Model Proposal

In this essay I will discuss how John Paul Stevens’s statement “Ignorance, that is to say fear of the unknown, is the source of the most invidious prejudice” relates to the concept of tolerance. Stevens made this statement in discussing the opposition of some New York residents and others across the country to the building of an Islamic community center and mosque a few blocks from the site of the 9/11 tragedy. As a former Supreme Court justice, Stevens is used to looking at things analytically and making judgments based on careful consideration. It is worth carefully considering how Stevens’s statement can apply to situations other than the mosque placement controversy. I think that Stevens is focusing not only on people’s unwillingness to open their minds to new experiences and alternative possibilities, but also their fear of even considering possibilities other than those with which they are familiar. I will use examples from my own experience and also hypothetical ones to show the ways in which ignorance blocks tolerance. There will be a section on ignorance blocking tolerance of cultural difference, a section on ignorance blocking tolerance of religious conviction, and a section on ignorance blocking tolerance of other people’s life priorities. In each section I will explain what the “unknown” is that is feared, how I experienced or could experience this in my life, and how I attempted or could attempt to overcome the fear and grow more tolerant. Through descriptions of my experiences, I hope to open a discussion in the minds of other people about how they might reconsider their own experiences.