I recently saw a sticker from the Southern Poverty Law Center that said, “Fighting hate. Teaching tolerance. Seeking Justice.”
It made me think about the nature of tolerance. When we try to teach it by highlighting differences, it often just creates further separation. It reinforces the illusion that there is an "us" and a "them."
I notice how good it feels to be on the “right” side of an argument—standing up for the little guy, or pointing out the injustice of one warring faction compared to another. It feels good to have an "other" to fight.
I’m not saying actions should be left unchecked. But when I notice how my chest tightens the moment I point toward separation, the urge to “fight hate” softens.
What replaces it isn’t tolerance at all. It’s the simple recognition that there was never an “other” to manage in the first place.