THE EDITOR, Madam:
YOUR HEADLINE on today's front page "Thwaites defends gay rights" is misleading and a utter distortion of what I said in the House of Representatives.
I took a principled position against the use of the criminal law in relation to non-exploitative personal conduct between adults. This is not to advocate "gay rights" whatever you mean by that. It is, I hope, to follow Jesus who teaches us to hate the sin but love the sinner.
You never even reported my stated reason for raising the issues of homosexuality and hanging. This was to point out how wrong it is to have a British Court impose their moral standards on us as I believe the Neville Lewis judgement does. Even though I would like to see people's opinion on the laws to do with hanging and homosexuality change one day, I recognise the need to have our legal institutions interpret and enforce the laws that our Parliament has approved.
Where do you get a "defends gay rights" headline out of this position?`
I am, etc.,
RONALD G. THWAITES
Member of Parliament
Central Kingston Constituency
