In response to Kathy Gyngell: Christianity is a shield against extremism not its cause, Quinquagesima wrote:
Given the way in which the ‘Trojan Horse’ regulations, originally intended to deal with Islamic extremism in schools, are already being used to constrain the promotion of a traditional Christian worldview within Christian schools, it is impossible to imagine that this will NOT be used to muzzle Christian groups in universities. The frontline of the battleground today is sexuality, and possibly also abortion; tomorrow it will be something else, not yet anticipated. Even 10 years ago, it would have been difficult to imagine that free and open discussion of the pros and cons of same-sex marriage would not have been possible; but now, people can be demoted and fired from their public-sector positions, and even questioned by the police, for expressing the ‘wrong’ view. And thus the muzzle tightens.
When those who now hold high office were at university, they proclaimed ‘no platform for racists, sexists and homophobes’. I thought that when they grew up, they would come to appreciate the value of freedom of speech, and the tolerance of opinions with which one profoundly disagrees. Instead, they have turned the meaning of ‘tolerance’ on its head, using it as a buzzword to silence those who dare to question the tenets of group identity politics, while proclaiming it as a ‘British value’.
And if you refuse to toe the line, you can be subject to enforced re-education and self-criticism (described as ‘diversity training’). Have we not been here before? Have we learned nothing?
