Your editorial comment as a postscript to my last letter (“Cheap one-liner”, Opinion, May 31) merely explained the origin of the expression Adam and Steve.

Much used by the malignant Jerry Falwell, it became somewhat of a catchphrase for use by the homophobic.

Among Jerry’s other notable sayings was the following: “Aids is not just God’s punishment for homosexuals, it is God’s punishment for the society that tolerates homosexuality.”

For fundamentalist Christians this may have some resonance but they should ponder the awful fact that at some point in time a full-blown cure for Aids will emerge.

What will that signify? Will God have died, will he/she have turned his/her attention to other deviants? I think we should be told.

If you as a publisher are happy to give credence to the views that underlie the A&S joke then shame on you.

I won’t respond in detail to Mr Prosser’s letter (Opinion, May 31) except to say that the battle is lost, get used to it.

The concern of my original letter was the fact that gay marriage was apparently a key issue in the recent local elections.

Quite apart from the sheer disconnect between this issue and local politics, one would have thought that the things that mattered were more to do with probity, cronyism, competence, and independence.

These key qualities have no connection whatsoever with views on gay marriage and that was my central argument.

One can point to the overwhelming victory by Claire Wright in Ottery as testament to the fact that some parts of the East Devon electorate are enlightened.

In Sidmouth, which is vote for the blue turnip on a stick territory, I fear we will never achieve such representation.

Mike Peacock

(via email)