This picture (posted on Facebook - where else?) reminds me about the intolerance of the tolerance doctrine. Every few years I post something about it.
Many of those who passionately pursue tolerance are anything but tolerant when it comes to people who they think to be intolerant.
Don't you just love the irony of it all?
This is VERY true. The interesting thing about it is often these individuals aren't aware of the duplicity of their own lives and reactions to others who don't share their beliefs. Oh well...
ReplyDeleteDuplicity is a good word to describe it Ollie! Thanks for the comment!
DeleteReal tolerance means tolerating the people you really disagree with, which is one of the things the modern idea of "tolerance" avoids.
ReplyDeleteSo true Mike. Tolerant people try to find the best people that they disagree with.
DeleteYou and I have had debated this matter before. I didn't and still don't believe that some people deserve our tolerance. For example, there is nothing tolerable about a racist, consequently, I would not debate the matter with a racist. If Rand Paul, believes that any person in private business should have the right to refuse to do business with a person because of their race, he may not be a racist but his attitude about racial equality is still intolerable. In Rand defense one might say that an individual rights are as important as another's civil rights. I disagree. If the racist owns a hot dog stand and refuses to serve hot dogs to non-whites, that's insignificant. But, if the racist owns the only gas station in Little Town, KS or the only bus company serving Little Town, KS or the only hotel in Little Town, KS, the racism is intolerable, which makes Rand Paul's argument that private rights are more important than civil rights unworthy of debate.
ReplyDeleteThanks for commenting Joe. Our society usually does not tolerate illegal actions. Mostly the intolerance that I think about is related to the attitude that some have towards people who disagree with them. That sort of intolerance is on full display in places like congress and keep people from coming to any sort of compromise.
DeleteI understand and agree that there is a difference between the two forms of intolerance. I'm not convinced that intolerance is the chief reason that Congress cannot act. Several states have elected politicians who are completely unwilling to compromise. Defeating every initiative of the administration, including Republican initiatives that the administration supports. Since the Conservatives don't have the power to pass their initiatives their goal is to defeat or impede all of the administrations initiatives.
DeleteThe Conservatives have attempted to pass a full or partial repeal of the Affordable Care Act at least 35 times, although the majority of Americans don't want it repealed and the Supreme Court has ruled that it does not violate the Constitution. In spite of that many Red States are refusing to comply with the act. It isn't unlawful for the Conservatives to try repeatedly to repeal Obamacare. It isn't unlawful for the states to refuse to comply or delay compliance. Every legal and legislative challenge of Obamacare has been passed, yet the Conservatives will not agree to anything except a full repeal. I consider the Conservatives' position on Obamacare to be intolerable. Negotiating with them will not put an end to their constant obstruction. They aren't willing to modifications of Obamacare; they insist that it must be repealed in full and then replaced. I've got a bridge I'll sell to anyone who believes that.
Republican Senator Toomey for PA was willing to cosponsor a compromise gun control bill. It doesn't include requirements that he absolutely can't accept and it doesn't include everything that gun control activists want. It simply includes what is acceptable to both interests. It is a starting point. It's how most legislation is enacted. But, there are conservatives or libertarians who absolutely refuse to agree to anything. That is an intolerable attitude, in my opinion.