With Jason Simon

Image by TheLawleys

Much has been said about the virtues of tolerance and the practice of respecting the beliefs of others. It is an attitude that many strive for.

I was recently reintroduced to the idea by an acquaintance that liberals are more tolerant than conservatives. Referring to policy and personality, she suggested that conservatives are not open-minded or tolerant of those who seek help (e.g. government) to satisfy their basic needs.

While political parties certainly have a core set of values and political positions, points of view and tolerance of others generally vary from situation to situation, much derived from past experiences and future expectations.

On Boston Legal, conservative William Shatner (Denny Crane) is quite tolerant of his very liberal friend James Spader (Alan Shore), and vice versa. I actually prefer to use the word acceptance rather than tolerance to describe this quality of their relationship. Their political orientations and politics are very different to say the least, but their differences bring them together, or at least make the show interesting!

Human differences can separate people as much as they can bring them together.

Photo by tostadophoto

On our return flight from a wedding in St. Louis, my wife and I were greeted by a crying baby on the airplane. This was not your average crying baby. She cried and cried, and cried some more.

As I sat in my seat, I pondered whether I should speak up, and convey to the parents that it’s okay - no worries. This may have comforted the parents… or could have embarrassed them further. I’m not sure. I often try to anticipate how other people will respond to words I sometimes don’t end up saying. This hasn’t gotten me in trouble, but that isn’t necessarily a good thing. Sometimes you’re better off to speak up, speak out, and of course speak clearly.

Photo by firepile

On August 28, 1963, the world stood with poise as the beloved Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his most infamous speech, “I have a dream.” His fearless voice was heard, and still today, many remain in awe that such a man once walked the streets of this country that we proudly call our own. Years pass and memories fade, but today on the anniversary of his passing, in this ever more complicated world, I ask, “What is your dream?”

Just days after graduating college, I hit the road with my father to catch a glimpse of the U.S.A., the country regarded by many as the freest of all nations. But as I slouched on a bench in Philadelphia watching my father lift his arms to the sky, an officer indifferently waived his metal detector back and forth searching for a symbol of hatred. Soon after, I stood face to face with the Liberty Bell suggesting to my father that we have not gained more freedom, but rather freedom from. In our pursuit to eradicate hatred throughout much of the world, have we once again responded with hate?

The Liberty Bell no longer rings; however, it still lives in the hearts of many. For some, the bell symbolized this nation’s Declaration of Independence; for abolitionists, a symbol of peoples’ struggle for equal rights.

I am not advocating for the removal of block barricades in the nations’ capital, the dispersal of officers that stand with pride at Independence Hall, or the withdrawal of troops from Iraq. These actions need further discussion, but freedom means different things to different people, and let us not forget what it meant to the founders of this country, nor the natives whom it was taken from.

I cannot negate that we live in a time where fearing that which is different can ease the mind. It is not our inability to secure freedom that disturbs me the most, but our false consciousness that we have maintained it. Many say that sacrifices are necessary to secure freedom, but is it our freedom that we sacrifice?

I agree with the late president Franklin D. Roosevelt who said, “That the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” If fear is our destination, than so be it. But don’t forget that another path always remains.

Originally written on 8/3/2003.

Photo by KeithBacongco

As I turned the corner of 8th and 140th, I glanced over to watch a mother and her children waiting to cross the street. One of the children slipped away, and was no longer connected to the chain of hands. The mother quickly sensed this change, and casually brought her child closer so that he did not step off into the crowded street.

I’m not a parent, but I’m starting to better understand what parents do, which is to protect their children from harms way. When insecurity presents itself, parents will do almost anything to counteract it.

I read newspapers, watch the news, and talk with different people about the various wars being fought on various fronts throughout the world. An absolute reason for why humans continue to take life from itself has yet to be discovered. But when people seek security, and perceive a lack of it, good and bad decisions are made.

Often times, people feel more secure by making others feel insecure. But if I don’t feel secure and I make efforts to ensure that you don’t feel secure, then what…

Mutual insecurity isn’t good for anyone.

If countries, cultures, and networks of people want to increase their security, they are better off making others who share different views and experiences feel similarly secure in them. This does not mean that one needs to agree with the values and/or practices of others, but accept that they do exist, for they cannot be changed by declaring and imposing a so-called “one right way to live” -whatever that may be.

Rejecting all that is different and that which makes one feel insecure may work from time to time, but in the long run, mutual insecurity causes precarious situations.

Photo by *clarity*

Living in the Pacific Northwest, the presence of sun is rare during the winter months. Clouds overwhelm the sky, and rain trickles down endlessly.

When I moved from Virginia to Washington my friends questioned why. I believe that summers in Washington are among the most beautiful I have every seen, and truly the rainy weather is good for reading and writing.

When Virginia was my new home, I often heard, “Why would you leave the California sun and sandy beaches?” I was told that the winters are harsh, the snow heavy, and the summers humid.

When I moved to Hawaii from California for a short time, I was asked how I would manage to live on an Island where road trips were 45 miles at most?

I was more recently asked where my favorite place in the world is?

My answer was something like this: Washington is my favorite place because that is where I am. When I lived in Virginia, it was my favorite place. When I lived in California, it was my favorite place, and the same goes for Hawaii. What’s yours?