Is the concept of "political tolerance" really valid? "Tolerance" seems to me to be a concept that doesn't apply in a debate that is fundamentally about how the country should be run and what the core values of America are. We need tolerance of cultures, sexual orientations, etc. that are different from our own because those are issues of other people's choices and lives and don't directly affect us. Political views, by contrast, carry an implicit desire to see them implemented. When coming down on one side or the other of an issue that affects not just you but the entire country, as issues in national politics tend to be, you can't ask that other people respect your differences. You picked the opinions you hold and if they are challenged it is your responsibility to either defend them or renounce them.
Remember that you are deciding what you think is the best way to solve major problems in our society, such as armed crime, the focus of the gun control debate, or how to stimulate the economy, the focus of the taxation debate. You may even find yourself arguing about what America's goal and guiding philosophy should be (world dominance through economic means? The creation of an environment of completely unfettered freedom at the cost of protection? A controlled and safe society with the potential for abuse of power? A state dedicated first and foremost to caring for its citizens?) The answers to these questions affect us all and if your viewpoint has too many problems, you shouldn't feel somehow bullied when people point out the flaws in your reasoning.
If you find yourself constantly losing debates, that's not a sign that you're being put upon unfairly, that's a sign that you need to reexamine how you see the world and maybe make some changes. I have limited tolerance for people who don't do that, and I don't think that's unfair.
What is political tolerance?
Is the concept of "political tolerance" really valid? "Tolerance" seems to me to be a concept that doesn't apply in a debate that is fundamentally about how the country should be run and what the core values of America are. We need tolerance of cultures, sexual orientations, etc. that are different from our own because those are issues of other people's choices and lives and don't directly affect us. Political views, by contrast, carry an implicit desire to see them implemented. When coming down on one side or the other of an issue that affects not just you but the entire country, as issues in national politics tend to be, you can't ask that other people respect your differences. You picked the opinions you hold and if they are challenged it is your responsibility to either defend them or renounce them.
Remember that you are deciding what you think is the best way to solve major problems in our society, such as armed crime, the focus of the gun control debate, or how to stimulate the economy, the focus of the taxation debate. You may even find yourself arguing about what America's goal and guiding philosophy should be (world dominance through economic means? The creation of an environment of completely unfettered freedom at the cost of protection? A controlled and safe society with the potential for abuse of power? A state dedicated first and foremost to caring for its citizens?) The answers to these questions affect us all and if your viewpoint has too many problems, you shouldn't feel somehow bullied when people point out the flaws in your reasoning.
If you find yourself constantly losing debates, that's not a sign that you're being put upon unfairly, that's a sign that you need to reexamine how you see the world and maybe make some changes. I have limited tolerance for people who don't do that, and I don't think that's unfair.