JUST as I was about to write in praise of Granville Moore's letter on freedom of speech, along comes a comment by Cllr Johnston labelling Mr Moore's view as an "extreme libertarian position".

If I understand Mr Moore's true position correctly, (please correct me if I am wrong, Mr Moore), it is that he, like myself, for example, deplores the label "homophonic" applied to anyone who expresses a view contrary to the gay rights campaigners, or perhaps the label "racist" to anyone expressing concern about the rising numbers of immigrants. Indeed there is an abundance of "politically correct" labels available to put down anyone wishing to express a view.

While Cllr Johnston points out the dangers of extreme freedom of speech, I do not believe that Mr Moore, and certainly myself, have any desire to stir up public prejudices on any issues.

An actual, not hypothetical example of the extreme dangers of assumptive labelling, would be the recent persecution of those unfortunates whose only crime is to physically resemble known paedophiles. The "usual tatty looking piece of Voltaire" to which Peter refers, is as relevant today as when it was first penned.

You see Peter, to quote Cyril Smith "It 'ud be a good 'un us 'ud stop thee 'avin' thi' two penn'orth," but that wouldn't be me.

By the way, it is usual for others to accord the title "philosopher" and that wouldn't be me, either.

Frank Holstead

Littlestones Road

Egerton