Tolerance is fine and all, but it’s time to practice what you preach.

I get it, I really do.

There are almost 7.5 billion people in this world, and 325 million of them live in the US. With that many people, we’re bound to have some disagreements, some differences in values, and some different world views. And regardless of how many people disagree with us, we should treat all of them as the humans that they are and give them a little common courtesy, regardless of how crazy their ideas sound to us.

That makes sense to me.

But what I don’t get is why it is so common to stand and trumpet tolerance all day long and then turn around and be intolerant of anyone who does not support the ideas you stand for.

I applaud your commitment and dedication to speaking up for a cause that is important to you. It can be so easy to say one thing but hide that opinion when not around likeminded people. More people need to learn to stick to their guns rather than backing down when they feel their ideas will alienate them from friends who disagree. After all, our country can never grow or mature if no one takes a stand and starts a conversation about things that need to be changed.

However, just because you are taking a stand doesn’t mean that everyone is going to stand up with you. For that matter, some of the people who stand up will actually be standing against you. And that’s okay.

If your message is tolerance and you are fighting that a certain group or lifestyle or choice or race or belief should be tolerated, then you need to tolerate the people standing across from you as well. Sure, you might disagree with them, and sure, they may be morally in the wrong, but they’re still humans just as much as the people for whom you are fighting. Show them the same respect that you want shown to all people.

After all, those conversations you’re trying to start can’t be productive if they aren’t a two way street; if everyone is talking, then no one is listening. We live in a society where we are talking at cross purposes all too often, never really stopping to listen to one another and truly address the points made by each side. And where does that get us? Nowhere, yet again.

The thing is, everyone does this; it isn’t unique to any political party or group of people:

You aren’t pro choice? You’re a horrible, inhumane, intolerantperson.

You expect pro life employers to pay for contraceptives? You’re a horrible, inhumane, intolerant person.

Really you just can’t win for losin’. Someone is going to disagree with you.

At the end of the day, you can’t control what other people say, do, or think, but you can control your own actions. So regardless of whether you agree with them or think they’re absolutely bonkers, practice what you preach; don’t be intolerant of their “intolerance.” Kill ‘em with kindness. They might just come to respect you because they see that they are treated with respect.

So if you’re gonna call for tolerance, be tolerant. No fine print. No questions asked.

“Be the change you want to see in the world.”