Banned Books Week 2012

Today marks the beginning of Banned Books Week for 2012. Since the time of the first books enemies of freedom have sought to have many banned or destroyed as they attempt to limit and control the spread of ideas and dictate what people can think. A sign of a civilised society is its ability to accept a diversity of thought and belief, even when some find some of the concepts offensive. It's our duty as defenders of freedom of thought to fight the narrow minded bigots who try so hard to impose their values and 'morals' on the rest of society.

It's Time To Stop Bigotry Everywhere

As reported in The Telegraph, a disgraceful witch hunt is underway in Uganda targeting homosexuals. A local tabloid newspaper has published the names and addresses of 100 homosexual people and issued calls for their hangings. Any targeting of people of a minor sexual orientation by bigots makes my blood boil. Fortunately homosexuals are largely protected in western society now but we still have a long way to go as the bigots who'd have previously victimised them have simply moved on to others with unprotected sexual orientations. Rather than publish the names and locations of homosexuals, western bigots now demand the names and locations of paedophiles be listed publicly. Rather than make explicit calls for violence to be perpetrated on homosexuals, western bigots make implicit calls for violence to be perpetrated on paedophiles. Whilst many in western countries may sit back in smug condemnation of Uganda and their reprehensible overt bigotry, we're really not that different. Until all citizens of all countries are free from bigotry and discrimination based on their sexual orientation none are in a position to consider themselves in any way morally superior.