Hypocrisy, Tolerance, and the LGBT Community

We hear a lot in the media and from the left about tolerance and acceptance.  The context of this, is primarily focused toward the LGBT community and racial minorities.   Those on the left love to take any comments even seemingly innocuous comments made by those on the right as bigoted, racists statements.   Now to be fair there is a racist and sexist element on the right, as there is on the left and any other area of society.

There have been many crass comments by those on the right, which were not worded well and could be seen as offensive. Sarah Palin’s comments on slavery and the Duck Dynasty star Phil Robertson’s comments on homosexuality are some recent notable examples.

But while those on the left preach tolerance and are quick to condemn comments like those made by Palin and Robertson, they do not seem to practice what they preach.  Isn’t the whole point of tolerance to respect the option of others regardless of what that opinion is?  Why is it that anyone who does not agree with homosexuality on moral grounds is demonized?  Now personally I have no qualms with homosexuality or the LGBT community.  Who am I to judge anyone’s lifestyle or belief system?  But shouldn’t tolerance of reasonable lifestyles go both ways?   By reasonable I mean those not engaging in criminal behavior.

There is a lot of hypocrisy in the LGBT community surrounding this issue of tolerance.  Many within the community preach about acceptance and tolerance, which is understandable and warranted.  However one who wishes to be respected should also be able to respect others.

Those who have deeply felt religious beliefs or those who do not believe in homosexuality have a right to those beliefs.  There is a difference between being homophobic and just disagreeing with homosexuality in general.   I recently heard a commentator on one of the major news channels suggest that Phil Robertson needs to ‘get in line’ with his personal beliefs and accept homosexuality.   For many people who disagree with homosexuality (rightly or wrongly) they cannot simply tow the line and change their belief system.

As a woman I have experienced mild forms of sexism and I expect as I progress in my career I will experience more obvious forms of it.  Although I may be disappointed to learn that some men find me inferior and/or think I am unfit for a particular job, it is not my job to change their minds.  Regardless of whether someone does not respect me as a woman he must respect me in my position.  And this is what the LTBG community should be working toward.

Are they going to change the minds of those who fundamentally disagree with their lifestyle-likely no, but that shouldn’t be the point.  The point or goal should be tolerance. We cannot make those who don’t like us, like us.  But who really cares if someone likes you anyway.