Tolerance for the Sake of Tolerance.

Our nation is built on the premise of liberties for its citizens.  Many times, those liberties are abused and stretched to the very limits of reason by radicals of every persuasion…left, right, and all spaces in between.  Civil rights advocates walk in the same streets as the KKK protesters.  California DNC officials lead convention chants with two handfuls of raised middle fingers and chants of “f### Trump”.  Supposed comedian/comedienne/s use the most vulgar language conceivable and hold up bloody, severed head props of the President.  The DNC National Chair goes all over the country preaching that “Republicans don’t give a s###”.  Gender has no definition anymore and adult men can enter public restrooms with young girls simply by claiming they believe themselves to be women.  College students rule their campuses by dictating rules and policy to the administrators.  Youth athletic leagues are in turmoil over gender issues regarding boys playing with girls playing with…undetermined.  If it all seems a bit overwhelming, then you are probably one of many that feel that way.  There is no time or opportunity or space to step back and carefully consider many of these social issues that are roiling our society.  They are in your face, they demand you decide NOW, and heaven forbid you say the wrong thing to the wrong group at the wrong time.  You can be branded as a hater, a bigot, or a racist before you even know yourself how you feel about many of these situations. 

Educators have a monumentally difficult job.  They must somehow balance the rudimentary requirements of teaching our children the skills necessary to be productive citizens and, at the same time, help them to assimilate into the myriad kaleidoscope of lifestyles that exist in today’s America.  They are not intended to replace parents, but they do supervise the first immersion of children into organized society.  There are so many questions that need answers…Where does personal liberty end and public assault begin?  When did failure to publicly and vocally support a controversial cause automatically make you anti-cause?  How can it be anti-social or disruptive to simply try and discuss the different aspects of these subjects in a sincere and reasonable fashion?  Can we not have a society where one can withhold personal judgment without being labeled either pro-this or anti-that?  Why can we not allow changes in the way our culture and people live and work with each other to evolve and percolate before foisting them wholesale upon the entire nation?  Most reasonable people choose to hold their opinions to themselves and simply co-exist with the world; choosing their mates and friends in their own fashion.  Most reasonable people are just fine with this process.  Most reasonable people understand that they lack the moral authority to judge others on their lifestyles. 

But it seems that it is not sufficient to stand by, reserve judgment, and live to let live.  We have apparently reached a point in these States where failure to openly accept a controversial or different lifestyle is considered intolerant.  Alas, we have become blind to the realities of an open society.  If the rights of the few are to be respected, then the voice of the few must also respect the rights of the many.  Tolerance for the simple sake of tolerance is nothing less than the absence of principle.  The old saying that many of us have grown up with is as true today as it ever was… “If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything”.  

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It is popular today to stand for nothing and tolerate everything.  If that trend continues, then we as a people will have no foundation beneath us to support ourselves.  There must be certain universal, bedrock principles that we hold amongst ourselves that guarantee the right of each person to live as they choose…as long as that living does not intrude on the lives of others.  The freedom to pursue one’s lifestyle is a liberty based on that pursuit not compromising the pursuits of others.  We have the right to feel good about ourselves; but we do not have the right to demand that others feel good about us.  If we as a society cannot restore a foundation beneath ourselves, then the inevitable result will be cultural chaos. 

Tolerance is a gift that must be both given and received; it flows in both directions.  In order to be respected by all, the tolerance given must be sincere, open, and freely given; the tolerance received must be reciprocated by gratitude without demand.   There can be patience without approval. There can be tolerance without acceptance.  There can be private opinions and judgments that each of us hold inside; that is our right.  The gratitude of receiving tolerance is not directed to the individuals who tolerate, but to the nation that insures liberty.  Tolerance by an American citizen is a floor, not a ceiling; it is an obligation.  In a perfect world, it is given without thought or intent; but we do not live in a perfect world.  Once again: as long as the person expecting the tolerance does not infringe on the liberties of others with their behavior; tolerance is required.  However, the motivation for the tolerance cannot, and should not, be prescribed.  For a U.S. citizen, it is sufficient that we tolerate.  Let the inner motivation for that tolerance be a matter between an individual and their Maker.