Tolerance is for Everyone
I don’t even know what to say… I am still in total shock about the events in Orlando this past weekend. This is not just a issue about homophobia and Islamic radicalism. This is not just an issue about gun control and mental health, although those two issues need to be better addressed.
This is really an issue about tolerance. The shooting in Orlando is just the latest in a long string of violence against innocent people because the assailant didn’t like something about them. But this is not even just about physical violence. Why has society become so intolerant of people who are different because of their race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, nationality, or political beliefs?
We have become such a divided society that we can’t even agree to disagree even during a tragedy. Just the other day a moment of silence on the House floor was disrupted by Democratic representatives protesting the inability of passing gun control legislation. Of course, we need gun reform in this country, but what about civility? A local franchise of Chick-Fil-A in Orlando opened its doors on Sunday to make food and deliver it to blood donors. But they were drastically criticized on Twitter for its longstanding anti-LGBT stances despite the good deed.
Speaking of the internet, I think social media and other online commenting forums have only exacerbated the hate in the world today. Take for instance the mother of the child who got caught up with the gorilla a couple of weeks ago. Sure, she may have made some poor judgment calls, but does she really need to get death threats?
And Donald Trump doesn’t help this situation either.
With his constant verbal attacks on Muslims, immigrants, blacks, Hispanics and women and the ever-growing physical violence at his rallies, this intolerance will only get worse if he is actually elected president.
This country is at a crossroads and we really need to re-evaluate what our collective values are. As a civilized society, we need to remember that tolerance is for everyone.