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This is going to be controversial. But what the hell.
It can be very confusing living in the Land of The Angles in
this day and age, thinks Cicero.
In recent weeks there has been much debate about British
values with the Nation’s Head Teacher, Michael Gove, admirably supported by the
Two Caesars, creating, upholding and pontificating upon ‘fundamental British
values’.
Do you know what these might be? Nope, neither did Cicero,
but seemingly for the Angles and for those non-Angles who wish to live among
the Angles, these have been defined as including ‘the principles of democracy,
the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance of those with
different faiths and beliefs.
At least we should be grateful these say nothing about the
need to protect polar bears, to comply with the demands of Health and Safety
Gauleiters, or to ensure we all have access to cosmetic surgery. Let’s be
thankful for small mercies.
But Cicero does wonder just how tolerant the Angles are, how
free is speech, how much liberty the individual actually has.
Consider Exhibit One-The Case of the Cup Cake (and there are
many more witnesses to call but we will illustrate the issue on this occasion
with this one case).
In a corner of Angle Land a Christian-owned, -run and
–managed bakery was asked to produce cup cakes with slogans promoting gay
marriage. It politely declined the order as it conflicted with its deeply held
religious beliefs. And now it is being taken to court by the Equality Commission
for breaching equality law. (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-28206581)
Now to be clear Cicero is not arguing the rights and wrongs
of gay marriage here but he is arguing that if we are to be true to the
‘fundamental British values’ of the Nation’s Head Master, are the Cup Cake
Makers not entitled to their views?
They are not acting out of blind irrational prejudice but
from deeply held religious beliefs and principles. We should be as tolerant of
these as we are of people’s right to promote gay marriage. Mr Gove and the Two
Caesars say we ought to.
So why is the Equality Commission using Cicero’s and your
hard earned bawbees to threaten and bully?
After all there must be more than one Cup Cake Maker in this
corner of Angle Land.
Surely we must not lose sight of the axiom that while ‘I may
not agree with what you say but I will defend to the death your right to say
it’.
Should he ever hear about the Case of the Cup Cake, Voltaire
would be spinning in his grave.
Do you agree, learned readers?
Sis felix. Et sis fortunatus.
