Jail for refusing to fill in a Census form in English?

Principles are an important thing. We should all have them. Some of us don’t but heck those people are losers and will always be losers. That is just the way it is. However it should also be noted that some people have such unhinged principles that they are willing to go to jail for and on this step forward 63 year-old Iain Turnbull

For those too lazy to click on the link Mr Turnbull is a 63 year-oid Englishman who is living on a remote Scottish island and is willing to go to jail for not filling in the Census form because he wants to fill it in using the Welsh language. Seems reasonable enough but it should be pointed out that he speaks perfectly fluent English and can therefore fill in the form fine. However he now sees this as a matter of principle and is making it out like he is doing some good against the evil government and not what he is really doing and that is being a stubborn fool.

Look I can see his point – to a degree – but is it really that important of an issue? Is being allowed to fill in a form in what isn’t his native language really the same as fighting for the vote or for equality or is it just someone being a tit?

I know what I think. I’m all for being as liberal as possible and in a perfect world he should be able to fill the form in using whatever language he chooses but when it comes down to it is isn’t a matter of principle it is just someone being stubborn for no apparent reason other that to inflate his own feeling of self-importance.

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