Has been a couple of days since this posting and no comments yet – but I imagine a lot of people have opinions on this topic. I think there are some topics that people are really afraid to discuss openly, since they tend to evoke strong reactions in people – this being one of them – others being abortion and animal experimentation (oh no! I said those taboo words!)

Well, I have thoughts, and questions, on this and other topics, that I don’t feel free to express, since I am afraid to offend. So I am not going to comment on the subject of gay parenting, but rather on the subject of free speech versus censorship with a suggestion (which is much more appropriate for your blog).

Since any public display that is based on opinion rather than fact is always likely to offend some people one way or another, and I am sure that is not the library’s intention, but rather that they want to encourage freedom of speech and open debate, why not adopt the following approach:

Whenever somebody wants to put up a display that expresses an opinion, encourage those people to do so on the grounds that another party, with an alternative opinion, is invited to display their conflicting view on the opposite wall at the same time.

I understand that this library did in fact have on display posters promoting gay parenting a couple of weeks previously – if they could have put the alternative displays opposite each other, running at the same time, this would, I think, have encouraged open discussion, avoided unnecessary offence and prevented the view that the library is in some way biased and guilty of promoting propaganda.

If my local library permitted a display from the National Front about keeping foreigners out of the country, I would be very annoyed – however, if that display was shown alongside a display of what an important contribution other races have made, and continue to make, to this country, I would have no objection. In fact, I would welcome such a display, since I think this would expose racism for what is truly is and encourage healthy discussion between parents and their children on a topic that needs to be addressed.

Without open discussion surely society can never move forward on delicate issues – some views will be oppressed but simply move underground – we can legislate against how we act on the surface, but if views cannot be openly discussed in a non-hostile atmosphere, however controversial those view maybe, feelings of hatred will continue to simmer below the surface and random acts of prejudice will continue to damage people’s lives.