Society needs to shoulder some of the blame

FIRSTLY I would like to congratulate Terry Prone for her witty but very true piece of writing (Irish Examiner, October 6). We know a lot of people have said what she has just written, but it takes a lot of courage for some one in the news media to come out and say publicly that the media-driven “liberal agenda” has not worked.

Too often we confuse liberty with licence, the freedom to do what is right with the freedom to do whatever you want to do.

However, it must be recognised too that we cannot coerce people into behaving as they ought. That was often the mistake made in the past. It is difficult at times to keep the balance. We have to protect a moral order. Society needs it. Yet we must respect the freedom of the individual. Sometimes it would take a Solomon to do both. It certainly is not easy for a politician whose main concern is the next election.