In high school, we were asked to write an essay on tolerance and what the benefits of teaching tolerance are. I took an opposing stance to the question itself. Tolerance is an inadequate tool by which to live your life. Tolerance is not what we needed then, or what we need five years later. In fact, I went so far as to vilify tolerance as much more of an evil than a good.
Tolerance teaches passivity and complacency.
It tells people to keep their mouths shut and watch what they say. It is almost as if the teaching of tolerance, as opposed to understanding, has undermined the proactive ability of today's youth. Teaching tolerance doesn't stop at the level of political correctness. If you teach someone to tolerate gays and Asians who previously did not, for example, the ideas of tolerance filter into other areas of life, such as politics and human rights. It's very similar to ignoring those things in life which you do not understand.