A dose of tolerance and common sense is needed

THE mug from which I take my morning cuppa has images of owls printed on it.

As I sit in my conservatory enjoying my tea, I have to accept that small furry rodents who happen to be passing may be alarmed or intimidated by the owls. So far they have kept their counsel, but it can only be a matter of time before a complaint is made...

Joking aside, the pages of history are filled with accounts of wars, conflicts, invasions and conquests. Tyrants have frequently prospered, while the meek and innocent have suffered economic hardship, punitive taxation, and oppression in various forms.

We are fortunate to live in an age of enlightenment, enjoying rights and freedoms that our ancestors could only dream about.

Those rights and freedoms apply to market traders and their customers just as they do to everyone else.

That one may take offence at an image depicting a member of an organisation that was disbanded in 1312 AD seems surprising, to say the least.

Certain types of music may offend my ears and sensibilities, but I respect the rights of others to sell, purchase and enjoy such music.

The Knights Templar were hardly the KKK, and their primary role was the protection of Christian pilgrims seeking freedom of worship. They were not immune from persecution themselves, especially in their latter days, when a financially bankrupt King of France colluded with a morally bankrupt Pope to secure their demise.

There are visible symbols and a chapel built by them at Rothley Court. Should action be taken lest a passing motorist be offended? I hardly think that is reasonable, nor would it be reasonable to ban the sale of The Da Vinci Code, which contains some references to the Knights Templar, in the Borough of Charnwood.

Perhaps we should settle on a date before which a Statute of Limitations would apply to the taking and giving of offence.

The Norman Conquest and the Viking Invasion are perhaps too recent, and that little local difficulty between the Ancient Egyptians and the Hittites too remote. A reasonable compromise might be the Roman Occupation, although there may, even now, be disagreement as to exactly what the Romans did for us.

A much better solution would be a refreshing dose of tolerance and common sense, the proportions to be agreed between the complainer(s) and Charnwood Borough Council. Martin Hearne, Mountsorrel.