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tol·er·ance  – [tol-er-uhns] – noun  1. a fair, objective,  and permissive attitude toward those whose opinions, practices, race,  religion, nationality, etc., differ from one’s own; freedom from  bigotry.  2. a fair, objective, and permissive attitude toward opinions  and practices that differ from one’s own. 3. interest in and concern for  ideas, opinions, practices, etc., foreign to one’s own; a liberal,  undogmatic viewpoint.

On April 4, we will reflect upon the 40th  anniversary of the death of America’s apostle of peace, Rev. Dr. Martin  Luther King Jr.  To mark the occasion, it is worth noting all of the  changes that have come about since his untimely death.
The country  has become a melting pot of diversity, and this is especially  conspicuous in Los Angeles, where more than 100 distinct languages are  spoken.
Blacks have attained positions of leadership in the  hierarchy of both major political parties, and have produced a viable  candidate for the highest public office in the land.
In the decades  following his murder, questions have been raised about the  circumstances, along with a flurry of legitimate research and knee jerk  accusations revolving around conspiratorial speculation.  The articles,  books, and other media generated in its wake, while failing to appease  suspicions about the official verdict on his demise, have ensured a  place in the canon of American historical mythology.  Meanwhile, a  national memorial commemorating his life is scheduled for completion  this year in Washington D.C.’s National Mall, the site of his historic  “I Have A Dream” speech of 1963.
Perhaps the most definitive  testament to his legacy is the legions of detractors and adherents  simultaneously attempting to malign his reputation and appropriate it  for their own agendas.  Examples of this include white supremacists  defaming his character and Republicans who claim him as embracing their  ideology.  On the other side of the globe, the American Islamic Congress  is republishing a Civil Rights Era comic book in Arabic (called “The  Montgomery Story”) in the hope of providing a nonviolent alternative for  the volatile Middle East (the comic may be accessed and read in both  Arabic and English at www.hamsaweb.org/comic/ ).
And at the same  time, we continue to struggle with the same issues Dr. King and his  colleagues sacrificed to achieve right here in America.  Random killings  are a common occurrence in many of our local neighborhoods, and no one  would argue that the defining characteristics by which we may be judged  may be the color of our skin, personal practices, rather then the  content of our character as he so fervently wished.
Blacks in  particular perceive being shoved aside by other ethnic groups  financially.  Today, in an increasingly tight economic environment,  there is additional pressure to compete for what appears to be an ever  shrinking portion of the pie.  The principle adversaries a few short  years ago, the Koreans, have largely been replaced by Hispanics.  It is a  small comfort to realize that these rifts are not confined to this  country alone.
Disagreement is, perhaps, a given in life, as even  Catholics and Protestants have vastly different ideas about how one  should worship to ostensibly the same Jesus.   Christians are not alone  in having conflicting perceptions of faith, we recently have had the  opportunity to see hideous examples of among the Sunni and various  denominations of Shia Muslims that struggle to exist within the  boundaries of Iraq alone.  But then again, zealots with the appropriate  initiative can find excuses for intolerance within the pages of both the  Quran and the Bible.  Interpretation after all is in the eye of the  reader of the text.
Even in these times of multiculturalism it is  easy to give the cold shoulder to those who don’t fit into the  parameters of what we consider to be the acceptable “cultural norm,” but  the difficulty to embrace tolerance, the ability to respect others goes  far beyond racial designations as individuals from nearly identical  ethnic and social backgrounds compete for arbitrary or imagined  differences.  This may be best illustrated by the continued causalities  in the gang warfare that has become a stereotypical attribute for Los  Angeles’ inner city.
Tolerance, like its polar opposite, is a double  edged sword.  Christianity, Islam, and Judaism, like virtually all  religions have individual histories seeped in blood soaked quests to  further their own particular point of view to the un-believers who make  up the rest of the world.  It is possibly the most human of all traits  to believe that the center of the world (and hence the very definition  of what “normal” is) should revolve around the self.  Conversely, it is  easy to be drawn into the persecution of others (any one who disagrees  with this need only spend an extended period of time observing the peer  interactions at any elementary school playground), since the urge to  exclude is nearly as strong as the urge to belong.
Presently we  find ourselves in an era in which public faith in the leadership of  American government has never been lower.  And intolerance, be it  cultural, ethnic, geographical, racial, or other remains a constant  focus of scrutiny in the media.  Globally, diplomatic attempts to  mediate long standing disputes and atone for the past often serves to  widen the divisions between groups and foster new disagreements.
Perhaps  the greatest irony is that King died in the middle of his last crusade,  the Poor People’s Campaign, and today we witness an ever growing gap  between rich and poor, the haves and the have nots, and nowhere is this  manifest to greater effect then right here, locally, in Los Angeles, the  pinnacle of  conspicuous consumption and unbridled materialism.
As  we prepare to observe this solemn occasion, aside from the construction  of memorials, naming of schools, and participating in ceremonies, let’s  make an effort to strive to meet the agendas that are emblematic of his  memory, including the promotion of mutual respect and understanding  among different cultures.  True and lasting peace will not transpire  until we recognize the right of everyone to enjoy all human rights and  fundamental freedoms, without distinction to race, color or national  origin.

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