No freedom has ever been freely given, freedoms have always been taken.
The people who pioneer the new, (because not "normal"), views are inevitably regarded as extremists. Today, we bow to lesbian/gay rights, women voters, etc. Only because some people made a hard stand during difficult times. When those people were fighting for OUR rights, most people called them extremists and nutcases. If Emily Parkhurst had been "sensitive to the appropriateness of the situation", I'm sure she would not have thrown herself under the King's horse and women would probably still not have the vote.
Nelson Mandela is another example of precisely the same case where one man suffers for years under the barbaric of the current regime, while today he is hailed as a hero. He was fortunate, he was able to enjoy his last years of life in freedom. Alan Turing is another who was shamed, and forcefully chemically "treated", by the government of his time, for the crime of following his own harmless activities. Turing was so persecuted that he committed suicide rather than face the rest of his life as a chemically castrated individual.
What fate awaits Stephen Gough?
Perfectly said, Richard. I completely agree. We can accomplish it with strength in numbers. Reminds me like the battle scene of 300. We have to keep going forward and showing them who we are as people and we won't back down. AC
Erm… It was Emily Davison who was killed at the 1913 Epsom Derby. See for example https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emily_Davison.
Emmeline Pankhurst died in 1928.
Mixing up my history, thanks for the correction, Bernard!
what a crock. What can be done to get him released?
Honestly, I don't know. More people sharing links about how badly he's been treated, more people turning up for demonstrations, more people writing to their MP and the media. He gets quite a lot of coverage, but it only takes one outraged judge, and he's behind bars for years. It's quite appalling. While we do have a Steven Gough group here, it's pretty quiet, most activity trying to focus activity goes on in the FB group, here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/freestephengough/
is Stephen Gough in Prison right now ?
Yes, and he's just had another 16 months added to his ASBO breaches: http://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/361501/Protesters-strip-off-in-support-of-The-Naked-Rambler-Stephen-Gough
I think the simplest idea is to simply err on the side of liberty in all cases. If what you are doing neither breaks my leg nor picks my pocket, then I have no cause to apply any level of violence to stop you from that activity.
I think that people should 'fight' for their rights, even when those rights may be unpopular.
In the end, though, it is very rare for any minority to be able to secure their rights. Might makes right. Always has, always will. I fully expect Stephen to spend the rest of his natural life in prison.
And gays wouldn't have the right to marry, either, for that matter. It's important to stand by your principles, even if you don't like them. Running away does not help anyone to face reality.
Let me make this clear: I'm not a fan of the "idea" of people being gay. However, This does NOT make me anti-gay, even if some would like to paint that picture. That erroneous picture is still a fabrication of their own making.
People need to understand the difference between liking something and supporting it in principle. Let me say it another way: I do NOT personally LIKE the idea of "gay", BUT I DO think it is every person's RIGHT to be gay. It is also every person's right to choose to be identified as gay, and they should not be pilloried for it. And these rights should be defended with vigour.
Is this really so complicated to understand?
This is the same for public nudity. Some people don't like it, but still support the principle because they realize this is about personal freedom of choice. Others don't like it and expect their "like" to be exercised as a legal restraint on the rest of us.