Editor's note: The Letter of the Month for October was originally published Oct. 2.
Beyond tolerance
While tolerance is preferable to intolerance, I think we should set the bar higher. Too often, "tolerance" means "I don't like your kind but I won't treat you as badly as I'd really like to." This kind of tolerance also implies the one tolerated is inferior to the tolerator.
I think we can do better.
I'd propose we consider "acceptance" in place of tolerance. In my view of this, acceptance carries the mantra, "So what?" You're black, I'm white; so what? You're a woman, I'm a man; so what? You're a Muslim, I'm not; so what? You have blond hair, I have ... had ... bad example. So we're different kinds of human beings, we're both humans.
In proposing acceptance in this sense, I am referring to how we should regard those human characteristics that the individuals involved have had no control over. The matter gets stickier in the case of things the possessor can control. I'm still working on that, but a key is whether your choices are hurting other people.
If you and I chose different colleges, so what. If you want to kill all the Jews, blacks, gays, etc., don't wait for acceptance. That's simply unacceptable.
EARL BABBIE
Hot Springs Village
Editorial on 11/12/2019