WE SHOULD PRAISE ZUCKERBERG FOR HIS PUBLIC SUPPORT OF THIEL

Mark Zuckerberg supported Peter Thiel in his position of supporting Donald Trump by donating 1.25 million to  the Trump’s campaign. Peter Thiel is gay. I, too, support Thiel. We must develop a tolerance for difference in America. We should praise Zuckerberg for his public support of Thiel.

All too often we do not think. We think in terms of black and white, pluses and minuses. I believe we have so much anger and are unable to engage in meaningful discourse because of our inability to tolerate differences in each other and our different opinions. We think in terms of black and white, pluses and minuses when life  is often in the shades of gray. We are unable to distinguish between the person and the opinion. Mark Zuckerberg can make that distinction. He is able to support Thiel and his opinion even if it is not a position that he appears to support personally for himself.

I do not agree with much of Thiel’s rationale for supporting Donald Trump. However, I would put on my boots and fight for his right to support anyone he chooses. He may donate his money to anyone he chooses. His sexual preference is irrelevant to me. It is more important to me that he knows why he has made his choice and is comfortable with it. He says he is a conservative gay. This tells me he is confused because his views are so inconsistent for a conservative. However, he has a rationale for his decision and his position. I do not have to agree with it. But he is entitled to that opinion. It is more important to me that he knows why he thinks the way he does and is comfortable with his choices. I need to hear, understand and accept his opinion even if I do not agree with it. This is all anyone else should care about. We must keep the avenues for dialogue open by allowing others to disagree with us without banishing them or becoming angry. Lack of tolerance for differences is the basis of much of our conflict. Normal people are filled with contradictions. Thiel is no exception. He appears to make contributions to Planned Parenthood, is gay, has other conflicting positions but calls himself a conservative. It is for Thiel to rationalize his positions and resolve his internal conflicts.

I am reminded of Robert Kennedy here. Kennedy once said: Everyone will ultimately be judged–will ultimately judge himself– on the effort he has contributed to building a new world society and the extent to which his ideals and goals have shaped that effort.” I have not heard what Thiel’s ideals are. Thiel has a right to use his money or anything else legally to try to contribute to shaping a new world society. We may disagree with Donald Trump and everything he stands for but Thiel wants to support him and expresses a rationale for that support. We must not show our lack of tolerance for difference and cut off dialogue with Thiel or Trump even if we do not agree with them. We must avoid a lack of tolerance for differences and keep communication with others open at all cost. Zuckerberg should be praised for his public support of his friend and his public support of that friend despite his own personal differences with his position.