Where's the 'Lye'

‘Tommy said it FIRST!’ 

Can’t you just imagine a rejoinder such as this from a child who was caught uttering a profanity? The child’s immediate reaction is damage control: Diffuse the situation! Shift the focus to someone else! But at all cost, blink those eyes and try to wriggle out of it.

Most adults see through this immediately. Some take a sweeping action and wash both the children’s mouths out with soap. Some parents shake their head in utter disappointment over the cunning their child has used to try and shift blame. Then they pray their children will apologise and eventually grow up to be respectable and sensitive adults. 

But no matter what the reaction, the bottom line is that the word(s) were said. For children, it’s part of their learning experience in growing up.

For our esteemed mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, I’m not sure what his excuse is.

And I don't care; hand me the soap!

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The Adjudication Panel for England ruled Ken Livingstone had brought his office into disrepute when he was suspended from office for four weeks for comparing a Jewish journalist to an SS Nazi concentration camp guard.

The mayor said: ‘This decision strikes at the heart of democracy.’ He added: ‘Elected politicians should only be able to be removed by the voters or for breaking the law.’ 

Mr. Livingstone has refused to apologise.