Dear All
It seems that a leading SNP councillor has gotten himself into a bit of soapy bubble over anti-gay comments made on the BBC.
The matter has been reported to the SNP Party bosses as high up as Alex Salmond.
Kenneth Gunn; a Scottish National Party constituency chairman described homosexuals as "very sad people" and said non-believers were "damned to hell".
As someone who knows a few gay people; I wouldn’t say that statement is true. I know in passing Grant Thoms of the SNP and he always seems to be terribly happy with a smile on his face.
Perhaps Councillor Gunn needs to get out more into the community.
Anyway Gunn’s outburst has led SNP MSP, Joe Fitzpatrick, to urge his party to "take action" against his colleague.
This seems to me to be a little over the top, after all either you believe in free speech or you don’t. You can’t say you agreed with free speech just as long as you approve of the content.
That would be nonsense!
The storm broke out after a BBC radio discussion on a Glasgow exhibition that focused on gay rights in the church.
The SNP appear to have taken a sensible view of this matter by describing his religious beliefs as "personal".
However some people are not unhappy and they want their pound of flesh; Jeff Duncan, who rose to prominence for his role in the Save the Regiments campaign, e-mailed party's MPs and MSPs seeking support for action against Councillor Gunn.
In his email he makes this point;
"Why is it when an SNP councillor makes a very offensive statement on Asians/Blacks he is dealt with by the party leadership promptly and decisively and why is it when it is an equally offensive attack on gays and lesbians the party defends him/her citing religious freedom?”
Well firstly religious freedom and speech are human rights and offensive statements on Blacks and Asians is racism, there is a difference, a major difference.
Another statement by Mr. Duncan;
“I am dismayed that so far the SNP leadership allowed this to go unchallenged."
In others words he wants ‘punish first foregoing a hearing’, a violation of human rights.
Joe Fitzpatrick, the SNP MSP for Dundee West and the party's group secretary at Holyrood, then e-mailed his Holyrood colleagues to say that he had reported the councillor to the party.
I assume his email was to seek support of other members of the SNP Group; however I think that others would have concerns regarding the freedom of speech issue.
Shirley-Anne Somerville, a Lothians MSP said in an e-mail reply;
"Can we leave this to you, Joe, given it's a Dundee guy?"
Having reflected on his comments; Councillor Kenneth Gunn issued this statement;
"I understand the offence my statements have caused and apologise for that."
Finally; I don’t see that there is any benefit in a witch hunt or show trial just because some people aren’t happy.
His comments may have upset some people but they weren’t illegal in law.
Yours sincerely
George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University
It seems that a leading SNP councillor has gotten himself into a bit of soapy bubble over anti-gay comments made on the BBC.
The matter has been reported to the SNP Party bosses as high up as Alex Salmond.
Kenneth Gunn; a Scottish National Party constituency chairman described homosexuals as "very sad people" and said non-believers were "damned to hell".
As someone who knows a few gay people; I wouldn’t say that statement is true. I know in passing Grant Thoms of the SNP and he always seems to be terribly happy with a smile on his face.
Perhaps Councillor Gunn needs to get out more into the community.
Anyway Gunn’s outburst has led SNP MSP, Joe Fitzpatrick, to urge his party to "take action" against his colleague.
This seems to me to be a little over the top, after all either you believe in free speech or you don’t. You can’t say you agreed with free speech just as long as you approve of the content.
That would be nonsense!
The storm broke out after a BBC radio discussion on a Glasgow exhibition that focused on gay rights in the church.
The SNP appear to have taken a sensible view of this matter by describing his religious beliefs as "personal".
However some people are not unhappy and they want their pound of flesh; Jeff Duncan, who rose to prominence for his role in the Save the Regiments campaign, e-mailed party's MPs and MSPs seeking support for action against Councillor Gunn.
In his email he makes this point;
"Why is it when an SNP councillor makes a very offensive statement on Asians/Blacks he is dealt with by the party leadership promptly and decisively and why is it when it is an equally offensive attack on gays and lesbians the party defends him/her citing religious freedom?”
Well firstly religious freedom and speech are human rights and offensive statements on Blacks and Asians is racism, there is a difference, a major difference.
Another statement by Mr. Duncan;
“I am dismayed that so far the SNP leadership allowed this to go unchallenged."
In others words he wants ‘punish first foregoing a hearing’, a violation of human rights.
Joe Fitzpatrick, the SNP MSP for Dundee West and the party's group secretary at Holyrood, then e-mailed his Holyrood colleagues to say that he had reported the councillor to the party.
I assume his email was to seek support of other members of the SNP Group; however I think that others would have concerns regarding the freedom of speech issue.
Shirley-Anne Somerville, a Lothians MSP said in an e-mail reply;
"Can we leave this to you, Joe, given it's a Dundee guy?"
Having reflected on his comments; Councillor Kenneth Gunn issued this statement;
"I understand the offence my statements have caused and apologise for that."
Finally; I don’t see that there is any benefit in a witch hunt or show trial just because some people aren’t happy.
His comments may have upset some people but they weren’t illegal in law.
Yours sincerely
George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University
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