Originally written January 12, 2008
Where’s the tolerance? That’s one of the more popular mantras from the left. People on the “far right” are too intolerant, intolerant of gay rights, intolerant of a woman’s “right to choose,” just a nasty bunch all around, those snobbish, right wing elitist, Republicans.
Well I believe in tolerance if the situation calls for it. But the situation does not always call for it. Had you lived in the 1860’s would you have tolerated slavery? For those of you who criticize Christianity, are you tolerant of Christianity? And if you hate religious hypocrisy, are you tolerant of religious hypocrisy? As for abortion, are you tolerant of those who express concern for the unborn? And if somebody holds the honest opinion that homosexuality is an abnormal lifestyle, are you tolerant of that person? Is that a legitimate position to take or does debate need to be stifled as it has already been in Canada and as it already has been in California public schools? Speaking of ending debate, how about the Fairness Doctrine, designed to get conservative talk radio off the air. Are Democrats tolerant of the new media or are they freaked out and paranoid that there might be some tiny, little corner of the earth that does not spew forth their rhetoric? Is it not enough for them to have The New York Times, The Boston Globe, The Washington Post, ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, PBS (funded by our tax dollars) the college campuses, The American Teachers Association, The American Medical Association etc?
You see, it does work both ways. Nobody is tolerant of everything. The only legitimate debate is over the issues themselves. Since the left wants to stifle debate I think we know who shows more tolerance and who shows less. But let’s be clear: Neither side should offer tolerance blindly. If something is evil we do not tolerate it. If something is good, of course we tolerate it. It is legitimate to discuss various subjects, testing their corresponding ethics of good and evil. But the word tolerance should be retired from our conversation. Let’s bury that word once and for all. If we do, I promise to perform a lovely eulogy.
This is Bob Siegel, making the obvious, obvious.
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