The last week or so there seems to be one news story after another about tolerance. Tolerance in the NBA (Jason Collins), tolerance in the NFL (Michael Sam) and tolerance in Arizona (Anti-Gay Bill).
Not only have stories about tolerance been headline news but we, the people, have been asked to tolerate the sexual preferences of a minority. Yes, the majority has been encouraged to tolerate a lifestyle that is contradictory to our own.
Tolerance Now, Tolerance Tomorrow, Tolerance Forever
When I hear the word tolerate, it reminds me of the word segregate. So over the past several days, as I have listened to America deliberate tolerance of our mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters who are gay, memories of Governor George Wallace’s 1963 Inaugural Address are evoked. The 1963 Inaugural Address was a speech where the former Governor of Alabama espoused his brand of tolerance for a different group of American mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters.
In Governor Wallace address he famously declared “segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever”. The Alabama Governor’s words were the galvanizing motto for those opposed to the United States Declaration of Independence. For Governor Wallace and his supporters, all humans were not created equal and as such integration was unthinkable and unacceptable. Tolerating the existence of African-Americans was one thing but respecting them as equals was something altogether different.
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
The more things change in America, the more they stay the same. It’s 2014 and America has yet to fully embrace the message from the anthem of another tolerated group of Americans. In 1967, when the Queen of Soul recorded RESPECT, it was a rallying cry for women. Women no longer wanted to be tolerated by men, women wanted/demanded to be respected. Regrettably, if salaries are a measurement of respect, women’s demands have gone unfulfilled and they are still being tolerated. (In 2012, female full-time workers made only 77 cents for every dollar earned by men, a gender wage gap of 23 percent.)
Along with women, another tolerated group of Americans are still waiting to be respected. Our mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters who are gay no longer want to be tolerated. Instead as Aretha Franklin soulful belted out, they want R-E-S-P-E-C-T!
Down Goes Tolerance
Tolerance is like a bucket that is full and cannot tolerate another drop of water. Tolerance is like a balloon that cannot tolerate any additional helium. Tolerance is what George Foreman did to Joe Frazier in the first round of their 1973 bout. One more drop of water and the bucket leaks. Any more helium and the balloon explodes. One more punch and “down goes Frazier”.
All three scenarios describe undesirable outcomes. All three scenarios illustrate the danger of tolerance. Tolerance is being at the end of our proverbial rope. As such, we should dispense with the use of the word tolerance forever.
Americans who espouse tolerance, as the answer for Civil Rights issues fail to grasp that America is not built on an individual’s ability to decide if we can accept another’s sexuality, gender or race. Americans don’t need you to believe that you are at the end of your rope and that you are trying to hold on for their benefit. Americans who abide by all the rules and regulations – just as required of the majority – should never be concerned about their equality being usurped or endure a trampling of their human rights simply because their lifestyle is different.
Where there is no harm to society, Americans should not be tolerated. Rather, Americans must be respected for who they are – men and women who are created equal, endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. Or in the soulful words of Aretha Franklin, our mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters who are gay don’t need our tolerance they need us to T-C-B (Take Care of Business) and M-O-O-B (Mind Our Own Business) so that they can get their R-E-S-P-E-C-T.
What do you think? Has anyone ever made you feel as though you were being tolerated? Are you raising tolerant or respectful children? Share your thoughts below!