Your truth

 When all is said and done it comes down to yes or no. Right or left, up or down. Two choices, that is always the bottom line. I hear cries for a third party in politics, the need for that is great. The truth is nothing gets decided that way, there are two choices. I hear about those folks now claiming to be non-binary, they are wrong. They are one or the other whether they believe that or not. Yes, there is simply black and white. All the hues in-between are reasons, excuses, justification, explanations, pleas, contradictions, premise, rationale, just causes, foundations and vindication. 

 More properly I believe the domain between right and wrong is what we call tolerance. The thing about tolerance is that it doesn't make for a solid foundation. Tolerance is always shaky ground, subject to change at any moment. Even the most cursory review of history will show you that. Tolerance leads to acceptance. Accepting something new or different requires discarding the old. It's an ever-changing landscape, a constant flux. It will not last. Tolerance is simply saying, that's good enough. Tolerance is a way to avoid saying yes or no. Eventually you have to choose. The reason for your choice hinges on one thing, personal belief. 

 Isn't that what religion is all about? The objective being to instill the "truth" in you, whatever truth that happens to be. Wars are fought over beliefs! The belief is always in doing the right thing, even when the right thing is wrong! All that is required is to get people to believe. Hitler is a prime example of that.  Jim Jones did the same thing with his "church." The People's Temple, hundreds died for what they believed. In both instances in the end, you had to make a choice, there was no third option. 

 Just where do we get right and wrong from? How do we decide upon that? The answer is as complicated as life. I do believe only the strongest among us will ultimately decide. The vast majority of us are followers. That's the reason our heroes are so important to us. If you examine those that you admire most you will see the building blocks of your own constitution. Yes, others make you what you become. As Obama might say, you didn't build that. But the thing is you do by the choices you make. Tolerance never built a thing, only belief. Tolerance may provide an easier path in the short term no denying that. Do not stubbornly hold onto tolerance for the short term benefit it may provide, you have to be decisive. Do not concern yourself with the popularity of your decision, only in the belief of your truth.