Most sensible people drop a hot potato because it stays hot for a long time. It is common sense.

However, here in the Cayman Islands common sense doesn’t always adhere and when you are holding a hot potato relating to same-sex marriages and anything concerning lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) you hold it tight and get sorely burnt.

I am 100% against legalizing same-sex marriages because of my Christian beliefs. If I was Kim Davis, the Kentucky county court clerk I would have had to resign my job. She is courageous in opting to go to jail and the judge that sentenced her there refused to let go of the hot potato he was holding. Even when the State Senate President, Robert Stivers, had given Judge Bunning a way out. Who was it said, Judges judge but judgement isn’t always common sense?

I am 100% against discrimination and that includes the LGBT community (although some persons may say I am doing just that with my view on same-sex marriage). I have many friends who enjoy that lifestyle. I found the speech made by MLA Anthony Eden in the Legislative Assembly recently on LGBT ridiculous and even obnoxious. However, that is his view and it got its condemnation from many quarters of the public.

The same-sex marriage question is not going to go away and the UK introduced gay unions only in 2013 against much controversy.

The UK’s temporary overseas territories minister, Grant Shapps, was here for a brief visit and he said although the British government will not intervene in legislature we bring in regarding same-sex marriages their view is simple, “we believe that freedom and liberty means that people should be able to get on with their lives, and when it comes to civil liberties, we think that it is best not to prescribe some groups with civil liberties and not others.”

However, the Human Rights Commission has told government that it is increasingly vulnerable to costly legal battles and findings against it unless it creates a framework to accommodate same-sex unions.

One would have thought that the approach now would be softly, softly, no confrontation, don’t rock the boat, people will lose interest and there are more important things to get charged up about. Damage control is needed now after Eden lit the powder keg and ignited the World’s press to come howling down upon us.

Of course that hasn’t happened.

Dr Leonardo Raznovich, who is legally married to his male partner, a union of 16 years, and both living and working here in the Cayman Islands, warned government that they must address some form of legislation giving rights to same-sex unions. He organised a series of lectures on the subject and was one of the speakers that also included the Governor, Helen Kilpatrick. The lectures were held through the auspices of the Truman Bodden Law School where he once worked. He warned there could be courtroom battles on the subject unless the government faced the problem now otherwise they would be involved in very costly legislation and much adverse publicity.

He was right. Soon after the lectures he became a victim. He was advised by the Law School his contract would not be renewed. This decision, of course, had nothing to do with him being gay and his stance on same-sex marriages. The official who stated this did not elaborate further. There was an immediate protest from his pupils against the decision and his students had the best grades. What’s your interpretation?

Immigration is now on his back and he faces deportation. Why?

His marriage is recognised in the UK but not here. Because of that alone it should be, even if your opinion differs because of your religious beliefs. Stupidly it wasn’t. He found that out when his partner (his husband) applied to have Dr Raznovich to be a dependent on his work permit. His partner is a lawyer with one of the large international law firms.

To me, it would seem Dr Raznovich has a case of being personally victimized. So does he.

He immediately wrote to all of Cayman’s media and all of us have taken up his case.

“This is a clear case of incompatibility between the legislation enforced by the immigration authority in relation to applications made by married same-sex couples and the European Convention on Human Rights,’’ he said. “We are very happy in Cayman and have been very welcome here and we have not met with any discrimination in our daily lives up until now.”

There is no doubt if it goes to court Dr Raznovich and his husband must win. And the Cayman Islands is going to look very bad and ridiculous.

So why would anyone keep holding on to a hot potato knowing they are going to be seriously burnt?