The problem with this 'tolerance' idea is that in practice everyone gets to do do WTF they like, and it's affecting this society like a plague. We can see it all around us in the lack of respect for any kind of authority, in the lack of discipline in schools, and on our streets in any town in this country.
Wouldn't it be great if we just had the moral fibre to sometimes say, "Hey, you can't do that" and mean it!
I am very vocal when someone does something to hurt others. What I tried to say, if someone has beliefs which are intolerant, then so be it, who am I to tell them what to believe. When someone takes those beliefs, and uses them to hurt those who they hate, its a completely different ball game.
I have a few examples from when I have been vocal, and once, both with an outcome which could have led me to great trouble, so I am more wary now.
1:
On the bus home from College in a rough part of Edinburg, perhaps 8 years ago, I witnessed an arse spark up a cig on the bus. He was sitting near the driver, and when the driver asked him to put it out, he swore and mumbled. About 5 min later he lit another cig. At this point, a guy who was in the wheelchair bay, asked the guy to stop, as he was not in a position to get away from the smoke. The ****** blew smoke towards the chap in the wheelchair, whilst the packed bus sat and watched. I was now boiling inside (as I have a hatred of smokers FORCING non smokers to breath filthy air). Anyway, eventually I piped up, and told the guy to put it out. He started swearing and shouting at me, and another chap got involved, a chap with a long black beard and funny hat. I will cut this short. The smoker told the guy in the hat to f*** off back to his own country and mind his own business. He was being abusive to everyone, and was really scaring the chap in the wheelchair. I aksed the bus driver to stop the bus, which he did. I then shouted to a massive bloke a few seats behind me, and asked for help. We dragged the arse to the front door, and swung him to the street. He fell, cut his head on a wall, and we drove off. Everyone said thanks, but I realised I had been an absolute knob, if he had been seriously injured, I could have been jailed.
2:
Again, college years. My best friend was a muslim, Ahmed. Long and short of it, he was picked on by the older gang of muslims for bringing shame by hanging out with the white kids. I ended up standing up the head boy of the gang, and was threatened with stabbing and a severe beating.
3:
Lastly, this resulted in me getting a severe kicking. Will keep it short. After work, I witnessed three guys surround an old lady who owned a toy shop in a posh part of EDI. They had baseball caps and tracksuits, and I knew something was up in the shop. I am guessing they wanted the till takings. Anyway, I entered the shop and asked the lady if she was OK, at which point, the 3 guys ran past me out the door.
20 min later on the bus, they got on a few stops down from where I got on. They spotted me, and gave me a good beating before running off the bus to god knows where. That was really the last time I got involved with anyone elses affairs.
Gary.
If I were not to tolerate them, I would not be able to see a lot of my friends and family. I have a few people my age who I consider friends who trully are homophobic / racist and worse.
