Am I a bigot if I am intolerant of a bigot? By definition, yes. A bigot is “a person who is utterly intolerant of any differing creed, belief or opinion.” Intolerance is defined as “an unwillingness or refusal to tolerate or respect…” So perhaps the linchpin here is respect or disrespect. if I respectfully and with sincerity, (yet firmly and rationally) disagree and disapprove of what a person or group says or stands for, I am not practicing bigoted behavior. And if I then make an uncontrived good faith effort to understand why they believe or think as they do, I am more likely to tolerate their insensitivity and respect their right to express their opinion. If their opinion is presented to arouse sentiment, to elevate emotion or (worst case scenario) to incite violence, to be intolerant will only enflame that passion, whereas understanding and respectful tolerance has a better chance of defusing volatility and calming a situation and even an entrenched mindset; especially if the reasonable course of thought extends to seeking common ground. But to be clear: violence must not and cannot be tolerated. Violence is not a belief, creed or opinion, and violence is not worthy of respect. Violence is an injurious and forceful action that can be engendered by a belief, creed or opinion, and is often triggered by emotion. If that line is crossed, there may be no choice but to judiciously fight fire with fire as prescribed by the reactive realization of sound law enforcement principles.

All well thought, but the reality is I am Human, they are full of hate and simplicity, and intolerance begets intolerance. I believe though that most bigoted people or bigoted factions who work along that spectrum from “arouse sentiment” to “elevate emotions” to “incite violence” do so because they are afraid. And though most will not admit to being afraid, when I understand that to be their underlying motivation, I can have more empathy; (but they’re still ignorant).

Why is it so damned difficult to tolerate intolerance?

I will come at it from another angle.

You may believe that I am in some way inferior—a lesser being—and though I disagree, I have to respect your right to believe that, and, you have to respect my right to disagree. Regardless, you need me and I need you. We have no choice but to work together. You cannot do it without me and I don’t want to do it without you. Energies spent on divisiveness are so much better spent on saving the world. And just because you want to widen this divide between us by loudly and viciously disagreeing with everything I say, your sanctimonious double-edged intolerance does not change the fact that the world needs saving. And to do that, you need me.

It is past time to (both literally and figuratively) open the prison gates so as a nation (and ultimately as a world) we can operate at full capacity.

It is past time to stop the childish bickering and blaming and embarrassing pissing contests.

It is past time to realize that intolerance (even of intolerance) is a step backward.

It is past time to stop practicing colorblindness and embrace the positivity of our individual ethnic and cultural strengths to contribute to the universal progress that is necessary for saving the world.

It is past time to realize that our nation was founded and built on the backs of an underclass identified and labeled by the color of their skin.

And it is past time to realize that today, (though the labels have become more politically correct and the underclass has become somewhat more diverse and inclusive), our nation continues to operate on this caste system in order for the powerful to maintain status quo.

It is past time to bring down the powerful and to subvert the status quo.

I am actively hopeful that past time is not synonymous with too late.

I can hear the old guard struggling for breath; fighting to live. Though today they appear to have revitalized their outmoded thoughts and ways, I believe they are not long for this world. And nearing the end of their life of simplicity and ignorance, I see them desperately working to prop up their crumbling, collapsing walls by sowing fear and fertilizing nescience.

The old guard is afraid of change. Their younger (and frequently poorer) followers, (more accustomed to change), are afraid of ubiquitous integrity. For the old guard to maintain power requires an illusion of preeminence. For their younger (and frequently poorer) followers to follow requires a belief that reality is not real and “we” are more deserving. To maintain superiority requires metaphorical (and sometimes physical) barriers; boundaries that create a delusion of safety and security; a stronghold that keeps “them” out; all delusional because the fear is misdirected. Their fortifications will not protect them from themselves. The question becomes will the offspring of the powerful work to maintain the illusion, and if so, are they savvy enough to pull it off? Or are the younger and (frequently) poorer followers paying more attention, closing the knowledge gap and becoming less easy to fool?

I can hear the old guard struggling for breath; fighting to live.

Is it their last gasp?

Let’s actively hope so…

But what then?