First of all, for the record, the Mayor of Swindon – Nick Martin – has made an apology (no matter how much it was a form of words) and has at last resigned.
You would think that is the end of the story, that someone made a mistake and took responsibility, after all he is a Conservative Councillor and if one of their mantra’s was about personal responsibility, but I think there is something far more disgusting than the actual quote, something we need to be concerned about.
First of all is that someone can think the phrase at all, it is not about the term ‘Mongol’ it is about the condescension towards people with disability, it is about castigating anyone who does fit the stereotype of what is ‘normal’. One thing that came to my mind when I heard to quote was ‘yes they do, and so do gay, lesbian, black and Jewish people – and what is so special about any group that they should not be allowed sexual intercourse. I am sure that even Tories have sex! I hate labels, I hate labels because they are mainly to discriminate, they are there to alienate. Having said that I could have forgiven him for using the label.
I could have forgiven him for the use for the label, but the inherent disbelief that they ‘letting Mongols have sex with each’ as if they should be a law against it.
Even at this point there is an escape route – I made a terrible mistake, I will apologise and resign because I hold Public Office and represent the people of Swindon in all its diversity – and more than anything else Politicians should be an example to follow and no an embarrassment. In the week that we had Maria Miller and the expenses scandal I cannot help but think our leaders are totally shameless and do represent the people they ‘serve’ but are merely in it to further their own dogma and needs.
Way back in 2010 Gordon Brown was caught on microphone calling Gillian Duffy a bigot, I don’t why but it sounds like the son of a Preacher had good reason, but an apology was made, no such apology in these times under the Tories. ”
Of course Maria and Nick but gave an apology, they both gave an apology that a form of words and devoid of meaning, and both were forced to apology. There is one code of conduct for normal folk and another for the Politicians.
I am a firm believer that Management set the tone for the organisation, so too should the Government, or Parliament, set the tone for the nation. To quote Nadine Dorries on the Bullingdon Boys that are running the United Kingdom:
“Unfortunately, I think that not only are Cameron and Osborne two posh boys who don’t know the price of milk, but they are two arrogant posh boys who show no remorse, no contrition, and no passion to want to understand the lives of others – and that is their real crime.”
Whilst Nick Martin has resigned, he waited until he was forced to resign, he actually waited until the Standards Committee said what he said demanded an apology, where was his moral compass that said that he had offended people? But these are Tories, these are Tories that have introduced Bedroom Tax, the Tories that have all but privatised the NHS, the Tories that have made being ill, unemployed more or less a crime.
What Nick Martin said was wrong, that he took so long to apologise and resign was even worse.
Whatever happened to ‘class acts’?