If We Tolerate This.....

I have an intolerance for intolerance. I know that sounds strange, but nothing bothers me more than judgmental people. I have no patience for racists (basically ignorant souls that can’t come up with an original thought), for those that believe themselves to be morally or ethically superior to other people or those that believe that their thoughts or opinions are superior to every one else.

(I may have been accused of that last point in the past, but no one can ever deny that I am a full believer in having one’s own opinions. As I always say, an opinion is an opinion – it’s neither right nor wrong. You can’t argue with an opinion because it’s simply unarguable. If I say I like the colour red, no one can say that I am wrong for that).

The Colour of Hate…

in my view is a by-product of ignorance. I receive emails every day from seemingly intelligent people that forward clap trap like the following:

“The Qur'an states that Muslims are told by Muhammad to kill Christians and Jews”.

After reading this work of fiction, I responded with examples from the ‘actual’ Qur'an (not the Qur'an that states that the Muslim people will exterminate the eagle state [a favourite email for a couple of years after 9/11]). I also informed the sender that before forwarding mail that could be perceived as “hate” mail by the friendly police that ensure law and order in our city, he might want to verify the so-called facts first. Nothing like spreading that down-home redneck ignorance around.

Then there are the Morality police. Take the problems Tiger Woods has had lately. He sleeps around with other women. His wife finds out, she beats him about his face with a golf club (the irony!) and he drives his Escalade off the road in an attempt to make his injuries look like a product of his collision. This makes news all over the world. Even people that aren’t golf fans speak about this like it’s the start of the third world war.

My issue with this is simple. It doesn’t matter if Tiger had one mistress or one hundred. It doesn’t matter that Tiger’s wife clubbed him. It doesn’t matter that Tiger crashed his car. You know why? It’s no one’s business other than Tiger’s and his wife’s. Who are you to judge this person? This is what bothers me about entertainment media and the no minds that follow it. What business is it of anyone’s what is going on in anyone else’s personal life? How would next-door neighbour Joe feel if he was having an affair and the local paper covered it? How would you feel if you did something you may or may not regret, only to have your private life put on display on TV, in the papers, on websites EVERYWHERE.

Despite the fact that Tiger is great at what he does and I assume is bigger than life to golf fans and to people that enjoy playing the game, Tiger is a human being. He’s not perfect. No one is. But he still deserves privacy and respect, just like everyone else. No one has the right to judge him or what he did. You don’t have to agree with it or condone it. People do the things they do for their own reasons. They don’t need to justify it to you or anyone else, other than the people that are important to them. So my advise it to mind your own business. Life is hard enough sometimes without being judge and jury to everyone else.

Lastly…..

Opinions are funny things. I have lots of opinions as I am sure most people do. I think Oasis is/was a very talented band. I believe that the Beatles were also a great band and led the way for Brit Rock in the sixties, but the Rolling Stones as a whole were much more sophisticated musically (in the early years).( I also think it’s time to hang up the guitar and drum sticks and retire gracefully but that’s just me) I think Leonard Cohen is a great songwriter but I prefer his songs sung by someone else. Ditto for Bob Dylan. I think Honda motorcycles are the cats ass (you couldn’t give me a brand new Harley Davidson, I would sell it and by a VTX1300). I think Apple products are the greatest marvels of the modern world. I think American beer is crap, along with their cars. I think pickup trucks are stupid unless you live on a farm or are a construction worker. I think Yamaha acoustic guitars sound nicer than a lot of more expensive guitars. I think Pepsi tastes better than Coke.

All these things are my opinions. I have been friends with people that hate Oasis. I have had discussions with many a classic rock fan that think the Beatles were better than the Stones and vice versa. Most people I know prefer Coke to Pepsi and most die-hard bikers aspire to a Harley one day. It doesn’t mean I am wrong, or they’re wrong. It’s just what we prefer. So why argue about it? I remember arguing once with a friend who said I was WRONG when I opined on the drumming skills of one Zak Starkey, son of Beatle Ringo Starr. My opinion was that Zak had more skill and was a much more interesting drummer than his Dad. Which was saying a lot in my view because Ringo taught his son how to drum. Listen to any Beatle song and then an Oasis song that Zak drummed on, and you’ll see what I mean. This friend of mind said “NO!” Well, hold on, it’s just my OPINION. While I am a huge music fan and a somewhat drummer and guitar player, not to mention that some people think I am a musical savant when it comes to music facts, I am not an expert. I have never professed to be. But I know what I like and I have a pretty good idea of what works in the music I enjoy. I would never give an opinion of opera or country music because I don’t listen to it. Just like this guy never listened to Zak Starkey drum, he wasn’t in a position to tell me that Ringo was a more talented performer.

So kids, remember – every one is entitled to their opinions. Whether or not you agree is neither here nor there. That’s what makes each and every one of us different and unique. It’s okay to enjoy or appreciate different things. And being tolerant of those around you just makes life easier. Not easy. Just more tolerable……