Keep in mind that at some point, extremism gets so far from the mainstream that few intelligent people hold those views.
I was waiting for this. It is 100% on the money. There are some views one ought not be tolerant of because they do come from ignorance. (For an example, see the flat-earth society)
I don't think right wing polticis are very far from this line, as most peopel know, the more educated people are more liberal as a group than the general population, and probably for very good reason.
Alright, this flat earth society is an extreme fringe example. On the other end of the spectrum, lets look at the more popular and liberal 'views' that are based in ignorance--e.g. communism. I guess human nature shouldn't be taken into consideration when setting up an entire system of governance. Utopia is realistic and practical.
As for the education remark. More republicans hold college degrees than democrats. The caveat her is that once a person starts adding on additional graduate degrees, phds, etc. they become MUCH more liberal--as more democrats have graduate degrees than republicans. Sitting in a library or college office all day--for a majority of your life--isn't going to give you the most practical or realistic viewpoint on life (see communism).
I have no problem with the notion that fringe ideology on either side should not be tolerated, but to say right wing politics are closer to some arbitrary line of ignorance is absurd.
You know why this is (that generally those who continue to educated themselves become sooo liberal)...because after the right wing thinkers get educated, they go out and make the world work and cause society to progress....leftists on the other hand soon realize after graduation that their paradigms and ideas are completely ridiculous in the real world, and so many of them retreat back in academia, and never wanting to leave they eventually become profs (well, some become transient weed smoking hippies who frequent green peace protests). Unfortunately what has happened is that while the pragmatic conservatives have been making this the greatest country in the world for the past few decades (like Reagan for example), the leftists have done all but take over our universities and thereby have been able to proselytize a disproportionate percentage of young minds to adopt their liberal (and sometimes crazy ultra liberal) positions....and now look what is happening in America...
...Now in America we want to dialogue with evil dictators who begin their public speeches with chants like "Death to America" instead of blowing their ass off this planet (I mean what we really should do is TALK more with Iran, because they are obviously rational...and then if that doesn't work maybe we can just take another vote at the UN the problem will simply go away) Would if we would have handled Hitler this way?....And we want to give illegal immigrants driver's licenses for goodness sake (eg.in NYC...you'd think since 9/11 was in NYC they would see the national security risk in doing something like this) instead of doing the obvious and sending them home so they can wait in line with all the law abiding people who are going through proper channels to get into America. No instead we throw our border guards in jail for trying to stop them from crossing...
... Now in America we put our soldiers on trial for being too rough on the terrorists they are interrogating. (After all we don't want to insult their culture by making them take their clothes off and pouring water on them....especially when they are sooo humane to those of us they catch...yes we should shut down Guantanamo and down play how they brutally torture, parade, and then behead our reporters and POW's on the internet.)
...Yes, in America we champion the cause of humane treatment to all... as we fight for and applaud things like partial birth abortion (the baby is half out for f**k sake, and then the doctor kills it by sticking something in its head...I mean what sick individual dreamed that up. At that point why not at least give the baby up for adoption...That's right, the leftist agena is making America a better place...KILL BABIES! SAVE WHALES!)
Anyways, I'm ranting now which I realize solves nothing (generally I prefer open minded dialogue with other open minded people), but I thought a rant would be more fitting as it would allow me to fit in with my passionate leftist counterparts on this post)