Slippery slope

AUSTRALIA must remain vigilant in protecting our freedom of religion, speech and association.
The actions of the Islamic Caliphate in Syria/Iraq sound the alarm for us here in Australia; their maxim is “Agree with me, or die!”
We must foster the freedom to openly disagree and to criticise, without fear of penalty, condemnation or retribution.
Let us learn to tolerate those who offend us; that is real tolerance; to tolerate those with whom we disagree. Otherwise “tolerance” is not tolerance at all, but merely a smokescreen for silencing those with different beliefs, or who say things that offend us.
To do otherwise is to mount the slippery slope towards totalitarianism.
Paul Reid,
Berwick.