Fascism, Fighting Dirty, and the Brutality of Intolerant Tolerance

Don’t just politely ask someone to not kill you.

Photo by engin akyurt on Unsplash

Those of us who fall left-of-center politically tend to hear the word “tolerance” a lot. We are, to many people, the “tolerant left.” We are happy to be accepting of anyone — whether you’re queer, BIPOC, or belong to one of any number of marginalized communities, we will be happy to have you.

First off, I don’t like the words “tolerate” and “accept” as descriptors of the left. “Tolerate” has some implications that I don’t care for, along the lines of “we don’t like it, but we tolerate it.” “Accept” has a slightly lighter feel but still falls in that wiggly area of not fully embracing something. It sort of feels like a “You are on this Council, but we do not grant you the rank of Master” thing, for the Star Wars folks out there.

Those approaches are not how I think when it comes to people that are different from myself, a straight cis white man. I do not merely “tolerate” or “accept” people who are different from myself, but welcome and embrace them.

Not only that, but I stand ready as an ally to act in support and/or defense of marginalized groups. “Ally” is a verb, not a noun, and allies are obligated to speak and act, using their privilege as a scalpel in some cases and a…