In remembrance of one Thomas G. Ruth. The TRuth.

I have many friends from all walks of life. Growing up in rural poor America, going to prep school in privileged white America, college at privileged liberal “diverse” America, and then working in a variety of different Americas, I guess that’s what you get.

My Facebook friends range from bikers to Vets to scientists to liberal activists to the corporate elite. I’m lucky to have such a wide variety of friends who challenge my thoughts and positions in a way that is constructive.

What pisses me off right now though is ignorance. I don’t get it. Why would someone choose to be ignorant? I almost feel like sometimes people try and wear it as a badge of honor. Guess what, FUCK you! Yep I just put that out there.

There is no place in this world for ignorance and intolerance. And if that is what you preach, what you abide by, then I’m justified in my statement. I will never say that to my brethren who disagree with me as long as they are compassionate, tolerant, and respectful of my own world view and position.

Some of my closest friends and people whom I respect the most are not on the same page as I am with respect to politics or religion. Yet we have one very important thing in common. Respect.

Maybe it’s because of our private school education. Most of my friends attended great schools where they were challenged intellectually, and have learned that just because you disagree with someone it doesn’t mean you can disrespect them.

I don’t know precisely why, but I do know that they don’t tolerate ignorance and neither do I. We may disagree on things but in the end we are still friends, we respect and love one another, and make an effort to understand each others plight.

That’s good, it ensures that we have a world where everyone is respected and loved (and for the religious among us I imagine that’s what Jesus would expect).

My hope (and prayers) are that we never lose that mutual respect and love. I fear though that we are.

My plea to you: Don’t tolerate ignorance, whether you agree with it or not.  Don’t let hatred and blind faith create a world that we can’t endure together. In the end, all we have is each other.

-Brian