MP's truth-telling gaff causes widespread shock and condemnation
 

Liberal Democrat MP Jenny Tonge has been sacked for saying she would consider becoming a suicide bomber if she were Palestinian, remarks that caused widespread outrage. "I think if I had to live in that situation - and I say that advisedly - I might just consider becoming one myself,"

 I used to wonder...if I was born in the 20's and living in Germany, would I have become a Nazi? I would love to categorically say "No way, never ever", however I can't claim the infallibility of my soul and psyche to remain unaffected by the cultural, political and social influences of the time. The tenacity I have now is only that which has been developed in this, my own, existence.  When we only see the end point, the binary choice that is made after a huge succession of preceding events that have moulded and shaped the psyche of the individual, can anyone be confident enough to say "I wouldn't do that if I were in your shoes"?  Who can accurately foresee how they would think and feel if they were subjected to the same life as someone else?

 The Palestinian situation is no cut and dry "good vs. evil" affair that previous wars have been made out to be (although it must be remembered that the victor writes the history, and no side remains untainted by war). I wouldn't expect many people to empathise with suicide bombers, especially given recent events. The concept of choosing to die for your cause is one foreign to many cultures, especially in the west.  If we can't understand why someone would do something as seemly insane as become a suicide bomber, then we haven't properly examined the situation. The fact that people do become suicide bombers, people built of the same stuff as ourselves, strongly suggests that there are many things that we don't know. Would an MP be sacked for saying they would consider being an Israeli security forces soldier, a pilot, or part of a team sent to demolish a village? This is more a point about the sensibilities that have been offended than a political point the MP was trying to make. Empathising with someone else's opinion does not mean agreeing with it, only understanding its conception. 

 Jenny Tonge's forced resignation appears to be for political and social convenience. Surely the right to express a point of view is a requisite of a free society? Dr Tonge said she MIGHT consider it, IF she was them. She didn't say "I would do it", or even "I might DO it", just "I might CONSIDER about it"!  The concepts of free thought and free speech don't appear to have been upheld.

 Palestinians want to distance themselves from their more extreme elements, and Israelis; both the victims, and contributors to the situation, have double the reason to despise such comments. It's an easy way out for everyone to dismiss this lady as some kind of nut, when she actually highlighted an important point. Nobody acts without reason. Situations exist that persuade people to act in ways not readily comprehendible. By definition, nobody actually believes an opinion they consider to be "wrong", no matter how liberal or extreme they are. The widespread reaction to this comment demonstrates the majority don’t like entertaining the idea that contrary opinions exist for actual reasons.

Labour's Louise Ellman said Dr Tonge was giving the "green light" to terrorism. The author, for one, failed to notice the part where she condoned, justified or encouraged such action. To suggest that the terrorist can't justify their actions to themselves is clearly wrong when these people kill themselves for such beliefs.  It's so much easier to demonise than empathise, and sympathising with someone certainly isn't the same as agreeing with them.

 The perspective of someone who at least attempts to examine both sides of an argument can only be expected to germinate with appropriate influence from a (relatively) open society. To attempt impartiality, one should ideally distance themselves from the background they are a product of, in order to proper rationalise their opinion. There aren't many people unconstrained by the boundaries of their own class, race and nationality. It has no bearing how strongly I feel about not blowing myself and a dozen innocent people to bits. If I were a different cog in the machine of "cause and effect"  I have no way of knowing if I would turn as the forces dictate, so saying "If I was in their situation...I might just think about it" is the truest possible statement to make. Perhaps we need more politicians who are willing to examine alternative points of view, realising why the different groups all consider themselves to be right. Perhaps by fully comprehending the totality of a situation can solutions to difficult issues be found.

 Party leader Charles Kennedy asked the Richmond Park MP to quit "Her recent remarks about suicide bombers are completely unacceptable," he said. "They are not compatible with Liberal Democrat party policies and principles."

 When the "Liberals" find consideration of a situation from another's point of view as unacceptable, then it's time they changed the name of their party. Unfortunately uninformed, unthinking popular opinion often dictates the way politics is run in this country with knee-jerk reaction. No matter what anyone thinks of suicide bombers or the MP concerned, if a person can loose their job for stating a fact, albeit an unpalatable one, then truth itself is at stake.