TOLERANCE: The rallying call of the left. We are taught to be tolerant of everyone and everything. Anyone who does not agree with this narrow view of the worlds is instantly labeled "intolerant," a slur that has recently come into use by the same name-callers who so enjoy labeling people of differing opinions as "racists," "bigots" and "homophobes." These terms are used without regard to their actual meanings but instead thrown upon anyone not viewed as politically correct. In actuality these terms, especially tolerance, has become over-used and over-applied so much that it is in fact dangerous to our society.
Webster's dictionary defines tolerance as "sympathy or indulgence for beliefs or practices differing from or conflicting with one's own." Everyone can agree that this is a relatively benign definition and that a certain amount of tolerance must exist lest the world descend into turmoil. We certainly cannot allow only one belief system and not recognize someone who doesn't agree with it. This being said, as a modern, moral society we cannot allow certain parties to twist this ideal of "tolerance" into a blanket rationalization for everyone and everything; that is to say a certain level of intolerance should be expected from each and every one of us.
It truly is quite shocking how much of this "bad tolerance" is rationalized by stating that, "it doesn't hurt me, so it can't be bad." This is a fundamentally flawed method of thought as it truly is immoral behavior in general that degrades a society and in the end harms everyone.
Moral intolerance has been quite lacking in our society of late. It is amazing how many people will rationalize a pro-choice stance on abortion, acknowledging a moral problem with it, yet claiming that they do not have the right to "inflict" their views upon others. Not only do we have the moral right to attempt to stop a clearly acknowledged moral abscess, but dare I say that it is our responsibility as citizens of this civilized society.
According to a CNN/Gallup poll released in June, a majority of Americans do not believe that homosexual "marriages" should be legally recognized. (Because a marriage in the traditional sense is not possible without a man and a woman, some attempt to pacify this issue by calling it a "civil union." Despite this popular opinion, it is amazing how many people are quick to label others who oppose homosexual unions as intolerant homophobes. Opposing these "marriages" on moral grounds does not make one an intolerant homophobe, as there is a strong difference between tolerating an unhealthy lifestyle and legally recognizing and welcoming it on a societal scale.
It is almost as bad on an international level; we are consistently reminded not to judge other cultures even when their practices are in violation of our own morals. While it is appropriate and even beneficial to tolerate cultures that are different from our own, it is not beneficial in the least to tolerate acts that are clearly and definitively wrong. The mercy killings and degradation of women in many Islamic societies are simply wrong and should not be tolerated regardless of any sort of cultural tradition. The slavery in the Sudan is wrong and cannot be tolerated. The forced abortions in China cannot be rationalized on any scale and we must be quite intolerant of them.
What people do not understand is that it is not that we do not have the right to "inflict" our values upon these societies; it is that we have the moral obligation to be intolerant of their actions. As soon as we condone obviously heinous acts on a world wide scale we have reduced the ability of our culture to stand as a moral society in and of itself.
It feels strange to be advocating "intolerance" as to be tolerant is truly the buzz word of the day, and we are all terribly scared to be accused of intolerance. However in some cases it is simply necessary to be intolerant of moral aberrations and cultural wrong doings. As each day passes that we rationalize away our moral obligation to oppose these evils, our society falls further down the slippery slope of forgetting the values that our nation was founded upon. In the end our great nation will have to rise above this love affair with tolerance and realize that sometimes being intolerant is not only acceptable, but is our obligation.
(Daniel Bagley is a Cavalier Daily associate editor. He can be reached at dbagley@cavalierdaily.com.)
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