Michael McConnell's sadness

[Jim Maule]

Michael McConnell <michael.mcconnell at LAW.UTAH.EDU> writes

> It would not be a victory for religious
> freedom, or even for multicultural tolerance
> properly understood, if everyone became a modern American
> multiculturalist.

But it would be if everyone became a person tolerant of everyone
else's *expression* of religious belief. And it would be more than a
victory if everyone *listened* to those expressions and found in them
strength to question and re-examine their own religious beliefs, and
the strength to re-affirm or re-initiate a search for belief. (Maybe
the student decided it would be a waste of time to share his
objections (though I doubt that) or maybe the student decided he
needed more time to re-think and re-articulate his "objections").

> Indeed, maybe we all are, at some
> level (myself certainly included), since there is something
> deeply paradoxical about tolerating and respecting even
> views that do not tolerate and respect others.

Very true, but that is why the American Nazi Party was permitted and
ought to have been permitted to march in Skokie. There's something
deeply courageous, wise, and divine about tolerating a bigot. Most
great persons of religious impact did so. They were not afraid.

Jim Maule
Professor of Law
Villanova University School of Law
Villanova, PA 19085
maule at law.vill.edu
http://www.cilp.org/~maule
(610) 519 - 7135