Nov
9

Tolerance

jamin on November 9th, 2004

So much for tolerance.

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13 Responses to “Tolerance”

  1. laura
    November 9th, 2004 at 1:22 pm

    I don’t think there really is a such thing as tolerance for opposing view points. Sad, as it may seem, I don’t see it being possible in the near future. Some people will say they respect where people of are coming from. Those are the “nice” ones. Unfortunately, there aren’t too many of those. Yes, I will say that I am upset and scared that a slight majority of our country felt that Bush would make a better president.
    Yes, I am a Kerry supporter. I think that he had some really good ideas. I also think that in times of war, people are afraid of change, and that’s why those people chose to vote for Bush. Anyways, I know I went a bit into left-field about this, but now I will keep my mouth shut and see what happens in the next 4 years. Ouch!

  2. Anonymous
    November 9th, 2004 at 2:10 pm

    Tolerance is one thing, but tolerating the people who aren’t tolerating you (and who are actively doing something about it let’s just say) is something completely different.

    I’m about to invoke Godwin’s Law, but should the Jews have ‘tolerated’ the rise of the Nazi party?

  3. Anonymous
    November 9th, 2004 at 2:15 pm

    frontpagemag isn’t quite what you’d call unbiased, though. Is this event covered somewhere else?

  4. Nikolai Weibull
    November 9th, 2004 at 3:20 pm

    Again, I find it necessary to comment on one of your blog entries. What is bothering me this time is that I don’t understand what point you have taken to this post. Are you saying that “so much for tolerance” about the “leftists” who “attacked” the “friendly” “conservatives”, or are you (I really hope its this one) saying “so much for tolerance” about an “open” America where pages such as FRONTPAGEMAG.COM can exist? FRONTPAGEMAG.COM is obviously a “magazine” run by people who are racists without even knowing it. Reading the article you referenced certainly makes this clear. The language, the choice of words, sentence construction (horrible as it is), and accompanying pictures all confirm this - just take a look at the second picture; message: look at the palestinians, they’re everywhere and they want to kill us. It’s sad that it is the most well-educated young that support a regime that plays world police. What ever happened to student rebellion? What ever happened to the America where people welcomed strangers into their own home? The “you’re either with us or against us”-attitude together with the “well, we actually don’t care if you’re with us or not, it simply sounds better if you are”-attitude is really disturbing. It’s time to get over yourselves and realize that the land you are so preciously trying to protect has been blighted by your very own.

    In closing, I am a proud American and a proud Swede. Yet, if someone had asked me five years ago, where I felt most at home, I would have answered America without even thinking. I’m not so sure about my answer anymore…

  5. Jamin Gray
    November 9th, 2004 at 3:23 pm

    I did a bit of searching and about the only other coverage I could find on the event is from the school’s online newspaper. You can read the account for yourself. It does paint a slightly different picture.

    Look, the bottom line is that tolerance is about having respect for another human being. No that does not mean agreeing with their viewpoint. My point is that there is a bit of hypocrisy about the subject of tolerance. You’re allowed to believe whatever you want as long as it doesn’t conflict with my views. You can believe in God as long as you don’t publically say that atheists are wrong. There are no absolutes, absolutely.

    I guess I just want peace. I want the war in Iraq to be over and the Iraqis to have a free democracy. I don’t want the United States of America to be come Un-united and start Civil War II or secede. I want us to go back to being Americans and enjoying this great country where we are free to express ourselves without fear of having our heads chopped off, free to protest in an orderly manner, free to use our voting rights to change the nation. I guess I’m a hopeless romantic, politically…

  6. Nikolai Weibull
    November 9th, 2004 at 3:38 pm

    Jamin: OK, so the bottom line is: don’t read crap like FRONTPAGEMAG.COM? It doesn’t seem to strive for a US where people can coexist peacefully, am I right? By the way, do Americans really understand the word “tolerance” - it doesn’t really seem to capture the spirit you are after Jamin. You seem to be talking about peaceful coexistance or mutual acceptance, embrace, and respect - not tolerance which in this context translates into something like “yeah, I’ll listen to her because I have to, but I don’t like her or what she’s saying and I don’t have to either”. Tolerance is about tolerating, not accepting and embracing.

  7. Nikolai Weibull
    November 9th, 2004 at 3:41 pm

    By the by, I didn’t imply that you, Jamin, didn’t know the proper meaning of tolerance. Heck, I don’t even know your ethnicity.

  8. Michel
    November 9th, 2004 at 7:31 pm

    very sad , sad for “republicans”, sad for “palestinians”, sad for all the others in the middle.

    from a foreigner point of view, I can say I’m worried for the USA.
    (_not_ by, I hope I’m well understood)

    and so now I read “http://frontpagemag.com” and it’s not reassuring. I don’t think that website is a good thing, it can bring more problems than solutions. it can brings FEAR. the last thing people need.

    if now, even american “palestinian” are violently afraid of republicans, what next ? maybe now some us citizens will be afraid of all foreign people ? of all arabs ?
    and what next ? more violence ?

    a responsible media SHOULD ALWAYS remind, whatever ethnic or side, the very huge majority of people (arabs or asians, europeans, indians… etc). are just decent and nice peoples, and no need to be afraid of them, no need to remind every day “irk there are some mad folks, here is the proof !” ,

    but If fear wins, the nice and decents one, will have problems too, because of these stupids acts and one day they will be forced to choose one side, even if they don’t want. (and it’s difficult to not choose its own culture, ethny, familly) and it brings tragedy.

    So I hope, this kind of ugly publicity will not bring fear of american arab to others americans, because it would be very tragic for everyone.

    I’m worried, because Republicans brings many more resentment with the Iraq war, some palestinian vs israel failure and others stuff.
    there will be violent and extremist arabs who will try to use resentment to bring more chaos ,and in retaliation many americans citizens will think USA have to be more “strong” to defend thems, and so on, so on…

    it’s so complicate, USA cannot stay “out of the world” (some isolationnist would like that), but in the same time, USA have to learn to stay “beside the world” or to bring REAL peace SOON because there are too many people _using_ resentment in the world,.
    it doesn’t matter anymore if Bush is doing right or wrong to protect american interest, now , the most important thing is to bring peace for all. (yeah, now I’m even for send every european soldiers, money, whatever to ease the situation in Iraq)

    other thing :
    for a foreigner, it seems USA is DIVIDED in HALF and now I read there are some fight in university ??!! what next ?
    don’t forget Europeans peoples are strongly affected by problems in USA.

    recently sometimes, in blogs or forums, I read some usa citizens speaking, most the time in some kind of jokes, about “civil war 2″ , is it not frightening ? is it only bad jokes ?

  9. Anonymous
    November 10th, 2004 at 9:28 am

    Tolerance: The capacity for or the practice of recognizing and respecting the beliefs or practices of others. (dictionary.com)
    True tolerance does not preclude truth; it simply acknowledges that the treatment of any individual person is more important than his individual beliefs or practices. This shouldn’t be inconsistent with any religion or non-religion. Perhaps true tolerance isn’t possible unless it is fueled by love.

  10. shazman
    November 10th, 2004 at 3:34 pm

    jamin……….

    are u trying to instigate a riot on your blob!

    shazman

  11. amy
    November 10th, 2004 at 4:19 pm

    Perhaps when you create a link with what seems like a perfectly inncoent-meaning title you should explain your position. It apparently is upsetting people, when I think your point was to ‘make people aware’ of instances where there are still tensions either ethnically or politically or both etc.

  12. Ryan
    November 11th, 2004 at 11:54 am

    I wonder about the particular events that led up to the confrontation described on frontpagemag. The article contains a photo of a flyer (presumably the palestinians’) that accuses the College Republicans of racism and bigotry towards Arab women on the campus. However, the article does not investigate this accusation. I do approve of violence, and do not support the actions of the Palestinian student group. But, I do wonder if we are getting the whole story. Did the College Republicans do something prior that may have angered the Palestinians, something racist or bigoted as the flyer suggests? I only say this, because I think too often relevant facts are left out of “news” stories for the purpose of supporting a particular side. Those of you who believe in the vast liberal media conspiracy should certainly agree with me. ;)

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