Can you speak your mind and still keep your job?

There are many reasons why people get fired - maybe he just wasn't liked? Maybe he was getting too popular in his own right and some people felt threatened? Maybe he got drunk every day and ran around the office naked? There are dozens of reasons.

A big brand like the Sunday Times is an umbrella for a number of smaller brands - and David Bullard was a valuable brand. My initial shock is why they hadn't realized this and tied him to a long-term contract. That's what you do when you have one of the best writers in the country working for you. You must protect your brand.

I still think it was a huge economic (and moral) mistake to sack the man. But that's just my opinion - and I'm certainly not qualified enough to question the management of such a successful publication like the Sunday Times.

As to the question about whether he's a racist or not - well that's an easy one to answer. He's not.

I know him well enough to say that for a fact (unless he's been very clever at keeping his views VERY secret and his KKK uniform hidden). Intolerant? Certainly. Rude? Definitely. Stubborn? You bet. But he's not a racist - he hasn't got the minerals to be one for starters, it just isn't in him.

The problem we all face is how to AVOID using the 'R' word wherever possible. You see it everywhere. If I get into an argument with a supermarket cashier about the fact that she can't bloody add-up without a calculator does that make me a racist?

We've got to stop getting so precious about the subject.

The very MOMENT you mention skin colour, out come all the morons waving their racist flags. My only comment is, "for God's sake go away and find something more worthy of your energy."

Of course, the news brought out the usual vitriol from "readers" who, despite their reading, cannot string a few words of sense together without resorting to name-calling and basic intelligence-deficiencies.

Bullard has the courage to put into writing what we all feel (and it has NOTHING to do with black or white). He's RIGHT to loudly criticise that which needs to be criticised - very few others have the guts to do so.

I did notice in Sunday's paper (although I'm sure it was an oversight) that even his friends Gwen Gill and Craig Jacobs, who previously praised the man on many occasions, when reporting the Bang and Olufsen bash (which Bullard MC'd brilliantly I'm told) didn't even mention his name. Et tu brutus?

One final thing baffles me. In an organisation like the Sunday Times anything which is to be published passes many eyes (and the editor is the guy who says yes or no and he has sub-editors who follow his direction). I'm puzzled that nobody raised an alarm until the following week.

Lesser men would get a fright and compromise by toning down their editorial. However I suspect that Bullard is going to become even more controversial.