bear pit!
One can look back at a brief window in 2010 when Pope Benedict XV1 had been invited to visit Scotland. He came to Edinburgh on September 18th which also happens to be the feast of St Ninian (360-430), the First Christian Missionary in Scotland. The Pope was welcomed by the Queen and Prince Philip, and indeed thousands of well-wishers who lined the full length of Princes Street.
Alex Salmond was the First Minister. There was the dignity of of Holyrood, the acknowledgement by royalty, and even international recognition. And the sun shone!
But Alex, like so many of the participants in that day, has returned to the creator, in whom we live and move and have our being. None of us who have lived are perfect, and without flaws and inadequacies and downright sins. We have to hope that the creator is more merciful to humanity than we are to one another.
There is an early extant poem in Scots (written many centuries before Oor Wullie !) which dates from 1286, just after the death of Alexander III, at a time of famine and economic decline far worse than ours today:
“When Alysander our king was deid, Our gowd was turned into lede” but it ends in a prayer;
“Christ born in Virginitie.
Succour Scotland and remede
Which Stad is in perplexitie.”
Lesley J Findlay
Fort Augustus
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