Current civil rights issues are almost always couched within the concepts of diversity and tolerance. These two terms are not consistently interpreted. I'd like to present my own interpretation of these two valuable notions.
Diversity is a recognition of the variety present in the world's societies, and within any collection of people. Diversity appears in all facets of humanity, including ideology, personality, gender, ambition, race, religion, morality, motivation, attraction, appearance, skill set, appetite, cultural identity, experience, etc, etc, etc. When spoken of in a societal context, the concept of diversity includes the recognition that differences bring advantages that a homogeneous world could never realize. For example, a detail-oriented person may never see the forest for the trees, while a high-level thinker may never see the details required to make the big vision a reality.
Now allow me to assert what diversity does not mean. Diversity is not a declaration that there is one right way to think. Diversity is not the adoption of a single "diversity-sanctioned" attitude toward social issues. Diversity is not mandatory agreement with other people's choices, actions, or attitudes. Diversity is not the belief that everything is acceptable. Diversity does not require the abandonment of one's beliefs.
Related to the concept of diversity is the concept of tolerance. Tolerance is the respectful treatment of people and ideas, even in the face of differences. It means that you don't ridicule people, even if you disagree with them. It means you don't create a hostile environment. It means you consider how your speech and actions will impact others. It means you resist taking offense when others violate your sensibilities. It means that no matter how completely you believe something, you leave room for the possibility that you are wrong. It means that you allow people to live their life without requiring your approval. It means compromise. It is an acknowledgement of diversity, and an appropriate response to it.
And what is tolerance not? Tolerance is not the belief that there is no such thing as right and wrong. Tolerance is not the belief that every idea is equally valid. Tolerance does not mean there are no rules. It is not a cry for unreasonable levels of political correctness. Tolerance does not mean you don't stand up for what you believe. Tolerance does not mean that you don't make people aware of the potential consequence of their choices. Tolerance doesn't mean you never disagree, nor does it mean you never challenge behaviors or ideologies.
To me, tolerance is primarily about how you react to that with which you don't agree. It is respect. It is flexibility. It is the opposite of selfishness. It is simultaneously the opposite of both belligerence and appeasement.
Feel free to disagree with my interpretation of these important concepts. After all, we live in a diverse world. :-)
