Hypocrisy over Casey makes my blood boil

ON THURSDAY evening during a discussion on RTÉ Radio 1’s ‘Drivetime’ programme about the upcoming blasphemy referendum, Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan said: “Ireland is a modern democratic country, we cherish and value free speech, freedom of expression.” The essence of his argument is that we need to remove the blasphemy reference from the Constitution if we hold these values dear.

This was the day after presidential candidate Peter Casey was vilified by the PC brigade for expressing his opinions that Travellers are no better or worse than the rest of us and that he doesn’t believe they should be classed as an ethnic minority.

While I disagree with him on the latter point, he was merely expressing an opinion he is entitled to hold. In fact it can be argued that his views on Travellers are more egalitarian in that he sees them as equals who should not be given any special recognition or privileges.

The Government wants to remove reference to blasphemy (defamation of religion) from our Constitution, removing certain protections to religious organisations, all in the name of free speech.

Yet a man who expresses a certain opinion is denigrated.

Where is the protection of free speech in that? Sometimes the hypocrisy in this country just makes my blood boil! Tommy Roddy Salthill, Galway