I'd like to reproduce an article that I read this morning in Amnesty Magazine about the nature of free speech. The author of this argument is Tariq Modood. He writes:

'Let us distinguish between freedom of expression and freedom of enquiry. The search for truth should never be supressed or restricted. We need a maximum degree of freedom of enquiry. But it should be possible to express a view without being offensive or vilifying others.

One has to be very careful, of course, in distinguishing defamation from legitimate criticism; for while freedom of expression is too gross a right and has to be seriously qualified by the protection of minorities and other civilised values, freedom of enquiry is too precious to lose.

I would also make a distinction between vulnerable groups and the powerful. If we want to say that Tony Blair is a liar or a hypocrite, we should be able to say it. But that freedom should not be used to demonise a vulnerable group.

As professor Susan Mendus of the University of York has put it: "Where free speech is employed in such a way as to destroy the possibility of communication, and of mutual understanding, then its raison d'etre us destroyed."

One relies on the sensitivity and responsibility of individuals and institutions to refrain from what is legal but unacceptable. Where these qualities are missing, one relies on public debate and censure to provide standards and restraints. So where matters are not or cannot easily be regulated by law, one relies on protest as well as empathy. This is how most racist speech and images and other free expressions (like the use of golliwogs as commercial brands, or television's Black and White Minstrel Show) have been censured - rather than censored - away.

Sometimes legal intervention is also necessary. For example, when there is a serious risk of incitement to hatred; or when the "fighting talk" is likely to inflame passions and risk public order; or when it is likely to reinforce prejudice and lead to acts of discrimination or victimisation.

Civic integration and international interdependence - let alone anything as amitious as a dialogue of civilisations - means that there has to be mutual learning and movement on both or all sides, not just the hurling of absolutes at each other. This is not just a matter of compromise but of multicultural inclusion.

As Lord (Bikhu) Parekh has written: "Space is not often given - it has to be taken. You have to create it, and when a group of people appears to be intolerant, to be demanding that the established norms be opened up a little, it is also a demand to create a space in which a dialogue is possible.'

Tariq Modood, 'The Amnesty Debate: Speaking Out', in Amnesty Magazine, 137 (May/June 2006), p. 12

Chicks love this.

05:30 Comforting and calming the two Dragonets, one of whom had uncovered herself and was cold; the other of whom had a stomach ache.

06:30 Hanging out nappies on the washing line, having got up shortly after six, washed and dressed, and waved Dragon Dada off when he left for work.

07:30 Washing and dressing my elder Dragonet; the younger being up and dressed already. I've done my daily Bible reading, checked some of my e-mail and got the pushchair out and ready for later.

08:30 Putting on my make-up. We've all had breakfast - porridge with fruit for the Dragonets, muesli for me, and I've washed everything up and brushed everyone's teeth. I've also put a washing load on.

09:30 On my way home, having taken my elder Dragonet to Nursery.

10:30 Changing my younger Dragonet's nappy. We got home at about quarter to ten, I've hung out a second washing load, checked my e-mail, replied to a questionnaire, looked up a couple of things on the Internet and done some study.

11:30 Stopped off in the pharmacy to pick something up on my way to collect my elder Dragonet. I've been studying and we left at twenty past eleven.

12:30 We've just got home and I'm upstairs supervising my elder Dragonet who's changing out of her uniform into her home clothes. I've powered up the PC and I'm checking my e-mail before I start on lunch.

13:30 Making mayonnaise while my Dragonets finish their lunch.

14:30 Making biscuits with my elder Dragonet. I've cleared up lunch and I've done some online questionnaires which earn me a bit of money, and checked my e-mails again.

15:30 Just looking at some photos with my elder Dragonet prior to her rest. We made a lot of biscuits and I have some more to finish off once she's resting. My youngest Dragonet is fast asleep already: I changed her and put her in her cot shortly after three. The nappies are all in from the line, folded, and put away.

16:30 The last batch of biscuits are cooking and I'm getting back down to some study again. My elder Dragonet is up on her bed looking at books and singing (Down By The Station).

17:30 Studying. I'm reading a text that I studied in the final year of my undergraduate degree, that has some relevant material for the final chapter of my thesis. My eldest Dragonet is back downstairs. She's sampled a small biscuit and having sat with me for a little while, is now on the other sofa working through a counting book. The oven is on again, this time I've got potatoes in there for supper. I've hard-boiled an egg as my Dragonets (and I) enjoy egg mayonnaise with the potatoes (this is where the home-made mayonnaise comes in). I've got to cook some tomato and mushroom and mix that with the baked bean later to make a more nutritious filling for them (and for Dragon Dada). Dragon Dada is on his way home, although I note that he's not been able to leave early, despite starting early. I expect he'll be tired and frustrated about his day. It looks like rain (although it's looked like rain on and off for a while now) and I've finally given in to the fear and the rest of the washing is off the line and in the ironing basket. Except for the socks and the winter hats, which my eldest Dragonet and I have sorted.

18:30 Eating supper. Dragon Dada got home just after six and I finished preparing the supper when he got in. I managed to finish my target amount of study before supper, which is more than I've done for a few weeks. My elder Dragonet was very proud of her biscuits and when everyone had finished the baked potato we had a biscuit each and the remainder of the cheesecake that she had made with Dragon Dada yesterday.

19:30 Putting the Dragonets to bed. Dragon Dada has washed both of the dragonets, the elder of whom is very tired and weepy, the younger of whom is a little excited and very bouncy. I step back a bit in the evening to let him have some time with them. I have washed up and the biscuits are all boxed. I had a little time to browse George R. R. Martin's website, an author that my brother Andrew introduced me to a year or so ago. I have a bad headache that I've had all day. I don't want to stuff myself with pain killers so I'm trying tiger balm at the moment. It is very soothing. I've just come downstairs to collect the mouse puppet of my younger Dragonet and a drink for the elder one. Then it'll be story and prayer time.

20:30 Watching television with Dragon Dada. This is my unwinding time of the day. The girls have finally fallen silent (only in the last half hour) and I think they're asleep. I've just finished a longish survey: I do these regularly to earn vouchers as I don't have any personal income at the moment. It's time-consuming and boring but allows me to treat myself every so often. As a result of these questionnaires I've got a John Lennon CD and a Prokofiev CD winging their way to me at the moment!

21:30 Getting ready for bed. My headache has got really bad and I can't really keep my eyes open much longer so I've given in to Dragon Dada's bullying and I'm going to try to sleep.

22:30 Dozing, but not really properly asleep yet.

23:30 Asleep at last! Dragon Dada came to bed about half an hour ago and I was asleep quite soon afterwards.

06:30 Taking painkillers. I woke at quarter to six this morning, fifteen minutes before the alarm (Dragon Dada is on "earlies" all week). I'm washed and dressed and Dragon Dada's about to leave. I've got a lot to do today: my elder Dragonet has her school photo this morning and so she has to be immaculate - she'll be leaving the school soon as we're moving and so this is going to be a way of remembering her classmates. Then, this evening, Dragon Dada and I have a meeting at her new school, which is an hour away, so my Dam is coming over this afternoon and I have to make sure that everything is ready for her to be able to smoothly feed the Dragonets in the evening and put them to bed. Another busy day begins...