In response to Richard Jones (Letters, July 7), I am not gay and I believe in freedom of speech and minimum censorship.
However, to oppose all restraint is to ignore the rights and freedoms of people who would be most affected if there were no boundaries.
It is a question of balance.
If Buju Banton's lyrics were only homophobic and consisted of direct quotes from the Bible, I would probably concede the freedom of the artist was more important. However, they are not just anti-gay.
They incite homophobic murder. In answer to Richard's question, all communities have a right to censorship when their personal safety is threatened.
Comparison with Johny Cash's lyrics about a random murder for the sake of it misses the point.
It is the persecution of minorities which leads to daily fear and lack of freedom. This is far worse than a random murder or preventing the expression of prejudice and hatred.
His argument is undermined by mentioning the British National Party. This is precisely the sort of hypocrisy the gay community objects to. If Concorde were to host an artist who advocated the murder of black or ethnic minorities there would be a public outcry.
-Rachel Fryer, Brighton
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