Alberta recently went through a provincial election. History was made, the first woman elected premier sits in office. She happens to be someone I know personally – how cool is that? But the ‘other’ party came out of this campaign stinking like decaying roses. Wild ones.

Early predictions were that they would take the whole thing and, in the process, oust a party that has been in office 41 years. Happily that didn’t happen. And why not? Because in the home stretch, their tolerance started to show.

Their leader, in response to uproar that she defended some of her flock for their outrageous behavior, stated that they would “uphold the traditions of tolerance, and freedom of expression, and freedom of religion, that have been hallmarks of Alberta’s character for over a century.”

Tolerance. I hate that word. Now, hear me out before you jump to any conclusions.

The blog of one of her candidate’s was pushed out of the closet. It said public education is “godless” because of a policy to prevent bullying of gay and lesbian children, warned gays that they would “suffer the rest of eternity in the lake of fire” if they did not change their ways, and some great advice for parents everywhere – “accepting people the way they are is cruel and not loving.”

Wow. Is it just me, or is that freaking crazy?

Another candidate claimed to be the best choice over non-whites because he is Caucasian. A third published anti-Semitic articles that included a report on a fictional “Jew tax.” The party’s platform calls for removal of prohibition against posting “no blacks” and “no Jews” signs for employment, lodging or service from our human rights act – the party leader stating “it makes perfect sense” to repeal it.

What is this, 1942? And that’s just the tip of their tolerant iceberg.

Tolerance is the capacity to endure pain or hardship. It is how much opposing force you can inflict on something before it snaps under the pressure. Tolerance is the allowable deviation from a standard.

When I hear someone say they are tolerant, all I hear is “I am right, you are wrong. I will put up with you, tolerate you, until I just can’t take it anymore.” The word is flung around with some new, elevated meaning. Are you above those you tolerate if you claim to have tolerance? I am intolerant of the word tolerance.

There is nothing wrong with disagreement, with differing beliefs and viewpoints. But must we simply put up with each other? Can’t we respect each individual’s right to make choices? Why not use the term acceptance? Some use tolerance as a synonym for that, and they do it with good and noble intentions.  But it doesn’t really mean that. It kind of means the opposite.

As always, the opinions expressed on this blog are mine and mine alone. Just a straight, white girl with no belief in any higher power (shoes and red wine notwithstanding). Just a girl with an amazing circle of family and friends. A circle chock full of agnostics, Anglicans, Mormons, Catholics, Buddhists, gays, straights, artists, accountants, cops, writers, blacks, whites, Asians, and a whole rainbow of other differences.

I love and respect each and every one. I accept them all into my life with no reservations. Unless we’re dining out. Then sometimes reservations are required.

Tagged as: acceptance, confessions, for the heck of it, lessons learned, tolerance