Ayaan Hirsi Ali Quotes

I've always been raised to love everyone, to accept everyone for their differences, and to just be open. But at a young, a very young age, I realized what racism was all about.

It is not a merit to tolerate, but rather a crime to be intolerant.

No human trait deserves less tolerance in everyday life, and gets less, than intolerance.

Too small is our world to allow discrimination, bigotry and intolerance to thrive in any corner of it, let alone in the United States of America.

Toleration is good for all, or it is good for none.

Teach children tolerance. No one need surrender his or her own beliefs while extending tolerance to those with other beliefs.

Tolerance should really only be a passing attitude: it should lead to appreciation. To tolerate is to offend.

My parents taught me never to judge others based on whom they love, what color their skin is, or their religion. Why make life miserable for someone when you can use your energy for good? We don't need to share the same opinions as others, but we need to be respectful. When you hear people making hateful comments, stand up to them. Point out what a waste it is to hate, and you could open their eyes.

The final battle against intolerance is to be fought - not in the chambers of any legislature - but in the hearts of men.

What we need to do is learn to respect and embrace our differences until our differences don't make a difference in how we are treated.

If you see bigotry, oppose it.

Discrimination is not liberal. Arguing against discrimination is not intolerance.

All I know for sure is that issues like race, like class, are always best approached with compassion and open-mindedness.

I'm not homophobic, I'm not a bigot, I'm not pandering to hatred.

In the 21st Century there is no place for Xenephobia, Anti-Semitism of any other form of discrimination.

Maine is a lot of things but one thing it will never be is the headquarters for hate groups and organizations of bigots.

Let us not speak of tolerance. This negative word implies grudging concessions by smug consciences. Rather, let us speak of mutual understanding and mutual respect.

Experience tells us that people are not born with the innate ability nor the wish to see the Other as an equal individual in society. Pride in one’s separate identity can be so strong that it obscures the intrinsic value of other identities. Pluralism is a value that must be taught.

Tolerance actually does exist on Broadway.

I believe nobody should be discriminated against.

I always say that tolerance doesn't depend on a country, because there is hate everywhere.

I have no patience for homophobia.

I think it's important to condemn that. There's a line, and if you have a racial - racist comment, no, somebody has to act upon it.

Dear America, when you tell gay Americans that they can't serve their country openly or marry the person that they love, you're telling that to kids too. So don't be f**king shocked and wonder where all these bullies are coming from that are torturing young kids and driving them to kill themselves because they're different; they learned it from watching you.

Why shouldn't gay people be able to live as open and freely as everybody else? What it comes down to, ultimately, is love. How can anything bad come out of love? The bad stuff comes out of mistrust, misunderstanding and, God knows, from hate and from ignorance.