Seaham. I hear what you are saying, but I also think Steve is right. Many people give threads with bigotry plumes of feathers displayed a wide berth.

My concern is that the last thing they may have read is lies and hate parcelled up with a ribbon.

My approach is turning people off too, but I cannot see what the alternative is. I would never stoop so low as to debate the merits of bigotry. I couldn't and wouldn't entertain any debate that singles out a section of society and discusses whether they need to be singled out or have this same rights and opportunities as people who don't fall into their particular demographic. I couldn't keep quiet whilst they are getting away with it either. Someone quoted the rather draconian law in The UK a few posts up. I am dismayed, not by the law but by the continued need for the law in the first place.

In the meantime, our Prime Minister has made a speech which invited the debate on bigotry and hypocrisy to be re examined. I'm not sure that was his intention. I am more than sure that he slipped in a "doing God" speech as fodder for gullible people who see rational secular law as a threat to their brainwashed paranoia. They may be delusioned but they also have a vote. Usually on the right of of the swingometer.

Still, nice to see him wriggle when someone mentioned the opt out clause in gay marriage when he said we should be proud of some Christian heritage or other...

In the meantime, two old songs have re entered my usual set, Bruce's Song and Curtains of Old Joe's House. These debates just serve to remind us that you can't legislate against hate, you can just show it for what it is. Then dismiss it.