Having been born in Stornoqway in 1944, during a time when thousands were fighting in a bloody war for this country, many making the supreme sacrifice, including hundreds from our own islands, I am extremely aware and appreciative of their actions on my behalf.
Why did those brave people lay their lives on the line in the first instance? I have always been of the belief that it was in order that we, the citizens of this country, could lead a life of liberty and freedom, exempt from impositions to our freedom by any imperious and dictatorial element among us, whatever source that may claim to represent.
As far as I am concerned, it is because of the soldiers, sailors, airmen, and others involved, that I am able, within the boundaries of the law of the land, to go freely about my business throughout the entire country, and that includes the Isle of Lewis. I am quite entitled to travel by land, sea, or air, seven days a week. Nobody has the right to dictate to me how I can or can not travel and that includes on a Sunday.
I also have the right to go to the local pub on a Sunday for a dram among friends, to play a game of golf, visit the cinema, attend a football match, or visit and participate in the facilities available at a Sports Centre. It is not within my comprehension to possibly understand how any of these things could be sinful and it is because of the sacrifices made by so many during the war that I am in a position to enjoy that liberty and freedom which is denied to citizens in certain other countries throughout the world. Seemingly, that freedom, so hard won, is much to the chagrin and vexation of certain individuals who appear to believe that it should not apply to the Isle of Lewis which should be ring fenced.
Throughout my life I have attempted to live by the maxim 'live and let live'. By that token I do not interfere, nor have I any right to do so, with the way others lead their lives within the law of the land. At no time do I ever obstruct or attempt to prevent, verbally or otherwise, any individual going to church, seven days a week if they so desire, and by the same principle I do not intend to be dictated to by the same individuals telling me how I should lead my life. As long as I am not interfereing with them, they have absolutely no authority to interfere with what is my business.
I resent the implication by certain people asscociated, one way or another, with the church in Lewis that I, and others like me, must be 'sinners' to even contemplate using a ferry on a Sunday. As far as I am concerned, I abide by the law of the land. I do not shout and bawl in the street, vandalise the property of others, or go about attacking people with weapons. I most certainly do not cause distress and disturbance to the lieges by conducting myself in a disorderly manner, lying down on a ferry slipway, as some people have done in the past.
I have no idea whether any of the ministers, or others, presently spouting anti-Sunday ferry propaganda, actually travel to their respective churches on a Sunday in a car. If they do, I would ask them, how it is OK for them to do that, while, apparently, from all accounts it would be sinful for me or anyone else to travel on a ferry on a Sunday? Is there a difference? What absolute hypocrisy.
Finally, I would like to ask the aforementioned objectors whether, if the hypothetical situation arose where they were stranded on the mainland on a Sunday, and they learned that a loved one back home in Lewis had suddenly become seriously ill and was not expected to survive until the following day, would they actually refuse to travel on the ferry because it was a Sunday? I doubt it very much. It would suddenly become a journey of mercy – aye right! What absolute hypocrisy!
If and when the Sunday ferry becomes operational, as I have no doubt it will in due course, nobody will be dragging the objectors aboard kicking and screaming. Quite simply, if they don't want to use the ferry, that is fine, but do NOT try to prevent me from using it as I go about my lawful business.

IAIN D MACLEOD
2 Mount Pleasant
Barrs Brae
Port Glasgow
Inverclyde
PA14 5PU