Category Archives: Stornoway

Shopowners not happy that market is back in town yet again

Posted on October 20, 2011 | 55 Comments

There is fury in downtown Stornoway as a group of stallholders are back again with a market during the Royal National Mod.
Local traders are fizzing. Angry that they have been snatching their business away twice already this year, the shopowners have been telling how council officials promised they would be forewarned if the market was to return. Yet again they say, they knew nothing until the tents were erected.
Colin Cameron of Cameron’s Chip Shop said: “We were looking forward to the Mod because we thought it would be very good for business. However, it’s not going to be so busy with the market here yet for the third time. It’s not as if the money they take will be put back on the town.
“There was no consultation. If businesses here were allowed to display their wares in the street I’m sure they would.”
Iain Macaulay of the Events gift shop, said he had been assured by council officials that they would be told in advance if there was any prospect of the market returning after the previous two visits.
“I have had no calls from anyone about this,” he said.

So I put questions to the comhairle and the amenity trust. The trust responded saying the current market was not their responsibility. Here is what the comhairle said:

How much are stallholders paying for their prime positions and to whom? What is included in that fee?

The Licence fee is £175 for three years for under 20 stalls and is only allowed to reflect the cost of administering the licence. Any fees or charges for land use/electricity etc have nothing to do with the licence.

The Comhairle does not charge Traders for the use of specific plots. Market Traders are not authorised to utilise Comhairle Services.

How does the fee compare to markets in other towns?

We don’t have that information.

Why are these outside companies allowed to come in and trade at the busiest times of the year without the same rules and responsibilities as local businesses?

The Comhairle have to grant licences unless there are valid reasons for refusal. These market traders, like anyone else, may apply for a market Operator’s license. Applications for a Market Operator’s license are processed in accordance with the provisions of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982. This act provides for certain grounds of refusal of an application, and there are certain specific statutory grounds for refusal of an application. Commercial prejudice to neighbouring premises is not one of these grounds for refusal.

I have heard of individual councillors who said they should not be allowed to return. Who decides?

Licences are issued by Consumer and Environmental Services on behalf of the Comhairle. The Licenses are issued under delegated authority from the Comhairle. On receipt of an application the views of statutory consultees such as the Police and Fire Brigade are sought, and in this case we also sought the views of our Technical Services Department. Applications are referred to the environmental sub-committee if any objections are received

Why were the local traders lied to and kept in the dark until the stallholders arrived?

This application was processed in accordance with the statutory provisions in the usual fashion.

Why were the claims of insect-infested products not fully investigated and prosecuted?

The markets, as with other retail and catering businesses, are inspected in terms of Food and Trading Standards. Comhairle officers have carried out numerous visits to the markets as part of routine work as well as in response to complaints. In general terms- we investigate any complaint against any trader in line with the Comhairle’s enforcement policy. This includes any markets or street traders. If a consumer has a complaint regarding any business, including a market stall, then the Comhairle will investigate it.

How much are the stallholders being charged for the permanent damage to Perceval Square?

The Comhairle have received no reports of damage to Perceval Square.

What are the long-term plans for the stallholders?

The Comhairle is required to process the applications for this license. Any questions about the long-term plans of stallholders should be addressed to those stallholders.

Can you assure local traders that you won’t wreck their Christmases too by allowing them back then?

We have to treat an application for a licence the same whether it is being held on Comhairle ground or private ground. The licence does not deal with frequency of use or permissions to trade – unless there are legitimate concerns (i.e. public safety). It does not deal with competition/commercial issues. If there were objections to a licence then they would have to be considered in terms of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982. All applications for Market Operator’s licences will be considered on their merits and processed in accordance with the provisions of the 1982 act.

Any other comments?

For information this market is not related to the Stornoway Amenity Trust. Any concerns or complaints attributed to the previous market may not be relevant to this market. The markets, as with other retail and catering businesses, are inspected in terms of Food and Trading Standards
Under the Civic Government (Scotland ) Act 1982 a Market Operator’s Licence is required for carrying on a private market by any person other than a local or public authority at which goods are offered by more than one seller for sale to the public. Licences are not needed if the proceeds are used for charitable purposes or not for private gain.
The Police and Fire Authority are consulted on licence applications and their views are taken into account when deciding to issue a licence. Technical Services are also consulted.
The Comhairle have to grant licences unless there are valid reasons for refusal.
Open air markets require planning permission and Perceval Square and various areas within Point Street and Cromwell Street have planning permission.

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Posted in business, council, Stornoway, Western Isles

Stornoway woman sues to get stray cat back

Posted on October 13, 2011 | 9 Comments

Words and pictures are copyrighted. (c) Iain Maciver 2011

A row over a much-loved cat is heading for court so a sheriff can decide who should own him.

Animal lover Mrs Della Macdonald, of Stornoway, is suing a hotel chef for the return of the young black and white stray which she took in and looked after for six months and which she called Oscar.

Della and Neilson

Chef Nickie Dempster claims the cat has always belonged to her and her partner Lee and that he is actually called Smudge. She has repossessed him and is being taken to court by Della for the feline’s return.

In papers lodged at the town’s sheriff court, Irish-born Della Macdonald is suing Nickie Dempster, a chef who lives half a mile away from Della’s home, in Morison Avenue.

In her statement of claim, Della, 54,  says Oscar turned up at her house on March 6 this year. “It was thin and hungry. He was an emaciated kitten,” she says. Appeals on radio, in the local newspaper and in supermarket notices for the owner to come forward brought no response. “With patience and care, Oscar’s health and trust improved,” she says.

Her claim says Oscar was a great comfort to her and her husband Neilson, 73, a former marine engineer who is disabled and gets around in a motorised buggy. However, on the evening of August 31, Oscar went missing. The next day, Della organised searches with friends and again appealed on radio – but for his return. Again, there was no response.

A friend then told her that Nickie Dempster had written on social networking site Facebook that she had found her long-lost cat Smudge nearby and was thanking whoever had looked after it.

Oscar ... or is it Smudge?

Della says she went to Nickie’s home to ask for the cat back but when Della began to call Oscar’s name there was an alleged row which resulted in police being called. The officers offered words of advice but took no further action.

The court papers say Della is now heartbroken, cannot sleep well and has other health problems which she believes are because of the stress of losing Oscar. Her dog Hamish, not a cat lover until Oscar’s arrival, is said to have cuddled up to him and slept with Oscar. Hamish, age 15, is also said to be “inconsolable”, according to the court papers. He is unsettled, has bouts of sickness and constantly roams the house looking for his missing pal Oscar.

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Della claims that because she looked after Oscar for longer than Nickie Dempster, had demonstrated that she loved him and that she could look after him better than a chef who is out at work for much of the day and evening, she should have him permanently. Attempts at an out-of-court peace deal have now collapsed.

Hamish is "inconsolable"

It is understood a request by Della for access to the cat for two hours each week has been rejected by Nickie, of Cearn Ronaidh.

Della confirmed she was going to sue for the cat’s return, adding: “This case is not about money. I am probably entitled to money for feeding Oscar and for vet’s bills for the six months we had him here but I just want the adorable cat which we raised back in our lives. Life is not the same without him.”

Nickie Dempster declined to comment. She previously said she understood that Della Macdonald was an animal lover but that she was too. She was confident the sheriff would decide she was the one and only rightful owner of the cat she called Smudge.

The case is due to be heard in Stornoway Sheriff Court next month.

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Posted in cats, Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides, Scotland, Stornoway

Fuel price latest

Posted on October 4, 2011 | 19 Comments

Updated Wed 10.30am

Whether it’s because of the increase in public awareness or for some other reason, road fuel prices have now fallen a bit – at least on Lewis. The situation is less clear elsewhere in the islands.
Allow for a possible small margin of error in reported prices. Some prices are reported to me in pennies without the decimal point; some may be rounded up or down, etc.

Latest pics by Mr Placid. Ta much.

Engy's

Campbell's

Spar

The prices reported to me today (5th) are:

BARVAS
Petrol: 144p
Diesel: 148p

ENGEBRETSEN’S
Petrol: 14*.9p  (Display broken)
Diesel: 151.9p

CAMPBELL’S
Petrol: 146.9p
Diesel: 151.9p

SPAR
Petrol: 146.9p
Diesel: 151.9p
(Prices not on public display)

 

Please let me know of changes.

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Posted in fuel rip-off, Isle of Lewis, Stornoway, Western Isles

Joy unbounded as our monarch is found to have a full set of those lower limbs

Posted on September 28, 2011 | Leave a comment

Published Press and Journal – 26 Sep 2011

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Our Queen has two legs. Apparently, it just became official the other day.
Even though Prince Philip is always following closely behind her when they are visiting this or opening that, I never suspected Her Maj was being pushed about by him on some kind of modified shopping trolley.
Still, it seems to be red hot news that the monarch is as devoted to obligate bipedalism as the next monarch and it was reported the monarch not only has a pair of pins on her but that they are a fine and shapely set. Good grief. Hold the front page.

I remember the old, full version of the National Anthem referred to an aid but I didn’t think it was a walking aid. How did it go?

Lord grant that Marshal Wade, may by thy mighty aid,
Victory bring. May he sedition hush,
And like a torrent rush,
Rebellious Scots to crush. God save the King.

Oh, that version. Right, let’s move on quickly.
The latest fuss about the royal limbs was because a portrait was commissioned to mark the Royal British Legion’s 90th year and the 85th birthday of our dearly-beloved monarch, its patron. Done by one Darren Baker, well-kent for his classical realism style. Seriously, he is superb. In fact, he is so good you’d be hard-pressed to figure out if it was a painting or a photo.

Well done, the Legion. Which reminds me; I’d better nip down and pay my subs. Well, one day the Legion might commission him to paint me. Mind you, if Donnie the inscrutable barman in the Stornoway branch has anything to do with it, I would be done alright – in emulsion.

The Queen’s portrait was unveiled the other day in Westminster Abbey, where Lieutenant General Sir John Kiszely KCB MC, the national president of the Legion, was very excited. He described Darren’s painting as “remarkably realistic”.

That is old duffer-speak for: “I say, chaps, you can see the jolly old Queen’s legs – and they ain’t half bad. Gosh, I need to go and lie down.”

Apparently, it is not the Queen’s habit normally to allow any close-ups of the royal ankles in portraits of any kind. One’s ankles are not for gawping at, you know. However, she completely melted when it came to requests by Darren, 35, whose usual subjects, if his website is anything to go by, are ladies in, er, varying states of undress. It’s OK, ma’am. You can keep the cardigan on.

So why am I, a convert to republicanism and conscientious objector to unearned privilege, telling you all about the Queen and her wonderfully, gorgeous legs? Because I know the Queen’s secret. I unwittingly discovered how she manages to possess fine feet, angelic ankles, unknobbly knees and so on.

When she and her husband last came to Stornoway in 2002, the visit culminated in lunch at Lews Castle College. A flock of the prettiest young animals with cute little tails and bright, sparkling eyes, which had gambolled just days before by a burbling stream in a sunny meadow, had been rounded up and slaughtered so the kindly royal twosome could feast on rack of lamb with the Hebridean favoured few.

Purely, by chance I was in touch with a cousin of mine the other day and we happened to be talking about the royals, as you do. She told me she had been at that lunch in the presence of Her Maj and her man. As one of the longest-serving staffers at a certain organisation, she had wangled a meal ticket.

In what was obviously a massive error by the organisers, my cousin Bernice found herself sitting opposite the glittering guests of honour. How lucky was that? Actually, I’m not so very sure it was lucky at all.
I’m not sure how well I would slice up my rack of young Blackface knowing that some blone who happened to be not just Head of the 54-strong Commonwealth of Nations, but also the British monarch for 50 or 60 years and also the Supreme Governor of the Church of England, and also one of the wealthiest women in the entire universe, was staring at me to see if I was using the correct knife.

“Lamb? No, thank you. I’m not very hungry, actually. May I have something I will not need to use cutlery for? That’s fine, just a glass of water then. Ice? No thanks. Let’s keep it simple and uncomplicated. By the way, is herself still staring at me?”

I think Bernice somehow managed a morsel or two but she admits she was entranced when Their Royal Highnesses came and plonked themselves down in front of her. She told me: “Honestly, when she sat down I was watching her and she kicked off her shoes under the table. Then she got out her wee mirror and proceeded to apply her lipstick.”

Now we know. Any chance the Queen gets – it’s off with the bachles and on with the lippy. So That’s how she has kept those fine ankles looking so well-turned down the years. Not with the lippy, obviously, but by kicking off her size sixes.
I was intrigued to learn that there are at least two pubs abroad which are called The Queen’s Legs in tribute to the royal pins. One is in Canada and the other in France and both are said to well-patronised by Brits.

Must be embarrassing to go to these pubs and find they’re not open yet.

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Posted in Isle of Lewis, royals, Stornoway, Western Isles

Crooks behind Scottish Fuels rip-off exposed – so who is still loyal to them? And why?

Posted on September 26, 2011 | 34 Comments

UPDATE (Monday) – I’ve had a few calls. If people want a public meeting to decide the next course of action, fine. I’m up for it. We cannot do without fuel but we can, for example, stop buying confectionery, groceries, alcohol, etc., from filling station operators who are in bed with Scottish Fuels.

We can organise regular protest lines near them. We can also exercise our right to peaceful protest with frequent demonstrations at certain depots, if we decide that is the way to go. Ordinary members of staff must not be targeted. Senior management, of course, who dance to the tune of evil Irish crooks, are all fair game.

Let me say one thing – I would welcome elected representatives to be involved on condition they don’t use it as a platform to berate other parties and politicians. All recent governments have promised action but failed to stop us being ripped off. Everywhere I go, people say enough is enough and that it’s time for direct action since learning that Scottish Fuels are just unscrupulous crooks.

We must focus on an agreed outcome and strive for that – not on tiresome political mud-slinging. Otherwise, I’m out.

Well done to Brian Wilson for exposing the crooks behind Scottish Fuels in the West Highland Free Press. See here.

The former energy minister also made those claims to me live on a radio programme more than a week ago and I know that certain local listeners were utterly gobsmacked to hear about the company bosses of DCC, as they are properly known – as well as all their other names like Scottish Fuels, GB Oils Ltd, boilerjuice.com and the 41 other trading names they use, and their crooked dealings.  Good on Brian for putting it in print too.

The heat is on

I offered a radio slot to Scottish Fuels/DCC bosses since then too but they decided that answering difficult questions about their past illegal practises and alleged current racketeering on fuel prices was the last thing they wanted to do. However, it’s truly excellent journalism by Brian and the Free Press which certain other supposedly truth-seeking publications should have spent time on too instead of regurgitating the sickening guff and flannel that the dodgy Irish oil barons pumped out knowing that weak, lazy, ineffectual editors would run it unquestioningly.  We hope these publications weren’t pressured not to investigate by the Free Church stalwarts who work for them and the ones who are also on the Irish crooks’ payroll. That would be just awful.

It is no accident that that the cheapest petrol and diesel in the islands is from the one retailer at Barvas who has steadfastly refused to deal with the Irish crooks – unlike the other cowardly retailers elsewhere on the islands – some of whom have this week been trying to defend the crooks whose over-priced fuel they peddle. I have heard horrific tales of dirty tricks against the Welcome Inn in Barvas by Scottish Fuels minions. They really want to get rid of Mr Derek Macleod. Of course, they do. If they get rid of him then Scottish Fuels will have complete control of our fuel supplies and can charge whatever they like.

DCC were fined tens of thousands of pounds for 17 counts of overcharging in Wales. The local councils tore into them. The comhairle here of course is appalling – doing nothing, as usual. They should be leading the fightback. There is a rumour going round that a Scottish Fuels infiltrator is embedded in the comhairle at a high level to ensure they stay paralysed.  As I say, it’s just a rumour. It would be just too ridiculous to contemplate, so it’s probably not true.

It is extraordinary that our supposedly-honest fuel retailers – some of whom openly told me and other journalists how ghastly Scottish Fuels were just a few years ago – then caved in and signed new long contracts with them. Apparently, they were offered “incentives” like Christmas cases of booze, new pumps and, in the case of at least one remarkable alleged bribe, secret foreign holidays with an open tab, whatever that means.  One of the retailers told me face-to-face in a workshop in the industrial area of the town that he had been “threatened”. Now he is smugly on board with Scottish Fuels. Wonder what that sweetener was?

Finally, we have official confirmation of the type of company DCC really is and what hoodlums their people are – from insider trading, conning banana companies and their shareholders out of 41 million euros, setting up fake price comparison websites like boilerjuice.com that always led unwitting users back to DCC companies and products and, well, God only knows what else.

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Posted in business, corruption, council, fuel rip-off, Isle of Harris, Isle of Lewis, legal, Outer Hebrides, politics, scams, Scotland, Stornoway, Western Isles

The reason I do not want to sit on the fence is that it really, really hurts

Posted on September 19, 2011 | Leave a comment

Published in Press and Journal – Sep 19, 2011

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They are sharp and horrible and have caused me terrible pain and misery. I’m not actually talking about my in-laws – well, not this time. What I am talking about has had me agonisingly trapped by my shoulder, by my hand and one even came close to ripping off my undercarriage when I fell on it while straddling a stile in my rush to get to a beach.

The wretched instruments of torture of which I speak are, of course, our fearsome island fences. If there’s one thing guaranteed to bring tears to my eyes it is recalling that particular humiliating episode down at Coll Beach a few years ago when I was left dangling on the most penetrative barbed wire on which I have ever rested my wee pink bits.

And something equally painful happened on South Uist as well.  Trying to get a better position to take photos of that pod of ill-fated pilot whales which had ended up in Loch Carnan, I thought I’d go up the road and climb the hill. Just one problem. There was a sturdy fence barring the way and no gate for miles. Oh no, it had vicious-looking barbed wire all along it. Ach, no bother, I can tackle any fence after what happened to me in Coll. I never learn.

This time, there wasn’t even a stile. So I had to drop the camera over it first and begin my ascent. What I didn’t plan for was that I was fairly high up the hill so, just as I was getting my leg over, I was hit amidships by Hurricane Floraidh. A sudden wind swung me back like a weather vane slamming me against the groaning fence post.

In situations like this, the kindly advice of physics teachers like Mr Robbie, Mr Campbell and Mr Mackay come flooding back. For any non-scientific readers, kinetic energy is best explained by showing how it is changed to and from other forms of energy.

For example, I was using chemical energy provided by the sausage and black pudding I had at the Dark Island Hotel to climb that fence at my chosen velocity. That movement had to be maintained with enough oomph to overcome air resistance and friction.  So, the chemical energy was being converted into kinetic energy, the energy of motion, but that kind of process is never completely efficient and was also producing heat and sweatiness on certain parts of my anatomy. OK so far?

The law of gravity meant I’d acquired a whole shedload of even more kinetic energy and, by swinging back too far, had run out of options for transfer. Meanwhile, my right leg was still partly over the barbed wire and being dragged back over the by-now bloody pricks. Yeeeouch.

By the time I became completely dislodged and fell to earth, the pain was so intense I didn’t even notice my head bouncing off an ollack and rolling into the swamp.

Kinetic energy, of course, can be passed from one object to another and when I passed it to the fence post it went all wibbly-wobby and undoubtedly was thereon transferred by way of local terrestrial tremors. That’s kinetic energy. See? Science is so interesting when you have a tutor who has personally experienced what could otherwise be boring, theoretical situations. A bonus was that, as I eventually came to my senses, I realised there was no one around to witness my downfall. So no one could get offended if I let rip with the most fearsome oaths and curses about the usefulness of fences, the properties of barbed wire and my lessening affection for bewildered marine creatures.

Who’d have thought that loudly proclaiming unspecified doubts about the parentage of pilot whales above a Uist sea loch was an effective stress reliever? Worked for me, I tell you. Mind you, that was probably because this was South Uist and I was far away from the influence of the Free Church or the Continuing for the feelings of guilt at stooping to profanity to be sufficiently suppressed. I have to say I’m intrigued by a competition launched by a tradesmen’s website called Get Off The Fence. They are looking for get nominations for the biggest, best, ugliest or most ridiculous fences. Whether they are fabulous or very bad, they want to feature them.

Fences serve so many purposes, they say, including keeping out unwanted intruders, marking clear boundaries between neighbours and affording you privacy when you’re enjoying some time in the garden. They think it’s time to celebrate these brilliant boundary markers and fantastic fences which, while doing so many other things, actually brighten up our day. Yeah, right. One gets the impression it is more about poncey garden fences more than jaggy-topped livestock ones but, hey, a fence is a fence.

The blurb says Britain’s got millons so they acknowledge that not all are going to be that great. Some may be faded, splintered, too small or too tall, they expect. Whatever the reason, they are asking the public to get off the fence and name and shame the worst offenders. I think I could win this, you know. If I took them to those fences in Coll and Loch Carnan that are not just ugly to look at but capable of inflicting deep and lasting injury to innocent people, they would have to be impressed. No lily-livered lawn border or terrible trellis could beat my entries. Because I took photos before I applied the ointment.

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Posted in Free Church, Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides, P&J column, Popular culture, Scotland, Stornoway, Uist, Western Isles

Singer and songwriter Mata Macdonald of Stornoway and Uist

Posted on September 7, 2011 | Leave a comment

Mata Macdonald, son of George Macdonald of North Uist Estate and previously Stornoway Trust, is in the top 20 in the Amazon charts. Here he is with a song about the lighthouse keepers on Flannan Isle.

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Posted in Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides, Popular culture, Scotland, Showbiz, Stornoway, Western Isles

Fury as Stornoway cops do nothing after savage dog attack

Posted on September 6, 2011 | 57 Comments

There has been a serious dog attack incident in Stornoway.

A family pet was savaged after a certain owner let his fighting-breed dog loose in the castle grounds. The Cocker Spaniel was set upon and the fighting beast clamped its jaws round its neck while its owner allegedly did, well, absolutely nothing.

The owner of the family pet was distraught. She had to risk severe injury herself as she tried to separate them as the other owner looked on in disinterested fashion.  Amazingly, she managed to get the beast off and when she said she was going to call the police apparently got just obscenities in return from Mr Charming.

When police arrived, she identified the keeper of the beast to the officers and showed the direction he went in. They got him. Did they charge him? Nope. What are they doing about it? NFA, they say. No further action is just one of the possible meanings.

The polis suggested the complainer contact the council dog warden for advice. The council doesn’t even have a dog warden. Still, maybe the training manuals are a bit out of date at Stornoway nick. Easily done.

The last time I asked for help with a law and order query, I got serving and former police officers being very helpful so maybe this time too. My question to them and animal welfare professionals is this – and I shall keep it general and not about any specific case – why would any police officer fail to act on a stupid, irresponsible owner who stalks the town with an obviously dangerous bloodthirsty animal whose next victim could just as easily be a small child?

Oh, one more question which parents and others with young children are asking – does a wee child actually have to die to get any police action?

Many say it’s outrageous and that answers must be given for the sake of community confidence in the police service. At the moment, our local senior police officers are refusing point blank to be interviewed by me about their stance. Why?

Rather than post a comment, anyone with relevant information may prefer to email me at mail@maciver.co.uk in confidence or call me on 07922 609000.  Anyone who wishes to comment publicly may of course do so below in the usual way.

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Posted in Appeal, dangerous dogs, Isle of Lewis, legal, Police, Stornoway, Western Isles

“Why we locked out SNH” – Barra fisherman.

Posted on September 5, 2011 | Leave a comment

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Posted in business, Government, Isle of Harris, Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides, politics, Scotland, Stornoway, Uist, Western Isles

A gay student writes.

Posted on August 31, 2011 | 17 Comments

This comment from I Maclean was made a few weeks ago in response to what I wrote about the Uig homophobe. However, many readers with an interest in the subject said they did not see it. So again …
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Everyone deserves the same rights as everyone else. Fact! Yes everyone can have their opinion, bigoted or otherwise but you cannot deny one individual the right to e.g. marry when others in society can, it is wrong. We all pay the same taxes and unless you break the law all have the same rights until that point. As for religion…the number of church goers has declined 70% in the last 25 years. Not because the devil is reaching into the minds of today’s people but because people are tired of all the hatred and squabbling it breeds. You preach acceptance, forgiveness, charity, eradicate poverty, eradicate war and you can’t even agree with each other to prevent petty squabbling amongst yourselves over something like hymns. Then half of you decide to ignore for example psalm 150 and you expect others to trust you!? Laughable.

If you were born a few hundred years ago you have condemned those who thought the world was round and the universe itself did not revolve around the earth because you blindly follow those who guide you and the inherent bias they allow into their preaching. Nowadays these medieval religious fanatics who imprisoned Galileo are laughed at for their ignorance and soon you too will be laughed at by future christians who accept LGBT individuals for who they are and how they were born. Maybe then numbers of churchgoers will even increase again when a true message of tolerance and love it finally preached.

PS I’m gay and religious and come from lewis. I know god loves me and everyone who chooses to follow him. Do I believe I should be able to marry in a church? Yes. Do I therefore believe that ministers should be forced to do it or be branded ignorant? No, because I know you haven’t caught up with society and do not want to upset you or the church. Do you really believe so many people would “choose” to be gay, especially 30 years ago for example. Choose to be spat on, shouted homophobic abuse at, kicked, beaten up, murdered, just to be different. What would you say to the parents of children in schools who did nothing about homophobic bullying? We’re sorry for your loss, that your son/daughter was murdered/took their own life, but your child shouldn’t have “chosen” to be gay, he/she should have known it was a possibility. Maybe we should replace anti homophobic bullying literature in school with leaflets that warn of the risks? If you “choose” this lifestyle youmay end up “choosing” to kill yourself or may be at risk of being beaten so badly you will enter a persistent vegetative state or have your throat slit. Shame on you.

You cause LGBT individuals so much pain and you can’t acknowledge it. Finally, another example of how you are usually behind society you used to preach that suicide was a sin. Mental illness is NOT preventable and you allowed families to believe their children, husbands, wives had condemned themselves to an eternity in hell until you caught up with the science that proved it was no more preventable than cancer or the cold.

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Posted in Barra, Benbecula, homophobia, intolerance, Isle of Harris, Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides, politics, religion, Stornoway, Uist, Uncategorized, Western Isles