Intolerance: Quit It

We are surrounded by differing opinions. There are so many different points of view in the world, and it can be difficult to understand some opinions that aren’t the same as your own. The lesson that we as a people need to learn is that we don’t have to agree with someone to support them and tolerate them.

You can support your own point of view without belittling others. You can fight for your rights without removing the rights of others.

I recently saw a picture on the internet that made me see red a little bit. It was a wedding picture of a man and a woman, with the caption, “I might lose friends for this… but I support traditional marriage”. There’s something wrong with that.

It’s great to believe what you believe and support it. I personally believe in traditional marriage. But the part they went horribly wrong is with that first statement, “I might lose friends for this”. Obviously, it would be silly for one to lose friends because they support something they believe in. Based on the wording, however, it becomes obvious that when they say “I support traditional marriage” they really mean “I don’t support the rights of others to marry as they please”.

No, that’s not necessarily what they mean by that, but if it wasn’t the case they wouldn’t be worried about losing friends over it. The only reason you would lose a friend over a statement like that is if it was intended to attack or belittle their own beliefs.

Take the current topic for example – marriage. I don’t know of anyone who believes in gay marriage that would be offended by someone believing in traditional marriage. The only time they get hurt is when their beliefs and choices are ridiculed or put down.

It is completely possible and reasonable to support any cause you believe in. It is reasonable and admirable to stand up for your beliefs and live according to your own moral code. It is within your rights to believe in what you want to. You do not, however, have a right to fight against the rights of others when it doesn’t affect you.

As I stated in the article Unalienable Rights, we are all entitled to whatever rights we desire. The only limitation is that we have no right to do anything which infringes on the rights of others.

People who wish to support or take part in traditional marriage are well within their rights until they try to impose that on others.

People who wish to support or take part in gay marriage are well within their rights until they try to impose that on others.

I don’t know about you, but I’m sick of everyone only fighting for their own rights. We would get a lot further if we also made a point to fight for each other, even when we disagree.

Like I said before, I believe in and support traditional marriage. However, I would never use that as an excuse to take away the rights of others. I would fight for the rights of any one of my fellow human beings just as hard as I would fight for my own.

Let’s fight for each other. If you support traditional marriage, great. If you support gay marriage, wonderful. If we work together, we can all get the rights we want without harming the rights of others. It really is possible. We just have to grow up and do it.

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