PRIDE IN CORNWALL

Not so long ago in England homosexual behaviour was an imprisonable offence and homosexuals were vulnerable to vile bigotry and blackmail. That has happily changed, legally and socially. Yes, there are some who think that homosexual behaviour is morally wrong and, separately, bigotry still exists, especially among some religionists. However, most people are tolerant and accepting of homosexuality: civil partnerships are a fair and sensible mark of the new welcoming attitude.

This is leading me to the coming weekend and a gay pride event. In Truro, the main town of Cornwall, there will be a parade and a fair with stalls, singers, dancers, and comedians.

Significantly, police officers will take part in the parade and apparently the flag of the Gay Police Association will fly from Truro police station. The chief constable of Devon and Cornwall is supportive.

I expect there will be complaints but I welcome Cornwall gay pride and this touch of civilisation.

A year ago I wrote this post: what a change.

LIGHTEN THE DARKNESS

Here are two articles, by Libby Purves and Andrew O’Hagan, which ooze civilised sense about the nature of religious and philosophic tolerance and the importance of live-and-let-live and not imposing your beliefs upon others. I wholly agree with their sentiments.

The news from Christians has been dispiriting of late. The Anglican church has, as far as I can see, gone along with those who think homosexual acts are evil and damned in their Bible and that homosexual committed partnerships cannot be recognised in their churches and homosexuals cannot be Anglican mahoffs. Francisco Chimoio, Catholic archbishop in Mozambique, has said condoms from two unnamed countries of Europe are deliberately infected with HIV, unbelievable views which leave me speechless. And here’s an item from Nicaragua on the effects of a Catholic prohibition on abortion.

Mehr Licht, said the dying Goethe. I think liberals should also take to heart his other words, Ohne hast aber ohne Rast.

CORNWALL DOES PRECAMBRIAN?

This is an extraordinary account about an attempt to arrange a civil partnership ceremony in Cornwall. The registration service should investigate and publicly explain. In the meantime I wish the couple well.

click here

(Cornish Dreamer: ‘Civil partnerships and homophobia’)