The right to be wrong

THE threats to religious freedom and free speech outlined by your columnist Patrick Kenny (Irish Examiner, September 7) are not just limited to Europe.

Unbelievably, in my native Australia two Christian preachers currently face jail for comments they made about Islam and the Koran.

The prosecutor in the case has admitted the comments may be true and would probably be legal if they weren’t made by Christian preachers. Far from promoting tolerance and harmony, such laws restrict fundamental freedoms and weaken dialogue within civil society.

It shouldn’t matter who thinks our opinions are right or wrong — political correctness should not trump the human right to free speech.

Anne Maree Quinn

33 Carysfort Ave

Blackrock

Co Dublin