Is tolerance intolerant?

[The__Chameleon]

I accept that I am not perfect.
I embrace the dawn of a new day.
I understand that other people aren't perfect either.
I tolerate a cold.

I think that understanding and respect are key to social harmony, not tolerance.
I understand that some cultures hold very different ideas and values to those that I have been raised with and are accustomed to. I understand that the beliefs and lifestyles of some cultures sometimes clash and in those cases I advocate for voluntary segregation by both parties. Good fences make good neighbors. I do not want to be forced to live somewhere where people don't communicate well (if at all) in my language nor in many cases seem to want to learn how. I don't want to be forced to reside near foreign ways, foreign smells, and foreign ideas of personal space and property. For some, these things do not represent an inconvenience so much as an adventure, and those individuals should by all means live and work in ethnically mixed communities. But I feel there should also be communities that are more culturally isolated. Such communities, being not forced to culturally homogenize will be able to preserve the character of their respective culture better.


I like ice cream, and I like steak, but I don't at all like the idea of ice cream on my steak. Some things just don't belong on the same plate. China town (for example) is a lovely place to visit, but I don't want to live there, nor do I want my own community to become China town. Does that make me a racist? Well, there are likely those who would say yes, but my idea of a racist is someone who hates other people based on race, and that ain't me. But I do believe that everything has it's place, and the best place for people of certain cultures, especially if they are unwilling to fully integrate, is with others of their own ilk. If I move to another country to live, I  am expected by the people there to become fluent in their language and speak it when in public or in mixed company. I am expected to learn and adhere to the ways and customs of the native culture. But when we accept people here from other cultures, it is we who are expected to accommodate their ways.


Now with respect to immigration, I am a firm believer that charity begins at home. I understand that there are situations in other countries that make them unlivable for many, but instead of inviting those people here, to where there are not enough jobs for those already here and where social services are already strained, we should instead be going over there and fixing the issues that make those places suck for the people who live there. Yes, both cost money, but the latter option offers a long term solution that doesn't create a social burden at here. Once said country is set to a state of sociopolitical stability and economic self-sufficiency there ceases to be a need to accept a gazillion new immigrants every year. And lets face it, the Liberals just want to import voters to stay in power. The accumulating long term burden to our economy isn't even a consideration for them.