I identify as a liberal,but as the kind that actually is tolerant, that believes in liberty, kindness, and justice, all at once, to the extent we can achieve it.

Tolerance is a necessary first step in order to listen to those who have different views from us. Obviously we don’t tolerate extreme acts like murder; almost any act is justified in preventing it, right? Except suppose you believe, in all honesty, that abortion is murder. Then it would follow that firebombing abortion clinics is an act of heroism to save the innocent, not a disgusting and dangerous display of fanaticism. If we’re going to resolve the issue in a civilized, reasoned fashion, we have to be tolerant enough to at least start talking. (We need not be so permissive as to allow firebombing.)

Perhaps, in the end, there is no resolution; perhaps no amount of explaining developmental biology or talking about the impact of an unwanted pregnancy on a woman’s life or anything else will bend the view of those who think abortion is as wrong as murder is.

But we are successful as a species in large part because we communicate with each other, share information and perspectives; we can empathize, see things from each others’ point of view, and thereby better choose our actions. Might might make “right”, but it doesn’t make “correct” or “just”. A broader perspective can make things correct and/or just. It won’t always work. But very often it will.

The tolerant liberal recognizes this and seeks freedom for individuals to question the standard ways of doing things and lends an ear to those who think things can be done better. The tolerant liberal seeks a system of government and fosters interactions that promote discussion.

I therefore reject intolerance, even intolerance of intolerance. “Let’s talk”, I would say. “I believe you also want a better future. Let’s figure out why our views on how to achieve this are so different, and see if we can come to an agreement, or at least a scenario that is tolerable to both of us for now, while we continue to try to understand what will actually lead to a better future.”

I admit that it can be frustrating when faced with people who want to trumpet their platform and try to close their ears to all evidence or dissent. But without discussion of new ideas, without enthusiastic embrace of reason and dialog, liberals are just conservatives with a different set of ideas about how things should go, ideas that haven’t even stood the test of time. Sufficient tolerance to admit dialog is the liberal superpower.

Don’t throw it away lightly.