ChatterBank0 min ago
Is It Wrong For A Person To Be Sacked For Holding A Certain Personal Opinion?
134 Answers
Answers
The sacking of course leaves a question mark over whether any lawyer holding traditional Christian views, could now serve in conscience as a judge or magistrate. It also beggars the question as to whether the same applies to Sikh, Buddhist, Jewish or Muslim JPs. Of course a further question is, does anyone of any faith want to be 'judged' by an Atheist?
11:19 Fri 11th Mar 2016
//The basic point is simply that if a gay couple wants to adopt a child then their sexuality is not, or should not be, held as sufficient reason to stop the adoption from taking place. //
I totally and utterly disagree.
The child should be the priority not the right-on rights of any couple. There will be cases where it would be totally inappropriate for a particular child to be adopted by same sex couples.
I totally and utterly disagree.
The child should be the priority not the right-on rights of any couple. There will be cases where it would be totally inappropriate for a particular child to be adopted by same sex couples.
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First of all, Mr Page is not (or rather was not) a judge. Some on here have referred to him as a judge and at least one press report I have seen does likewise, referring to him as a District Judge. He was a lay Magistrate – a Justice of the Peace.
Lay Magistrates are in a unique and privileged position. They pass judgement on their peers which they undertake to do “without fear or favour, affection or ill will”. They are not legally trained but in their courts they undertake the role of a judge (ruling on matters of law) and the jury (deciding on matters of fact). It is critical for the reputation on the lay magistracy that they are impartial and, more importantly, that they are seen to be so. They must demonstrate no prejudices that may make the Man in the Street consider they may be ruling on matters in accordance with those prejudices.
The rights and wrongs of the matter (whether a child is better placed with a gay or straight couple) is not the issue and need not be debated. The question asked whether it was wrong for a person to be sacked for holding a personal opinion. The answer to that is “no”. But that’s not why Mr Page was sacked. Foolishly he went on national TV and exhibited his prejudice. A gay couple appearing before him in the Family Court would be entitled to believe or suspect that their case – however strong on its merits – may go against them because of that prejudice. That cannot be right and Mr Page’s actions cast doubt on his ability to act impartially.
Parliament has decided that gay couples can adopt and foster. That’s the law. Mr Page was tasked with administering the law as it stands, not as he’d like it to be. Unfortunately his prejudice – however well founded – made him unsuitable for the task. I’m sure most people harbour a prejudice and/or a religious belief of some sort but magistrates must leave them at the door of the court and certainly not go on national telly voicing them.
Lay Magistrates are in a unique and privileged position. They pass judgement on their peers which they undertake to do “without fear or favour, affection or ill will”. They are not legally trained but in their courts they undertake the role of a judge (ruling on matters of law) and the jury (deciding on matters of fact). It is critical for the reputation on the lay magistracy that they are impartial and, more importantly, that they are seen to be so. They must demonstrate no prejudices that may make the Man in the Street consider they may be ruling on matters in accordance with those prejudices.
The rights and wrongs of the matter (whether a child is better placed with a gay or straight couple) is not the issue and need not be debated. The question asked whether it was wrong for a person to be sacked for holding a personal opinion. The answer to that is “no”. But that’s not why Mr Page was sacked. Foolishly he went on national TV and exhibited his prejudice. A gay couple appearing before him in the Family Court would be entitled to believe or suspect that their case – however strong on its merits – may go against them because of that prejudice. That cannot be right and Mr Page’s actions cast doubt on his ability to act impartially.
Parliament has decided that gay couples can adopt and foster. That’s the law. Mr Page was tasked with administering the law as it stands, not as he’d like it to be. Unfortunately his prejudice – however well founded – made him unsuitable for the task. I’m sure most people harbour a prejudice and/or a religious belief of some sort but magistrates must leave them at the door of the court and certainly not go on national telly voicing them.
ymb, I'm not meaning it as a "right-on" thing where the adopting couple's interest must be placed first. It is just that in no sense can anyone argue that the couple being gay is directly a threat to the child's best interests. At worst, it's because society, or at least enough of it to matter, still views such couples with suspicion.
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///Wouldn't any reasonable person think given a choice between placing an adopted child with a traditional couple or with a gay couple; it should be the traditional couple every time. ///
I really don't see why it should be an either/or situation.
If any gay couple have successfully gone through the process to be judged to be fit and proper for fostering or adoption, why they should always be considered to be second-best?
I really don't see why it should be an either/or situation.
If any gay couple have successfully gone through the process to be judged to be fit and proper for fostering or adoption, why they should always be considered to be second-best?
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