End this silence

Another week, another homophobic outburst from an SNP MSP. Bill Walker’s comparison of the “No to Homophobia” campaign to “pre-war Nazi tactics” brings the level of this debate to a new all-time low.

His comments are particularly distasteful given the thousands of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people murdered by the Nazis during the Holocaust and just one week after the final gay concentration camp survivor Rudolf Brazda died.

The question has to be asked. Where is Alex Salmond in all this? If a backbench MSP in one of the other parties had come out with a statement half as offensive as Mr Walker has, I am certain the First Minister would be the first to call on the party leader to distance him/herself from their comments.

The people of Scotland deserve more from our First Minister. We need a clear condemnation of the hateful language of Bill Walker.

We need to know the exact dates of the government’s consultation on marriage equality and when the bill is expected to be brought to parliament.

Finally, we need a clear and unequivocal statement of exactly where the First Minister himself stands on the issue of equality.

It’s time for Alex Salmond to show some leadership and either stand up to the forces of intolerance within his own party or to back them.

He can no longer remain a political ostrich with his head in the sand hoping it will all go away. Silence is not an option.

Ross Chmiel

Easter Road

Edinburgh

That Richard Lucas can regularly express his anti-gay opinions in your letters page undermines his assertion that there exists “a drive to silence all such voices” (15 August).

What he calls “hysterical and offensive attacks” are actually justified opprobrium directed at ignorant and destructive prejudices.

If they were directed instead at racist or anti-Semitic sentiments, doubtless he would endorse such attacks fully.

Thankfully, Lucas’s attitudes are receding into history, and will one day be viewed the same way we now view racism.

Until then expect more whining from Christians that they are finding it harder to vilify, and discriminate against, a vulnerable group in society.

(Dr) Stephen Moreton

Marina Avenue

Warrington, Cheshire

As sure as night follows day, an article in The Scotsman about curtailing the rights of gay people is followed by the usual anti-gay tirade from Richard Lucas. Mr Lucas refers to “a modest conscience clause” proposed by an MSP in relation to gay people marrying.

Yet again, however, this is just good old-fashioned religious prejudice dressed up in the cloak of conscience.

It will be interesting to see how the SNP balances the need to keep its primary sponsor Brain Soutar on side so that the funds keep flowing, while tugging its forelock to him over the gay question.

If being a Scot in the 21st century is to mean anything, it should mean recognising the rights of gay people to be treated equally and fairly in a society while rejecting religious fundamentalism and its “conscience” for the primitive prejudice it is.

Alistair McBay

Lawmuirview

Methven