One should congratulate correspondent Frans Camilleri for his objective, level-headed contribution (November 28) that dealt with the nomination and eventual acceptance – notwithstanding the negative hype – of Tonio Borg as European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Affairs.

I have no doubt that the majority of MEPs who queried Borg’s credentials were only doing their duty, as Camilleri assured us all.

Similarly, I have no doubt that some MEPs – and truth would not be told if I did not also state that, in their majority, they hailed from the Liberal camp – used (or perhaps abused) their position to attack a nominee not because of his incompetence (because they could not), nor because of his origins (because they would not) but because of his beliefs.

Under the set of values I believe in, it would not be permissible by any stretch of the imagination to attack someone because of his or her beliefs, no matter how strange they may be. But, perhaps, this norm is passé. Maybe it is acceptable in today’s brave new world to attack someone because of his or her beliefs provided they are “conservative”, as one is wont to label them nowadays. So be it.

The least one would expect is a modicum of honesty on the part of whoever is intolerant of diversity. Why does not one simply declare that one cannot stand the thought of someone who does not share one’s ideals getting appointed European commissioner? Or is honesty passé, too?