Dear Ed Gold, editor of Positive Futures
I want to respond clearly and professionally to your recent message. I understand that you are concerned about the impact of my publication, and I would like to clarify my intentions and outline a constructive way forward. I have nothing to hide, and any response that seeks to discredit me may unintentionally reinforce the very concerns I raised. It offers me an opportunity to explain my work more fully and to a wider audience. Also, I wish to thank you for the additional materials you have provided me in the last few days to strengthen my publication and assessment.
My decision to publish was not made lightly. I believe it is my responsibility to speak up when patterns of behaviour pose a risk to others, especially within values-led communities like ours.
I am aware that others in Scotland have had similar concerns, which has only reinforced for me the importance of transparency and accountability in this case.
If you escalate this through legal channels, I will not shy away. The content I published is true, and truth is a full defence in defamation law. Furthermore, litigation would be costly for you and would inevitably bring greater public attention, including renewed scrutiny of your professional conduct—possibly even justifying inclusion on your Wikipedia page. As you are likely aware, the Streisand effect often amplifies the very content people attempt to suppress. I will also be prepared to provide supporting testimony from others who have shared similar experiences.
That said, I am open to a mutual resolution and propose the following as a fair path forward, one that allows us both to move on constructively:
You share a detailed written account of what local community members told you about me and about xxxxx during your time here on Skye. I intend to include this in the book I am writing about Rubha Phoil and the local community named I Am an Island III.
You send me the high-resolution images you took of me during your visit, and grant me permission to use them, with full publishing rights for my own use, including in my book and related online content.
In return, I am willing to agree not to mention your name or any other identifiable information in any publications, provided you do the same. If these terms are accepted, I am happy to treat our agreement as confidential.
As a gesture of goodwill, I will remove the current PDF. However, if we’re unable to reach agreement through respectful dialogue, I will continue to share my experience transparently, including by hosting the material on a dedicated webpage, optimised for visibility through proper SEO. I will take reasonable steps to ensure the information is available to relevant communities worldwide, and may share it more broadly to raise awareness.
I trust you’ll consider this as an opportunity to bring this matter to a respectful and balanced conclusion. My aim is not conflict, but clarity—for the sake of my work, my integrity, and the communities I serve.
Kind regards,
