Freedom to wed

Published on 25/06/2012 00:00

I CAN’T help laughing whenever someone suggests, as Richard Lucas does (letters, 23rd June), that by taking part in a democratic debate, or by campaigning for equality under the law, I am betraying some desire “to silence all dissent and hound all opponents out of public life”.

That more accurately describes the treatment handed out to the likes of Alan Turing, the war-time codebreaker, whose centenary we celebrated last week, and countless others whose names will be less remembered.

I presume that Mr Lucas agrees that the criminalisation and chemical castration which was used against gay men at that time was wrong; but I wonder precisely how much of the progress over the past 60 years he welcomes.

Sadly many religious bodies have been vocal in opposing every single step toward equality, so it’s encouraging to see at least some of them on the side of equality this time and calling for the religious freedom to marry same-sex couples.

To answer Mr Lucas’ concern, refusing to call a married couple married would simply be incorrect. I wouldn’t want teachers putting inverted commas around anyone’s relationship in the way he does, whether on grounds of sexuality, religion, race or anything else.

PATRICK HARVIE MSP Scottish Green Party

St Enoch Square