Sir, – What Fionola Meredith (Opinion, October 24th), doesn't grasp in her attack on the ruling in the gay cake case is the bigger picture; in other words the context in which the ruling was handed down.
The context is a society that is traditionally very homophobic and in which it is essential that every effort is made to change that sorry fact.
The owners of Asher’s bakery don’t need their “right” to be intolerant of homosexuality protected. On the contrary the LGBT community in Northern Ireland should be embraced and supported by society in every way possible, including with this intelligent and hopefully far-reaching ruling.
– Yours, etc,
JOE McCARTHY,
Arbour Hill,
Dublin 7.
Sir, – We live on an island gone mad. How did we arrive at a situation where, to date, legal costs of more than £238,000 have been accrued on a case centred around lettering on a cake? Should a Catholic printing firm have to print the Kama Sutra, a Jewish-owned printing firm Mein Kampf, a Unionist printing firm the lyrics from the Wolfe Tones' catalogue – without choice?
Freedom of expression surely applies to both author and publisher.
I totally supported the marriage equality referendum. I did not vote for a waste of money, time and court resources on a spat between a baker and Bert and Ernie. Get real everybody and leave this particular cake out in the rain. – Yours, etc,
JOHN MORRISON
Kildinan,
Co Cork.