A short treatise on allowing yourself to dare to dream

Don't

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In favour of same-sex marriage

Imagine for a moment that you are gay. As a youngster, this is not something you were insanely masochistic enough that you would have chosen it had it been a choice, but in any case it was not. As an adult, you’re now well-adjusted enough, but still rather regret your sexuality, not least because you grew up surrounded by messages that said it meant you weren’t ‘normal’ or ‘healthy’. Imagine the isolation and fear you felt when strangers, peers and friends alike made derisive jokes about gay people or casually used the word ‘gay’ to mean stupid or awful, not to mention some people's expressions of disgust nor the recurring wide tacit and express acceptance of the self-righteously aggressive tone in which this sometimes came. Imagine that growing up, your sexuality was a secret that you kept from even your very closest friends and family members until you were 18, and from many others for much longer, because you were afraid of what they might think and how they might react. Imagine...
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1) Getting to Poland

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  Part 1 of my diaries from my trip to Kraków. Read them in order!   My flight from Coventry to Katowice with Wizz Air was uneventful and the seats on the airbus A320 surprisingly comfortable, at least in comparison to those on the planes of other budget airlines I've flown with recently.   Upon arrival at the airport, I translated the Polish email confirming my booking for the coach from the airport to Kraków, with the aid of my not-so-pocket-sized dictionary, and found the location of my bus stop. Walking out of the airport it was about 15 yards directly ahead.   With 15 minutes to spare and a gentle rumble in my stomach, I wandered back into the airport building and found a small café. The selection of very fine looking and reasonably prices cakes drew me in and I eventually selected a jabłecznik (apple cake).   I knew everyone would speak English at the airport, but I wanted to practise speaking Polish as soon as I had the chance, so after rehearsing the sen...
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Is conservative religious faith the enemy of reason, free thought and civil society or have I missed something?

Few can have missed the recent and on-going furore over the government’s proposals to legalise same-sex marriage in England and Wales. Public expressions of both support and opposition to the proposals from ordinary members of the public have been in plentiful supply, and shyness hasn’t prevented lots of people, many of whom are not often found campaigning, appealing to friends and strangers alike, to join the melee and take action to influence proceedings one way or another. What has been lacking is real dialogue.   How many of these eager voices have engaged in rigorous debate? How many have taken the time to consider their position and to hear and reflect on that of their opponents? How many have done so in pursuit of a full understanding of the issue about which they are so exercised, and have been prepared to pursue that aim relentlessly and to its very end? Of those arguing against same-sex marriage, I have found but one such person, but I am not surprised. Why? Because the v...
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