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Sunday ferry will divide families 10/7/09
Sir,
It is always diverting to read Kenneth Morrison's letters and I am genuinely sorry to learn of his recent family unhappiness and some associated difficulty with weekend travel.
I would have thought it possible, though, to return by one of the Monday ferries
to Tarbert (which tend to be quieter, even in high season) and of course the island
also has an air-
I am puzzled, though, by the entire absence of any campaign for ferry sailings anywhere in the CalMac network at Christmas and New Year – surely the seasons most associated with family togetherness (and also, between the stress of these weeks and the darkest depths of winter, practically peak season for illness and difficulty.)
In fact, it is only since 1965 that MacBrayne boats have been tied up on those days;
and Stornoway shops did Christmas Day business even in my own 43-
Yet none of those who currently clamour for the freedom of the seas, or decry any
local right to decline 7-
This is some evidence, I think, to suggest that much of the emotional energy behind noisy local demand for Sabbath ferry sailings is a conscious hatred of the Church and an eagerness to humiliate local Christians.
There is also the reality that once you win a 7-
Of course the ISLE OF LEWIS is already crewed on a 7-
It is all yet more proof of the remorseless march of Thatcherism – the mounting sense
of 'entitlement' to goods and services on demand. (Mrs Thatcher was, arguably, one
of our great Prime Ministers: but she hated the Lord's Day and the only Parliamentary
defeat of her entire premiership was the Shops Act of 1986 – the crowing of department
stores, garden-
It is unspeakably sad to see this free-
As for Norman Smith's colourful letter, I think we are all familiar with Angus Nicolson's blog and, yes, I have on occasion contributed to it:. The difference between me and other correspondents (including, for all we know, Mr Smith) is that I decline to do so anonymously. A price of such integrity is, of course, the risk of being sneered at by our Norman; but it is one I gladly pay.
I don't know, though, what he is banging on about in this instance. No 'standard letter' has been circulated by the LDOS or any other Christian body in the present controversy over Sabbath ferries, and I am not aware of any regarding Sunday opening of the Lewis Sports Centre – certainly none was proffered in my own church.
I would vehemently oppose the idea in any event, insofar as the LDOS deigns to listen
to me – politicians get much junk-
At least one standard email (such as the example I shared on Monday) is in circulation from the Sunday ferry lobby – and not touted from public pulpits, either, but shuffled privily round the Internet.
Angus didn't detail the incident he alleges of the unknown individual who foolishly completed several LDOS standard letters in 2004 against Sunday sports in the name of departed adult children, and I don't think we can draw any inferences from unsubstantiated gossip (though it is nevertheless rather enjoyable.)
Mr Smith, however, may be assured that it would have been quite impossible to fake signatures on the LDOS petition in the autumn of 2007 – which was presented to folk at church doors or in their own homes, not left for them to complete – and the original is now in the possession of Caledonian MacBrayne, who are more than capable of questioning its integrity or disputing the published numbers – and would certainly do so had they the grounds.
For that matter, let's kill off another smear – that folk were forced to sign the petition under duress. I know of some church communicants who refused to subscribe; and I myself have denied my signature to some church petitions – for instance, one pressed on me a few weeks ago, about the case of Rev. Scott Rennie in Aberdeen, by one of my elders; or practically anything got up by the ghastly 'Christian Institute.' Island churchgoers are not sheep; nor do we live in servile awe of our priestly caste.
By contrast, the absurdities of the Sunday ferry brigade's Internet petition are
available for anyone to see -
As for my departure from The Herald in 2002 (for a newspaper that pays me more money and is read by more folk than The Herald and The Scotsman put together) or my brief freelance role for Western Isles Health Board three years ago, doesn't everyone remember these jolly episodes in my biography and whatever have they to do with Sunday ferries? Here Mr Smith – whose tortured syntax is not even up to pretending these adventures are relevant – gets truly desperate.
I don't deny Ian Fordham's right to move to Lewis; or his civil right, as a member of the public, to help lead a campaign to overthrow our Lord's Day (though I would certainly query his wisdom in doing so.) And, having met him – he was on our panel at the Isles FM debate – I don't doubt he is a quiet, affable gentleman.
But the fact remains that the Fordhams are, by Lewis standards, immensely well off
– reminding us, again, it is the richest who hate the Lord's Day most -
John Macleod
Drover's Rest,
Maryhill,
Isle of Lewis,
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