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The Dilemma of Tolerance

By Theresa Fritz Camoriano

We Americans are pretty tolerant people.  We pride ourselves on making the U.S. a place where every person has a chance at success.  In fact, these days, especially among the liberal crowd, one of the worst things you can say about a person is that he is intolerant or bigoted. 

Tolerant people are supposed to respect the right of others to conduct their lives as they choose, as long as they are not committing aggression against others, regardless of the color of their skin, their lifestyle choices, or their thoughts and ideas.  Of course, the most effective way to be sure that people are respected is to respect their property and economic freedom, because property is what enables people to live as they choose – whether it is the money they earn to support their families, or the house in which they live, or the car that allows them freedom of movement.  As an extreme example of the coercive effects of losing economic freedom, I remember in 1974 meeting Soviet dissidents who were essentially starved into submission, because they were unable to find a job in a country where all jobs were controlled by the government. 

Only when we have control over our own property and have real economic freedom do we have control over our own lives.  When we are taxed to pay for a government-controlled education, we have lost much of our freedom to raise our own children and impart our values to them.  When we are taxed to pay for a government-controlled health care program, and when we cannot obtain medicines except through doctors controlled by the government, we have lost much of our freedom to control our own health care.  While these uses of force are often couched in terms of caring about “the children”, the fact is that the use of government force against people who are not committing aggression against others is simply a way for the politically powerful to impose their views and their priorities on others by force.  It is, in fact, an expression of extreme intolerance and bigotry. 

So why do those who pride themselves the most on their tolerance continually promote the use of government force (extreme intolerance) against others?  Why do they want to tax and regulate us all in order to control our health care, our children’s education, our employment conditions, and virtually every aspect of our lives?  Why do they show extreme racial bigotry in their characterization of Condoleezza Rice and extreme religious bigotry in their characterization of President Bush?  Could it be that those who consider themselves to be the most tolerant actually are the most bigoted and intolerant among us? 

Those on the political left currently are having fits over the prospect of religious conservatives passing laws that would intolerantly impose their beliefs on others, but that is exactly what the political left has been doing for years!  Apparently, the people on the left like intolerance and bigotry just fine, as long as it is directed against people who do not share their views, but they find it most unpleasant when it is directed against them!

Is it possible that all these “tolerant” people might consider promoting real tolerance by respecting the economic freedom of everyone, even people they think are ignorant and bigoted?  That sounds like a plan to me!  In fact, I would much rather live among people who are personally bigoted but who respect my property rights than among those who verbally claim to be tolerant but then proceed to use force in order to impose their intolerant views on me.  The tolerant bigots will let me live as I choose, but the intolerant do-gooders will have their boot on my neck in no time.

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