In this day and age of a tyrannical administration running roughshod over every facet of the freedom-enhancing Constitution of the United States, it becomes distressingly familiar when witnessing a governor of one of the “several states” overturning yet again, the overwhelming will of WE THE PEOPLE in order to satisfy political intolerance. Tolerating intolerance has become the new rallying cry of the oppressed individual as the nation continues to be overrun by decisions made “tolerant” by less than 3% of the population. Tolerating intolerance has become the new oxymoron that “intolerating tolerance” used to be. Whatever new moniker it comes under, its base meaning continues to be a continuing loss of freedoms.
Doug Bandow guides us through it…
Doug Bandow is a senior fellow at the Cato Institute and a former Special Assistant to President Ronald Reagan.
Yet another important facet of individual liberty disappeared with Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer’s veto of legislation protecting people’s right not to be forced to violate their religious principles while doing business. The governor has decided: Hang out a shingle and you must leave your deepest beliefs at home. We all are slaves to the political zeitgeist.
The issue in Arizona was not a lack of tolerance by those in business. There is no dearth of firms across Arizona willing to serve gays. Even among those not in the forefront of gay rights, the opportunity to make a little money is a strong incentive in a weak economy. It seems doubtful that gay events go without because of bigots run amok.
Instead, the real question was tolerance for those in business. Why are you expected to abandon your conscience the moment you step into the commercial world? Why is it mandatory to violate your liberty in order to protect the wishes of others?
