Donald Trump should give his Doctorate back to RGU, by a Muslim student

Thousands of students from both the Robert Gordon University as well as the University of Aberdeen have signed a petition for RGU to respectfully strip the Honorary Doctorate off US Presidential candidate Donald Trump.

The petition was created by a local journalist a month ago, but has gained over 17,000 signatures over the past 24 hours following Trump’s remarks on Muslims.

Many see his latest views as vile and, personally, I think that he uses these inflammatory statements in the knowledge that any publicity is good publicity. For a university that prides itself on its diversity and equality, the massive support for his fascist and racist views is unbelievable.

Muslims are being insulted by being asked to wear identification something that equates to being degraded to a second class citizen. Ladies and gentlemen this could be the next leader of the “free world.”

At the same time though some may argue that his Doctorate is for Business and not for religious or political views, and therefore it does not matter what he says.

Whilst writing this article, I considered that my views as a Muslim may be biased, despite how fair I tried to make them, so I asked others what their thoughts about Donald Trump’s Honorary Doctorate were.

Oliver Ryan, 2nd year Accounting and Finance student at RGU, said: “I think it is outrageous. In no way should he have it, admittedly business wise yes, but only by that means.”

Pia Boehm, a fourth year Economics student at Aberdeen, had a stronger view: “Someone like him who strives to expand his business all over the world and foremost in the Middle East in the next few years coming out with things like this should not hold an honorary degree from a University that is representing diversity and is hosting many multi cultural and religiously diverse student.

“It gives a wrong representation of what RGU stands for, and I am not even a RGU student.”

As expected most views from students aligned with the above views, whilst even receiving comments such as “Trump is becoming the new Hitler.”

Piotr Latka, an RGU student, had the opposite view however, she said: “Why revoke his honorary doctorate, because he says things that some don’t like? I try to be as objective as I can, and personally think that stripping his doctorate just because he says controversial and politically incorrect opinions is, in my opinion, ridiculous and childishly ignorant.”

The University was recently celebrating the One RGU, Many Nations event to celebrate the diversity of the students, but I think by having an honorary graduate like Trump they have nothing to celebrate.

The former Principal of RGU, Dr. Kennedy, once commented on Donald Trump receiving a Doctorate, and said that this is “an insult to decent people everywhere.”

Well I agree even though the University is currently considering their decision, decent people have already suffered too much and it’s time to point the finger at Donald.