International Day of Tolerance: 16th November
By Dr Birbal Jha
Tolerance stems from humanity, which paves the way for natural law.
A video of two persons picking up a quarrel with each other over a petty issue of parking a car a bit wrongly went viral on the virtual campus of WhatsApp University a week ago. The war of words turned into an ugly physical fight, maybe due to their ego clash. The exchange of violent blows gave the impression that they were settling a score through hardcore wrestling as if they were uneducated musclemen. What ensued further? Worse!
The crowd began to spill over. But then they were all mute onlookers. Some of them certainly did the videography of what was happening on the fateful day to create a creative for either instant or future entertainment, or documentary proof. The security guards of the society were of no use as the parties involved in the violent brawl were from the same apartment.
However, someone’s common sense prevailed and came to the rescue to avoid any further untoward incidents. Up with the number 100! The state machinery to enforce law and order even in the high-rise society of highly educated residents living together! The cop had to be called to intervene in the dispute and re-establish peace in the posh society of Delhi-NCR. Constabulary had to swing into action.
The chances of reconciliation were not seen from any angle. No patch-up ensued. Both of them were so infuriated, and screaming abuses as if they had a doctoral degree in invectives and expletives. Thanks to the police intervention, both of them came to their senses when they were told to reach the police station with them in the gypsy. May God save this world! May a sense of tolerance prevail!
What does the story say? People are losing a sense of tolerance which is needed everywhere, more particularly in an enclave where people from different tribes, social settings and races come together to live and send across a strong message of co-existence.
However, Albert Einstein says, “Laws alone cannot secure freedom of expression; in order that every man presents his views without penalty, there must be a spirit of tolerance in the entire population.”
Tolerance or toleration recognizes the universal human rights and fundamental freedoms of others. Only tolerance can ensure the survival of mixed communities in every region of the globe. We need to show a certain degree of tolerance if you are living in an enclave though. We are naturally diverse.
It reminds me of a story about Saas-Bahu, a mother and daughter-in-law. The latter seeks advice from a sage on how to resolve her complaint that her mother-in-law is a motormouth and often falls out with her on a trivial issue. The saint gave lovely advice to follow and practise doing so in letters and spirit to prevent any confrontation. The sage instructed, “Take a glass of water mixed with a teaspoonful of Ganga water. Take a mouthful of sip and retain the same in your mouth as long as your mom-in-law goes on speaking anything. The Bahu listened to him carefully and took the advice seriously, and everything worked perfectly. It takes two to tango. It takes two to quarrel.
Tolerance is a result of humanity encompassing compassion, disposition, sympathy, generosity and forgiveness. The axiom — To err is human, forgive is divine — forms the fundamental law of nature. The American author Helen Adams Keller writes, “Toleration is the greatest gift of the mind; it requires the same effort of the brain that it takes to balance oneself on a bicycle.”
Our ideas may differ greatly from those of our neighbours, but our feeling of tolerance may be able to bring us together. However, we have heard and seen the fatwa of decapitating those who reject any other religious beliefs.
We can’t be perceived as being superior because of our ethnicity, colour, complexion, race, religion or tribe. We happen to be inferior to those whose fundamental rights are violated. Superior individuals possess both a strong heart and a keen intellect.
The Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Liu Xiaobo rightly points out “Hatred is corrosive of a person’s wisdom and conscience; the mentality of enmity can poison a nation’s spirit, instigate brutal life and death struggles, destroy a society’s tolerance and humanity, and block a nation’s progress to freedom and democracy.
Tolerance stems from humanity, which paves the way for natural law. The act of not accepting or respecting the beliefs, ways of life, cultures, or attitudes of others is a social intolerance. What is needed is to raise the profundity of tolerance and contain religious, racial, and tribal intolerance.
To mark the International Day of Tolerance on 16th November, let’s recognize the threat from those trying to divide us and create social discord and disharmony. Further, let’s work for social stability, solidarity, and mutual understanding through dialogues, discussions, debates, and talks.
