Dear Sir,

In a letter published here on June 14, I shared my observations having attended a meeting of Preserve Marriage a few days earlier. You may recall I witnessed an immovable dedication to their cause, matched only by an irresistible compassion towards hostile opponents.

Upon reflection, however, I must correct myself. Several years ago, I wrote three letters wherein I attempted to start a dialogue regarding the issue of homosexuality and human rights. In the third and final letter, I related, sadly, the various threats and attempts at intimidation that had been levelled against my family and me. I advised any future writers to use a pen name so as to avoid my experience.

I should add that these letters were all written at least a year before either Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama had changed to a favourable stance on same-sex marriage. I can only expect that the negative social and career consequences I experienced years ago will be that much worse now, given the rapid shift in the cultural moral zeitgeist.

Be that as it may, in my latest letter, I said that Preserve Marriage will not be intimidated by its opponents, among whom I would include the Editor of this newspaper. I have never written anything that condemns same-sex attracted people, nor have I attempted to trample on anyone’s rights. I have, however, attracted negative consequences from the “Love Wins” side of the debate for even attempting to start a sympathetic dialogue between opposing positions. Because of that, I signed my last letter — for the first and last time — with the pen name “Ignatius P. Garnet”, a play on my favourite comic novel, A Confederacy of Dunces.

It was a moment of personal cowardice that I regret and hereby reject. I am a Catholic Christian who affirms traditional marriage, while maintaining a steadfast compassion towards the same-sex-attracted community as fellow persons made in the image of God. I cannot, in good conscience, affirm the decision of a single judge to overthrow marriage as it is understood by the Church, but that in no way impeaches my goodwill towards any gay person, whether they label me “bigot” or “a friend, sadly deluded by an old book”.

Let the social-justice warriors come as they did before; let them petition my employers to have me fired, which includes the Bermuda College, where I am an adjunct lecturer of religious studies and philosophy.

My students regularly exchange views and discuss this issue, and many ethical issues like it, in an academic environment. Let them attempt to intimidate, cajole and shame all my various clients and employers into dropping me.

They have done it before. But since I claimed that Preserve Marriage will not be intimidated, it is my duty and privilege to step up to the wicket and demonstrate moral conviction by personal example.

STEPHEN NOTMAN

Paget