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Shaun,

Two things.

Firstly, your own posts are becoming increasingly intolerant. To this extent, you are arguing against yourself, and very successfully so. I have no doubt that you will fail to recognise (or - more accurately - to acknowledge) your own rank hypocrisy in this regard.

Secondly, democracy is not a gun which, when fired, is never primed again. This is why we have regular elections: to give the people a chance to decide anew, to change their mind if they wish, or perhaps to reaffirm their initial inclination. Our country does not stand fixed in aspic at the last decision made, on this or any other issue, at any level of government, local or national. For you to argue to the contrary is profoundly undemocratic.

I once again urge you not to demean yourself with hyperbole, rhetoric, venom and unveiled hatred. I urge you instead to engage in a respectful debate on these issues, because they will define us as a nation, as fractured a nation as we are. We have to recognise that for as strong as the feelings each of us may hold, others hold feelings that are equally as strong, but that point in the opposite direction. The ability for that to happen in the absence of abuse is, to my mind, the real mark of a democracy.

Tone down the dogma, and see it reflected in the straw poll that is the up- and down-votes.

Yours aye,

Sam.