Jakarta Post:
Recent disputes on the construction of religious buildings, the prosecution of minority sects and the rejection of hard-line groups have resurfaced the discussion of tolerance. I argue that tolerance (and the lack thereof) is not the real problem, but instead a pervasive lack of common sense throughout society.
There are three inherent weaknesses in the concept of tolerance. The first is that the idea of tolerance may result in the reinforcement of tutelage. The second is that its imposition on people may actually violate human rights and finally, it does not address the real problem.
In its most common definition, “tolerance” is the practice of allowing or permitting something that someone disapproves of. As the definition entails, in “tolerance”, people are allowed to cling to their default position.