"...everyone else in our culturally pluralistic land should hold exactly your own outlook, on all issues..."
That is a line taken from a quote from Dr. Neil Degrasse Tyson. To keep the context of it, its about politics and how the majority of people vote for those only when they agree 100% with them. From the title of my post you may expect something about race or ethical choices; it is not. This post is something that I've given great thought to since I was young and observered people (my self included) saying stupid things in the name of politics, race, sex and sexual orientation. The black and white line for this is where our thresh-hold for that high-and-mighty word "Tolerance" fits into.
To give a small amount of history, I grew up with a VERY politically minded father who swung Right 99% of the time. He brought politics into EVERYTHING. If I so much as mentioned an actor that may have been a left leaner, I would have to hear about how their "politics are going to ruin this country." He also would be a good friend to some one, until he learned there was one thing (perhaps not politics) about them he didnt like and would distance him self from it. This isnt meant to insult my father, he was a VERY intelligent man, but often would have the social aptitude of an angered baboon. He is the representation of my focus for this post. He would pick one point of something he hated or didnt agree with and run wth it as an excuse to make sure he did not have to be a part of something. No attempt given to fix, talk or otherwise engage in the problem was EVER visited.
Most of our social and political issue mirror that behavior today. A person could be a great, humble and down to earth person, but people will find one difference about them to hate. Society will pick and pick until the person is ultimately cast in a terrible spotlight and is the focal point and poster child for the problem at hand. A great example would be Atheism, and taking a person who has terrible social tendancies to insult and do harm to what is different and claiming ALL are like that. I would expect anyone reading this to know better than that. I am an Atheist and I dont feel the need to harm or belittle what I dont care for, I leave it to its own business.
What is so wrong, so vile, about feeling a different way that some one must be ridiculed? I cant deny is was the same way, I think most of us can be at times. Could it be we are afraid? Do we have this underlying hate for something because it reminds us of our past? A person? Or do we have such fear and deep paranoia that we wont get our way around the person, so we act like little children?
Yes, this was built on ramblings with a foundations of a few thoughts thrown in.
Thats it for me.
