A Wanaka businessman has publicly apologised to the gay community for using the denigrating term 'poofter' on a sign he posted on his shop door to protest Easter trading laws. His action prompted a local gay man to paint his own protest message across his shop front. The war of words started when Graham, owner of the Wanaka Sports Centre posted a notice at his store on Easter Sunday. The sign read: "What a pathetic country this is, which allows two poofters to marry and adopt children legally yet stays with an old religious law that curtails everyone else's freedom of action." Nathan Brown responded by painting the message, "Gays OK, Global Aotearoa" on the shop's front doors. Brown told GayNZ.com he felt Graham's notice was divisive and "unnecessarily put people at odds with each other," particularly in a small town environment. He felt his response was in a manner befitting the situation. Since painting his response, Brown says he has only received messages of support for his actions. He has had no negative feedback, "or, at least not to my face." His mobile phone has been running hot with text messages of support. Graham, for his part, "regrets" posting the notice. He told GayNZ.com that "my pen was working faster than my brain," and he never intended on being insulting of gay people. He has already faxed off a letter to both the Southland Times and the Otago Daily Times, in which he apologises to the gay community. Graham said he was away through much of the furore, and his wife was left to take the flack. The story was carried by a number of newspapers, and culminated in a front-page story in the Otago Daily Times, showing his wife cleaning the graffiti from the shop front. Brown says he found the image a "bit humiliating" for Graham's wife and he would now like to put the matter behind him. He has "no hard feelings" for the owners of the Sports Centre, and will take them a small gift on his next day off work as a gesture of good will. Graham said he would not be taking the matter any further. No complaints have been laid with the police.