We all have a right to a means of communication

and the right to the opportunity to state our point of view. 
It is only in dictatorships that people are denied those rights - or is it?
We were told the "same-sex marriage debate" could "get nasty". Well yes it has  but not for the reasons we were told. It has become nasty because it seems that only one side of the debate is allowed to put their case. Whatever those "for" think those who are "against" have a right to put their point of view. I am not really sure what the "for" campaign is so concerned about. All the opinion polls suggest that the ayes have it - and probably by a wide margin. Trying to prevent the noes simply suggests they are worried they might not, after all, win the plebiscite. Personally I am much more concerned by the Leader of the Opposition saying that, in the most unlikely event the "No" vote wins, he will ignore it and pass legislation anyway.  No, it isn't the legislation I would oppose. I would oppose his attitude towards the electorate in passing something they had stated they did not want. 
The same sort of thing however happens elsewhere. I had to drop a book off to someone yesterday. She is, rightly, concerned about the likely events at an upcoming meeting. There has been a blatant attempt to halt any input from the general membership over a number of matters. They have been put to the group in a way which suggests there is no room for debate, that this is the way things will now be done. Most people won't even question this because they have little understanding of how things should be done. 
     "I'm a bit worried Cat," this person told me. I know she should be. When you start to take the right to make decisions away from the group then it will always lead to problems. It leads to uncertainty rather than certainty and discontent rather than content. 
And one of the things which worries her, again rightly, is the fact that not only is there an attempt to take away decision making powers but also an attempt to deny anyone the opportunity to speak up about these things. 
Were I in a position to do it I hope I would be brave enough to get up and say something. If nobody speaks up then we will lose the power to communicate and our right to put our point of view will be diminished. If we don't let others put their point of view as well then we lose as well as them. And, more importantly, we can't try to negate hate or dangerous ideas. 
I am off to a meeting too on Saturday. I hope I have the courage to speak up there because there are some things which need to be said. I'll try and be polite and reasonable but I do want to communicate.