Progressive Values Stories: Peter Harvey on Community versus Intolerance

Intolerance betrays want of faith in one's cause.  Mahatma Gandhi

Edwin:  How do you see that conservatives have characterized the values of progressives?

Answer:   I think that conservatives have completely missed the mark.  They’ve gone off on various tangents, explaining themselves as being rooted in the bible, and so forth, but in fact, their very message is intolerant.  While Jesus would say tolerance is such a vital portion and love is such a vital  portion of what people should be and should do.  So conservatives have completely missed the mark when they attack other countries and hate people. 

This is not right, and is not Christian.  Whereas progressives adopt a policy of tolerance for one another.  This is what is right.  This is what Jesus would have wanted.  I can’t imagine how anyone could be a conservative Christian and support attacking and killing.

I think they would say progressive values have adopted evil, if you will, that they see us supporting gay marriage and abortion, and these are things they can’t understand, and they can’t get by the idea that those who need abortion should have them, that a woman has the right, that a couple who love each other are a good thing and should be understood that way.

I would say that conservatives violate their own ideals of loving people when they hate those who get married, like gays, and woman who get abortions.  They do not support these people.  They do not love these people.  And this is where they are missing the mark entirely.

Intolerance of ambiguity is the mark of an authoritarian personality.
 Theodor W. Adorno,  German philosopher

Intolerance At Wikipedia
Intolerance is the lack of ability or willingness to tolerate something.

In pressed through angry argumentation, looking down at people because of their characteristics or viewpoints, negatively portraying something due the contrast with one's own beliefs, etc. On a more extreme level, it can lead to violence - in its most severe form, genocide.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intolerance

See More Progressive Values Stories:

Edwin Rutsch
What Are Progressive Values? Documentary Project
http://ProgressiveSpirit.com 
and Study Group


Cross Posted To:
http://www.blogforamerica.com/view/25089

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