Say No to Tolerance

There’s something that’s been on my mind a lot these days. I’m not even sure where I heard it but recently (one more time) I read something, saw something on Facebook, or heard on the radio; someone pleading for “tolerance” for the LGBT community. I do remember it was from an unlikely source. Some Republican or church official, uncomfortable and afraid to have been exposed again for bigotry.

Tolerance gets a fair amount of airplay these days. Especially as we rumble towards yet another election. No one wants to look “intolerant,” even those whose policies clearly show that they are no friend to equality.  That might cost votes. Then after the election, it’s right back to the same old horseshit. Here’s what I have to say to those people about tolerance:

You can keep it. That’s right, fuck your tolerance. There is absolutely no reason on earth why anyone should have to “tolerate” me. I have as much right to be here as anybody. I’ve wasted half my life standing on the outside of the party when it comes to the full rights of being a US citizen and I’m way past done with it all. My rights are not open for debate. My rights are not for sell. There is absolutely nothing that any right-wing nut-job is ever going to say or do that is going to stop our steady, strong, bound-to-succeed march toward the end of our oppression and the securing of the blessings of true liberty for all of us. If you believe your Declaration of Independence, then I am endowed by my “creator with certain inalienable rights.”

inalienable |ɪnˈeɪliənəbəl|  (adjective) unable to be taken away from or given away by the possessor.

That’s right, according to the document that could very well be considered the one that officially started this country; these rights are so unquestionably mine I couldn’t even give them away if I wanted to.

So thanks for the kind gesture and all. But I won’t be needing any toleration from here on out. Full citizenship with all the rights thereunto pertaining is already mine. I don’t need you to “endow” me with them.

One last thing: I realize you must get pretty tired of having to hear about us in the news all the time. Seems like for some reason us queer folk have finally had enough of “shut up and sit down.” I know. Every time someone takes one more jab at us, we’re out there raising hell and giving the finger to some greasy chicken sandwich joint. I’m sure that interferes with your idea of what America is. Let me bring it into context for you. That’s just us (and our allies) securing the blessings of liberty for ourselves and our posterity. You should actually feel good to see democracy in action.

To be clear: no thank you to the “tolerance.” I’m fine without it. Until you’re willing to recognize my equality, all I can say is… go tolerate yourself.