Bigot

bigot [big-uht]:
n. a person who is utterly intolerant of any differing creed, belief, or opinion.
n. a person obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices; especially: one who regards or treats the members of a group (as a racial or ethnic group) with hatred and intolerance.
n. a person who has strong, unreasonable beliefs and who thinks that anyone who does not have the same beliefs is wrong.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has been attacked today by a coalition of churches and right-wing politicians for daring to consider using the word "bigot" in a speech.

Read the article on the BBC website

Here is that "offending" paragraph in full: "Continued trouble in the economy gives the bigots a stick to beat us with, as they demand we 'postpone' the equalities agenda in order to deal with 'the things people really care about'." Really terrible and shocking, as I am sure you will agree.

No, what has really rattled the cages of the loonies is the fact that Mr Clegg was speaking up for equal marriage to include gay people. And that cannot be tolerated by those who call themselves "Christians".

Step forward motormouth professional bible-basher (and constant promoter of his autobiography) George Cary, former Archbishop of Canterbury - a man who pronounces about "democracy" and "freedom" yet sits unelected in the House of Lords as a matter of religious privilege. He claims to be "offended" by Clegg's use of the word - despite the fact that the speech was revised and he actually never said it.

Who gives a damn what he thinks? Clegg should have said it, and said it loud. Cary is a bigot! Here are just some of the views he has expressed:

• "I have kept very strictly to the traditional view held in the Catholic Church, Orthodox Church and Anglican communion that practising homosexuality is wrong."
• “It is now Christians who are persecuted; often sought out and framed by homosexual activists.”
• "Legalising gay marriage would be 'an act of cultural and theological vandalism'".

The "Coalition for Marriage" has started a petition, headed by Lord Carey and an assortment of politicians and religious leaders, which asks people to "support the legal definition of marriage" as "the voluntary union for life of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others" and "oppose any attempt to redefine it."

This Saturday (15th September) I will once again be joining thousands of supporters of true democracy on the Campaign for a Secular Europe rally through central London.

I will continue to campaign until all religious privileges (and irrelevant fools like Cary) are abolished from the constitution of this country, and the unwarranted, undemocratic influence of religious organisations is removed from all governments. Churches and their equivalents should be treated the same as any other membership organisation.

No special cases. No exemptions from the law. No tolerance of bigotry.