'Tolerance'. Just think about the word for a moment. You probably see it as being a positive thing. A good thing. In our Politically Correct (PC) world we have had it drummed into us that a 'tolerant society' is a good society. And that 'tolerance' is something we should aspire to, should accept, should play our part in promoting.
That 'intolerance' is always a bad thing - it smacks of bigotry, prejudice, racism even. It suggests that one is not prepared to accept other views or behaviours or lifestyles or religious beliefs. And that is a universally bad stance to take.
But it is nowhere near as simple as the black and white 'tolerance is good, intolerance is bad' mantra that we have drummed into us by the PC brigade. Indeed, I would argue that 'tolerance' particularly when it is imposed by law, is a really really bad thing for everyone concerned. Tolerant does not mean 'friendly'. In fact the establishment of legally-backed tolerance actually goes a long way towards achieving the exact opposite of friendliness.
It helps, I think, if one looks at the issue - and the term - from a slightly different perspective. One could very easily argue that other definitions of tolerance include 'minding your own business' or, perhaps even more tellingly in my view, 'putting up with' the behaviour of other people. And this latter definition goes to the heart of my argument. Tolerating or 'putting up with' something suggests that it is something you don't like but have to accept.
And in many small and everyday ways this is true in all aspects of our lives, but in the west in any case, these niggles, up with which we have to put, are almost always minor issues - we forgive them as they forgive us our trespasses etc etc. The next-door neighbour starting up the mower at 08.00 on a Sunday morning for example or late night revellers coming noisily back from the pub.
The thing is I want to live with my neighbours and my community on friendly terms. We are part of a community which means we tend to try to avoid these minor off-pissing events as far as possible. It's called being civilised and rubbing along together with respect and friendship. And it is something that, I would argue, the majority of people who already live here and those who want to come to live here are seeking. We and they value and desire this informal approach to 'putting up with each other' as the bedrock of our 'tolerant' but above all friendly society.
Because it is a tolerance based on friendship and community and when it works properly and effectively it exists without recourse to the law. It is about common decency and respect for other people and it is the strong basis of a society that works for everyone.
But here's the rub: when this need for 'tolerance' is pushed beyond what are the universally - and informally - accepted limits of the community, and the law is then required to step in, this legal 'tolerance' becomes divisive and actually a cause of increased conflict.
Quite simply because the pissant who has not been prosecuted for his antisocial behaviour will take this as a green light to do what it was that pissed you off in the first place, more often and more openly and will push the envelope even further just to piss you off.
But hey that's on a micro or 'local' level. It don't really mean nuffin'.
It's on the macro level that this 'tolerance' is really powerful and really negative. Because the imposition of 'tolerance' is actually undermining our values as a nation.
And this is not about our welcoming in people with different beliefs. What our hard on for 'tolerance' is doing is undermining the values and outlook and 'friendliness' that people who are risking everything to come here, are coming here for.
They are not coming here to live in the same shithole they risked everything to leave. They are not coming here to be bullied into subservience by an effective Muslim Mafia that we are allowing to become established in our country by our tolerance.
They are coming because they believe that they will have a freer, happier life here, with more opportunity, better healthcare, more respect, better educational chances and outcomes for their kids.
And instead, our 'tolerant' society is ensuring that this won't happen. Because what we are tolerating is the very thing that they are risking everything to get away from.
What we are tolerating is honour killings, female genital mutilation, forced marriages of 12 year olds, electoral fraud, the treatment of young white girls as 'trash' to be sexually exploited, terrorism.
All the things that these people are fleeing from.
Still think that 'tolerance' is a universally good thing?
It's time that we stopped being tolerant of the intolerance of Islam.
It's time we stood up for what it means to be British - because that is what most people who want to come here are coming here for. We are not a Muslim country. If you want to live in a Muslim country feel free to do so. If you want to live here you need to understand that our way of life is about respect and about friendliness. If you are friendly and respectful, you will be welcomed into our society.
We'll be friendly, we'll help you if we can.
And if you don't want to live by these informal rules, that's just fine. But not here.
Not. Ever. Here.
Thanks for reading.
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