'I've received many, many messages of support'
THE Selkirk councillor under fire for verbally attacking gays and atheists on a radio phone-in has rejected calls for his resignation.
Kenneth Gunn, who is also chair of the SNP constituency association, maintains he has received many messages of support since, as revealed in The Wee Paper last week, he called BBC Radio Scotland’s Morning Extra show.
The debate concerned a controversial Glasgow exhibition, aimed at promoting gay rights within the church, at which visitors were encouraged to scribble comments in the margins of the Bible if they felt excluded from the holy book. Comments included: “F**k the Bible”.
Mr Gunn said defacing the Bible is sacrilege and that people in this country have lost respect for the teachings of the church.
Asked why non-believers should treat the book with reverence, he replied: “Well, non-believers are damned to hell anyway, so why should we bother?”
He later added: “Look where it [the country] is going. We have got so-called gays who are really very sad people and we have non-believers and heathens ... running the country and running down Christianity.”
Anger at his remarks this week brought a call for his resignation from fellow Selkirkshire councillor Vicky Davidson (Liberal Democrat).
“Kenny Gunn should keep his wild and ill-informed ramblings to himself and not air them on national radio,” she said.
She added: “That is an astonishing forfeit of his democratic privilege.
“Selkirk is an pleasant, friendly place and his homophobic views will have shocked many of its residents. Such bigoted and narrow-minded views have no place in 21st-century Scotland.
“I think Mr Gunn should resign and that he and the SNP should apologise immediately to his constituents, to the gay and lesbian community and non-Christians and Christians alike in the Borders.”
Asked to comment, SNP headquarters in Edinburgh released the following statement: “The SNP is clear on its policies in support of equality issues. Councillor Gunn’s religious beliefs are a personal matter.”
And the party’s South of Scotland list MSP, Christine Grahame, added: “The views expressed by Councillor Gunn are his own and not mine.”
This week, Mr Gunn told us he had not given his full name on the show, although he acknowledged he took part.
“I quoted from the Bible and that is where it says non-believers will be damned to hell. I see no harm in believing that.
“I was brought up a Christian and still respect Christian values, even if nowadays you can be pilloried for your faith.
“I have received many, many messages of support from Christians and Muslims in this country and abroad for what I said.
“When I was elected, I said I would represent all in my ward and I continue to do that. I do pray regularly, but don’t force others to do the same. I certainly do not feel like the odd man out.”
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Weather for Selkirk
Thursday 24 May 2012
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