Human Rights Campaign. Equality around the world. Pro-choice. All of these phrases are those of slogans which seem to be a positive promotion of tolerance, but the movements have many hypocritical undertones which go over the heads of their followers. Many of these organizations preach tolerance, but exhort hate against those who do not accept their permissive agenda.
The idea of tolerance has the potential to create a more positive atmosphere in our society. In order to create this, groups of different viewpoints would work to coexist without publicly arguing and speaking out against each other. If the groups could refrain from doing so, the hypocrisy of the tolerant groups would be nonexistent.
Many of these organizations clash with opposing groups and cause social and political implications on those around them. The groups that they clash with are actually very similar in structure to the movements themselves- both are groups of people who are passionate about what they believe in. The true difference between the opposing sides, although both may maintain a certain amount of hypocrisy, is that the group which preaches “tolerance” among humans is hypocritical because they are unable to tolerate the opposing side’s perspective.
Very few groups, even those that the “tolerant” groups oppose, promote segregation and exploit the differences between people. Many of the tolerance movements attempt to find any sort of fault in their opponent’s lifestyle, and make an attempt to create a bad image of them, using terms such as “evil,” “bigoted” and “close-minded” to describe their belief systems. Examples include the constant clashes with groups like the Westboro Baptist Church. Many who oppose the practices of the church will protest against it flaunting signs that promote freedom of expression, yet the church itself is typically using its freedom of expression to voice its opinion. The “tolerant” groups tend to use intolerance against their opponent to create a bad public image for the groups of different beliefs. The proclaimed tolerant groups have disembodied and created bad public opinions toward religious and political groups alike.
Many individual opinions have also been corrupted by these groups. They may claim to have a sense of freethinking to them, but they tend to be able to sway the opinions of their followers much more easily than they should. They often are able to convince their disciples to think whatever the movement wants them to think by controlling the information that they intake. Until freethinking means being spoon-fed corrupted information, this will remain another example of hypocrisy alive in these “tolerant” movements.
True tolerance is to be respectful of everyone and their individual opinions. Whether or not they are indicative of other views, it is complete hypocrisy to preach acceptance, yet not be able to tolerate the ideas of those who oppose them.
