Billie Holiday: "You can help yourself, but don't take too much."

In Praise of Intolerance

By Mandy Vere

Has anyone else noticed how often we are exhorted to be tolerant…of other faiths, sexualities, nationalities? It seems to be something we are supposed to aspire to. We ask ourselves if our nation is becoming more or less tolerant. Schools talk of teaching our young people respect and tolerance. Refugees and asylum seekers can hardly be mentioned without talk of tolerance.

There appears to be an uncritical assumption that if intolerance is a "bad thing" then tolerance must be good.

Well I beg to disagree. I thought to tolerate something was to put up with something unpleasant. It has a sort of British stiff-upper-lip ring to it. The sort of quality that got us through two world wars and rationing. And of course that's exactly the kind of sentiment that's intended when applied to a white British Empire mentality. We just don't realise how much we've carried that legacy and its terminology into our present society.

Now, I don't want to be tolerated, and I don't expect you do either. For a start, what on earth does it say about how we perceive those different from us, those we define as "other"? And secondly there's a clear implication that if this "other" community, whether it be immigrants, gays or some other form of undesirables, gets too uppity then our tolerance might just be pushed too far. After all there's a limit to what us Brits will tolerate! As Billie Holiday sang: "You can help yourself, but don't take too much."

So let's be clear about what we mean. If we're talking respect - which implies esteem, understanding and mutuality, usually needs a bit of time putting in getting to know people, learning about their lives and history - there should be no room or need for tolerance. And while we're at it, let's be clear when intolerance is necessary - in the face of the racism and prejudice which lurk behind every tolerant, indulgent smile, ready to break out and attack when those being tolerated show insufficient gratitude.

Let's have a bit more intolerance!