Intolerance of intolerance is still intolerance.

Disclaimer: This blog post is not intended to take sides on the whole 'heterosexual/homosexual marriage debate'. In fact, I'm not even going to state my opinion regarding one way or the other, because I feel it will completely distract whoever decides to read this post from my main point. 

Let me first say, that intolerance is wrong. People need to be accepting of each other, and not judge one another. That doesn't mean you have to be happy with people's choices/qualities/lifestyles, and it doesn't mean you can't state your unhappiness with that person. There is a line, however. When you get past the point of merely stating your opinion, and start crossing over to using hurtful language and actions, that's where the intolerance starts, and that's where it needs to end.

So how does one go about fighting intolerance?

From what I've seen over the course of the last few years, people seem to think that fighting intolerance with intolerance is okay. And really, it's not. Intolerance of intolerance is still intolerance (see what I did there?). 

Let's take this idea into a smaller perspective. Say I buy a new shirt that I absolutely adore. I feel that it's flattering, and it makes me a happier person when I wear it. A close friend of mine decides that she thinks it's the ugliest shirt she's ever seen - And she makes that known to me. That's perfectly acceptable. People have their own taste in clothing, and people have the right to wear generally whatever they want (you may have seen this taken to a whole new level at your local Walmart). However, if said friend were to constantly make a scene each time I wore that shirt, or tried to take measures to get rid of that shirt for me, that's crossing a line. And the same would go for me - If I were to de-friend her for not liking my shirt, that's just plain dumb.

I know that's kind of a silly metaphor, but I hope it gets my point across. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, and everyone is entitled to whether or not they agree with that opinion. I was talking with my friend today about this, and this was what she said, which I felt to be spot-on:

That's what is so great about living in the United States! We are free to choose what we want to think, feel, and do. Not everyone gets to enjoy that same freedom, but I'm afraid that this "freedom" is becoming a curse and turning people who were once friends into enemies. 

Let your opinions be known! Debate amongst each other! Educate yourselves of others' thoughts and beliefs. But let's stop with the intolerance all together, shall we? 

Can't we all just get along? :)