Tolerance is a personal decision that comes from a belief that every person is a treasure. I believe that America's diversity is its strength. I also recognize that ignorance, insensitivity and bigotry can turn that diversity into a source of prejudice and discrimination.
To help keep diversity a wellspring of strength and make America a better place for all, I pledge to have respect for people whose abilities, beliefs, culture, race, sexual identity or other characteristics are different from my own.
Personally I don't see much that's wrong with this. Some might object to mentioning "sexual identity" to young students though. Even Christians should believe in teaching "respect" for others even if you don't agree with them or think they're wrong.
small note, if it isn't obvious, the second paragraph above is also part of the tolerance pledge and my remarks are in the third paragraph.
Indoctrination is not the same thing as respect. Respect must be earned, eh?
"Some might object to mentioning "sexual identity" to young students though."
Yeah I do. I also object to school time being spent on such nonsense. Children can be taught to respect one another during the course of their regular lessons. Any child young enough to really enjoy Sponge Bob or (heavens!) Barney, is far too young to understand the concept of "sexual identity" or even such concepts as "abilities" or "culture".
Some people believe that sodomy is an unacceptible and harmful practice. Why should we respect those that practice and proselytize such behavior?
Click on the teacher resources at their website. CHECK OUT WHAT THEY RECOMMENDED AS TEACHER RESOURCES
American Psychological Association. "Answers to Your Questions About Sexual Orientation and Homosexuality." Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association, 1998.
American Psychological Association. Publication Handbook of the American Psychological Association. 4th ed. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, 1994.
Bettelheim, Bruno. Surviving and Other Essays. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1979.
DiZerega, Gus. Pagans and Christians: The Personal Spiritual Experience. St. Paul: Llewellyn Publications, 2001.
Frank, Francine W., and Paula A. Treichler. Language, Gender, and Professional Writing: Theoretical Approaches and Guidelines for Nonsexist Usage. New York: Modern Language Association of America, 1989.
Gandhi, Mahatma. The Words of Gandhi. Read by Ben Kingsley. Audiotape. New York: Caedmon, 1984.
Jackson, Donna. How to Make the World a Better Place for Women in Five Minutes a Day. New York: Hyperion, 1992.
Maggio, Rosalie. The Nonsexist Word Finder: A Dictionary of Gender-Free Usage. Phoenix: Oryx Press, 1987.
Maggio, Rosalie. Talking About People: A Guide to Fair and Accurate Language. Phoenix: Oryx Press, 1997.
McClintock, Mary. "Lesbian Baiting and Gay Baiting: How Homophobia is a Tool of Sexism." 1991.
McIntosh, Peggy. "White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack." Peace and Freedom July-Aug. 1989: 10-12.
Millett, Kate. The Politics of Cruelty: An Essay on the Literature of Political Imprisonment. New York: W.W. Norton and Company, 1994.
Miller, Casey, and Kate Swift. The Handbook of Nonsexist Writing for Writers, Editors and Speakers. 1st ed. New York: Lippincott and Crowell, Publishers, 1980.
Moulton, Janice. "The Myth of the Neutral 'Man'." Feminism and Philosophy. Ed. Frederick A. Elliston and Jane English. Totowa, NJ: Littlefield, Adams, and Co., 1971. 124-153.
Moulton, Janice, George M. Robinson, and Cherin Elias. "Sex bias in language use: 'Neutral' pronouns that aren't." American Psychologist 33 (1978): 1032-1036.
Moulton, Janice, George M. Robinson, and Cherin Elias. "Sex bias in language use: 'Neutral' pronouns that aren't." American Psychologist 33 (1978): 1032-1036.
Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays. "Faith in Our Families: Parents, Families and Friends Talk About Religion and Homosexuality." Washington, DC: Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, 1999.
Pratt, Minnie Bruce. "Identity: Skin Blood Heart." Knowing Women: Feminism and Knowledge. Ed. Helen Crowley and Susan Himmelweit. Cambridge, UK:Polity Press, 1992.
Schwartz, Marilyn. Guidelines for Bias-Free Writing. Bloomington, IN: University Press, 1995.
Sears, James T., and Walter L. Williams. Overcoming Heterosexism and Homophobia: Strategies that Work. New York: Columbia University Press, 1997.
St. John, Sandra. The Homophobic Healer: A Primer for Gays, Lesbians and the Families and Friends Who Love Them. Denver: The Goddess Express Press, 1994.
Storti, Craig. Cross-Cultural Dialogues: 74 Brief Encounters with Cultural Difference. Yarmouth, ME: Intercultural Press, Inc., 1994.
Venolia, Jan. Rewrite Right! How to Revise Your Way to Better Writing. Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed Press, 1987
Here are some of the questions in their teaching resource called I Spy Sexism:
How many of the elected officials in your city are openly gay? State? Federal?
In your favorite general-interest magazines, how many articles are written by women? How many are about women/people of color/lesbian and gay people?
Do gay teenagers socialize openly and safely at local school-wide events?
Does your local newsstand carry lesbian and gay magazines?
Check out section for teachers
Here are some of their allies:
NATIONAL ALLIES:
Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation
Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN)
Human Rights Campaign
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
Parents, Family and Friends of Lesbians & Gays
National Education Association
Yep, all of the major homosexual activist organizations are working on this.
I don't teach my children to "respect" or "tolerate" sin.
We respect the good and worthy.
I teach my children kindness to everyone, but I will not minimize or downplay sin.
I also don't want to be forced to discuss sex with my six year old, or my other children for that matter.
*I* want to decide when they are ready for that information.
I notice no tolerance of Religion stated, only "beliefs" whatever those are yet they state "sexual identity" to 5 year old kids. No this is a huge step for the homosexual agenda and my 13 yr old son loves Spongebob!
Pray for W and Our Troops
Oh? Some people believe that the human race is a cancer on the earth and we should all die. Should I respect this?
Some people believe that sex with children is good. Should I respect this?
So people believe in killing Jews simply because they are Jews. Should I respect this?
Some people believe that setting fire to automobile dealerships is good. Should I respect this?
The list goes on and on. There are a number of things in the world that should not be respected or tolerated. Sorry but I refuse to respect things that a wrong and I refuse to teach any child that they should.
That is just crap! If something must be "tolerated" the starting assumption must be that it is "wrong". Why else should it be tolerated.
Not every person is a treasure either. I'm not sure anyone outside the homo community would call the two deviants that murdered Jessie Dirkising "treasures."
Diversity as strength is just a liberal platitude used to draw in the "group rights" crowd to their ticket. No one has ever given a proper explanation of how our differences are our strength. Its just hollow pap - mind candy for the PC dummies.
Predjudice and discrimination is something that we should do more of. I am predjudiced against mean or disrespecful Children playing with mine and I discriminate against them heavily when it comes to who my kids will associate. I am predjudiced against people who live destructive lifestyles, such as drug users and alchoholics, and I discriminate against them by non association. I am predjudiced against the rap culture and the misogynist lyrics of their music, therefore I discriminate against using my free time to listen to that crap. I am predjudiced in favor of my wife, therefore I have discriminated against every other woman on the face of this earth as to whom I will committ my life to.
It is pure BS to have this "diversity" mantra shoved down our throats without anyone ever taking the time to actually investigate whether it is truly our strength(no way) or just mindless PC drivel.
Truth is never obligated to tolerate error.
An analogy, suppose someone holds to the belief that 2+2=5, a charitable person would correct them. If they insisted on maintaining this belief it wouldn't be a reason to persecute them and one may decide to tolerate it, for holding to this error really only hurts them initially, but they still should be corrected.
The problem lies in when they begin to spread this error to others, like let's say your accountant, the fiscal manager of a company, your child's school teacher. This is when the live and let live attitude will not do as a response.
The whole tolerance pledge assumes moral relativity, religious indifference, and the non existence of objective truth.
"Personally I don't see much that's wrong with this"
It is called incrementalism --- just a little bit here - aww, well that's not too bad. We'll ignore this.
Next time --- well, it's only a tiny bit more - no problem
Last one ---- Seig Heil! You Will go into that closet with your Master, Judge Homo right this instant! Lawyer Nambla-Bob will observe.
Yeah --- no problem when it's just a little bit at a time .....
We are born naked, when someone has the urge to fulfill a sexual fetish by wearing clothes of the opposite sex, that is a result of cultural conditions and upbringing, there is no "wear clothes of the opposite sex" gene. All clothing is fashion and social mores.
Even Christians should believe in teaching "respect" for others even if you don't agree with them or think they're wrong.
If you don't agree with them or you think they're wrong, how can you respect them?
How can you show honor or esteem for or hold in high regard, someone or group that is trying to indoctrinate your children and grandchildren into an immoral lifestyle?
I liked you better as a bean.
Or other characteristics?? Like if my new coach likes to pull down my pants? Or if I saw Uncle Steve steal a CD from the store? Or if Dad smokes crack and leaves me in the car to wait for him? Or if my friend likes to torture kittens in his backyard?
Can we just teach the kids right from wrong, and to respect everyone unless someone is doing wrong?
Should they? Whose moral authority are you using to tell them what they should do?
"Personally I don't see much that's wrong with this. Some might object to mentioning "sexual identity" to young students though. Even Christians should believe in teaching "respect" for others even if you don't agree with them or think they're wrong."
I guess we should respect pedophilia and rapist too????? Your kind of PC thinking has led us to the world as we know it where right is wrong and wrong is right.
(empasis mine) Okay so far....
...ignorance, insensitivity and bigotry can turn that diversity into a source of prejudice and discrimination...
While true, this has been placed here for a reason, one which ignores the old saw that "familiarity breeds contempt".
I pledge to have respect for people whose abilities, beliefs, culture, race, sexual identity or other characteristics are different from my own.
As a Christian, I am taught to 'love the sinner, hate the sin'. Why do I get the distinct impression that the words, "beliefs, culture" do NOT include those beliefs or cultures which find homosexuality to be distinctly and incontravertably wrong, and would not expose their children to it?
This is hypocrisy, foisted on unwitting children by those who can only extend their pool of potential partners through predation, using the seemingly innocent vehicle of fictional characters which children admire. I will not spend one dime on any product espousing any of these characters used in the video from here on out.
Now, am I diverse enough for despising the promoters of the homosexual agenda for ruining something else that was fun for me and my children?
Why can't they let children be children and leave sex (of any stripe) out of it?