Beyond Tolerance to Acceptance



During a recent class discussion, I questioned my students about their understanding of the difference between tolerance and acceptance. Immediately, I saw facial expressions change with their recognition of the relationship between the two terms. When discussing such issues in a classroom filled with adult students from a rural community, I steady myself in case there is backlash. I also make every effort to create an environment of open discussion rather than judging comments. Still, I was pleased that students nodded in agreement when considering the point that mere tolerance is not conducive to diversity. Several people in the class even noted that "the Bible doesn't say anything about 'tolerating' others; it says we should be accepting of each other."
Since the discussions in my classes, I have continued to mull over the attitudes and comments made, and from that I have drawn a few observations:

  1. Even though I am helping them polish their communication skills through writing, these students are eloquent in their expressions of diversity and acceptance.
  2. A closed mind can not expand or grow, thus any form of education, including life's lessons, comes to a halt.
  3. Fear of the unknown, which includes lack of knowledge, hinders acceptance.

As for Fred Phelps and his cult at Westboro Baptist Church, what are they so afraid of, that they find it necessary to travel from Topeka, KS to Palo Alto, CA to criticize students for celebrating diversity and acceptance? Congratulations to the forward thinking high schoolers in their efforts to demonstrate peaceful unity and for embracing those that claim to be enemies. In order for someone to be an enemy, his aversion must be reciprocated. May others learn to follow Gunn High School's example by letting their little lights shine brightly to shrink the dark shadows of hatred.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Prop8 or Prop-hate?

On January 1, 1994 I had been married 11 years and had two small children. My husband and I sat down to talk about the problems we were having. It was a new year and I was creating an opportunity to start fresh. Our arguments and his general mood had progressively worsened. He wasn’t happy and neither was I. The discussion was sane and amicable but the lines were drawn. We both needed to commit 100 percent to mending the relationship or there was no need in going further. He agreed but wanted time to think. As we both took in a deep breath, I felt like I had literally been hit with a lightening bolt. I don’t know where the question came from or why I asked at that moment. I certainly wasn’t prepared for the answer. “You’re gay, aren’t you?” He paused and responded, “Yes.” Tears welled up in his eyes. I crossed the room to where he was sitting and knelt down, hugging him, reassuring him. “It’s okay,” I said. “At least now I know what is wrong and why you’ve been so miserable.” He hadn’t...
Read more

Twitter Litter

Twitter Litter noun 1. Scattered rubbish posted by tweeters on Twitter 2. A condition of disorder on Twitter caused by useless tweets 3. Propaganda spread on Twitter by egocentric tweeters I follow a variety of people on Twitter. Some folks follow me in return, some don't. Some have thousands of followers, some have only a few. Some tweet often, others go days without tweets. I often find great links to much needed information or enjoy a friendly "hello" from someone I've met online. As I perused tweets one evening, I came across a comment by someone ranking high in their number of followers. It seems they had gotten some unkind remarks from another tweeter and were goading more reaction. I followed links to responses and figured out the tiff between egos. Admittedly, I got voyeuristic pleasure from watching the public lobs yet I also realized I was following someone merely because they are a noted guru of social media. This person has not provided any useful informat...
Read more

Scrooged by library rules

Image
We've all had experiences where a simple transaction is blocked because of a rule. Thanks to some idiot that abused a privledge, the rule was established and we now have to jump through hoops. I understand why rules are set and generally try to conform rather than ask for an exception. Once in a blue moon, exceptions can be justified and should be made. Karen "DeafMom" Putz had just such a circumstance in her local Illinois public library. Her daughter, also deaf, was to attend a production of "The Christmas Carol" with her class. A series of events left her without an interpreter and a suitable option was to obtain the captioned video. The Putz ladies headed for the nearest library, though not the one that receives the family's tax dollars. A reciprocal agreement allows for the loan of non-fiction videos. Fictional videos require a $100 annual fee plus $1 per loan. Karen explained the entire situation and the librarian confirmed the captioned video was not...
Read more