Who said she was getting away with it? Her reputation is ruined, she has been suspended and in all likelihood she will be out at the next election.
And who said it was tolerable? I just believe that as a one-off offence it isn't worth destroying someone's career.
There are many jobs out there that have a certain level of expectation of trust in key areas related to that role.
When you take on those roles, you take on the responsibility to be trust worthy in those key areas.
We expect the police to whom we give the powers to detain and enforce the law to be trust worthy with regard to the laws themselves.
We hold them to a higher standard and that is part of the job.
When words and speeches are a key part of your role, it is hardly surprising that what you say is held to a higher standard than ordinary people.
When you also have a role that is a position of power and influence representing a community, that comes doubly so.
I'm not 'offended' because she used a hurtful word or phrase, I'm embarrassed on behalf of our society that we allowed someone into a position of power and responsibility that had that lack of critical thinking and common sense.
In Teaching / Patient facing NHS / Policing - any job dealing with children, even the most 'mild' child protection offence, as a one-off, would lead to someone's career being destroyed.
I'd personally hold MPs to the absolute highest standards imaginable. The absolute highest. There are 650 positions available and 40 million or so potential candidates. No reason at all we shouldn't have the best. We're one of the greatest nations on earth.
We don't need - best case - people who casually use racist language in general conversation - worse case - closet racists - in the House of Commons.
Expenses MPs and their sentences: how long each served
A subjugated group cannot be racist – they can only be prejudicial data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7
Agree. I'd suspend her, fine her, have her make a public apology, go on a race awareness course and whatever else. Wouldn't sack her though. If she doesn't know better, she needs re-educating.
If an educated MP in a modern Western democracy in 2017 doesn't knowsaying nig**er is wrong, I'd question her entire ability to undertake her duties.
This is not an obtuse societal rule like do you kiss French people 2 or 3 times, or do you leave a tip in Nandos if you order yourself,it's been taboo for over 20 years easily.
Two things. I think everyone is entitled to one mistake. If it was a mistake then she should have the chance to correct it. If she is secretly a member of the EDL/BNP, whatever, that's different.
Second. If I drank six pints of lager, drove down the road and got caught, I'd be charged, fined, go on a drink driving awareness course and be suspended from driving. Even the severity of the offence, drink driving, doesn't mean I'd never drive again though.
Very PC.
And if your job involved driving it would likely lead to dismissal through gross misconduct.