Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Tolerance

From President George Washington's letter to the Hebrew Congregation in Newport, Rhode Island, 18 August 1790.


"The Citizens of the United States of America have a right to applaud themselves for having given to mankind examples of an enlarged and liberal policy: a policy worthy of imitation. All possess alike liberty of conscience and immunities of citizenship. It is now no more that toleration is spoken of, as if it was by the indulgence of one class of people, that another enjoyed the exercise of their inherent natural rights. For happily the Government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance requires only that they who live under its protection should demean themselves as good citizens, in giving it on all occasions their effectual support."


If our first President could figure this out over 222 years ago, why are we -as a country- still struggling with the concept?