Don't Tollerate Intollerance!?!

     I had heard a rumor that, some years ago, a college student scrawled on the sidewalk in chalk the following: DON'T TOLLERATE INTOLLERANCE!
     I half thought this to be one of those legendary commentaries on the state of "higher" education that had festered into fact.   But then, while watching the news recently I saw a sign that had written on it, "DON'T TOLLERATE INTOLLERANCE!"  Now the sign was stenciled with each letter being a different color in a pattern, so someone took a lot of effort, time and energy to make the sign... but apparently not a lot of thought.
     The context in which this sign was held was not important - unfortunately, I think most people of any stripe, age, race, creed, education level would think the sentiment a good one - what is important is the lack of education in our educational system.
     What if I were to type the following: "I can't type in English."  What is wrong with that?  How about a speaker that says, "I don't have the ability to speak."  What about someone who says, "Don't believe anything I say."  Unfortunately most people would just nod their heads and say, "Oh, O.K."
     Years ago it was decided - by who? - to eliminate a whole subject from the educational system.  So complete was this decision that not only do 99% of schools NOT have this subject today, you have to ask some of our most experienced members of society before we find one who remembers it as a subject.
     What subject was it that was so useless, so superfluous, so unwanted that it was systematically eliminated from virtually all schools across, not only the country, but the world?

Logic

     Logic: the ability to think correctly, rightly, properly.  "Wait!," you revile.  "NO ONE CAN TELL ME WHAT TO THINK!!"  Well, you're right.  No one can tell you WHAT to think, but we can know if 'what' you're thinking is correct or not.
    "But there isn't a 'right' way or a 'wrong' way to think!"  Oh really?  Is that idea - that there isn't a 'right way' or 'wrong way' to think - right?  According to the premise - that there isn't a right or wrong way to think - that idea itself can't be right or wrong... so it refutes itself.
     And already we are at the crux of the problem of this entire post...  Relativism.  The belief that everything is relative, there are no "rights" or "wrongs", and "what's good for you is good for you; what's good for me is good for me."  Relativism is summed up in the phrase "It is absolutely true that there are no absolute truths."  The problem with Relativism, besides that it has infected almost every aspect of our life, is that it is always a self-refuting proposition.  That is the logical fallacy name.  What it means is that the idea proposed contradicts and nullifies itself; it means that if the idea proposed is true, then the idea proposed would also be false at the same time.  This is impossible and therefore incorrect.
     Take the phrase that sums up and defines all Relativism: It is absolutely true that there are no absolute truths.  Think about it.  If there were NO absolute truths then how is the statement "it is ABSOLUTELY TRUE that there are NO ABSOLUTE TRUTHS" true?  It contradicts and nullifies itself.  If it is true, then it is false at the same time.
      Every form of Relativism nullifies itself, or self-refutes.  Take, "There is no 'correct way' or 'incorrect way' to think."  Ask:  "Is that idea correct?"  Do you see it now?  If that idea is correct, then that same idea cannot be correct.  It nullifies itself.
     Let's now go back to the original idea that started this post:  "Don't Tolerate Intolerance!"  Ask: what does "Don't Tolerate" mean?  It means being intolerant towards something.  That is the definition of "intolerance": the prefix 'in' meaning negative or 'not', 'tolerate' meaning... well... tolerate.  So if we are to be "Intolerant" to "Intolerance" we will be "intolerant" towards statements such as "Don't tolerate Intolerance" because the statement itself is intolerant.  If the idea is accepted then it must be rejected at the same time.

Are we dizzy yet?  That's a good sign of Relativism at work...
    
    The reason Logic was eliminated - purposely - from the educational system is that it is impossible to break down the moral fabric of society (and the institutions that promote them) if our children are learning that there is a right way to think; that we can know if something is an impossible (aka 'illogical') thought and therefor should not be followed.  
     Logic, more than nearly any other subject, clearly leads one to the proper conclusion that God exists and there are objective moral truths we must live our lives by.  Logic is now only reserved for the realms of "higher education" where, as Dr. Peter Kreeft (professor of Philosophy at Boston College) says they teach philosophies so illogical, so stupid, it takes a Doctorate in Philosophy to believe them.
     Folks, we can think any thought under - and even over - the sun.  We can "imagine" almost an infinite possibility of things.  That doesn't make any of them correct or even worthy of voicing.  We need to bring logic back into our thoughts, discussions and public square.  Unfortunately that might mean being "tolerant" of "intolerance."
     A great resource to begin with (it's good for even middle schoolers) "The Fallacy Detectives." One to use later in life, "Socratic Logic" by Peter Kreeft.