Intolerable Acts

As a response to the Boston Tea Party, the British Parliament passed a number of punitive laws in 1774 that became part of what was known as the Intolerable Acts. Maybe we should borrow that phrase in the wake of the Tucson shootings and recognize that there are "intolerable acts" that demand attention and redress today in our society and daily activities. Here are some examples…


1. Using gun sight target images to designate your political opponents.

2. Inviting your supporters to fire an assault weapon as part of your political rally.

3. Broadcasting diatribes over the public airwaves that serve only to incite hatred and intolerance.

4. Construing the Second Amendment into a ridiculous excuse to carry firearms wherever you please or to own a personal arsenal of assault weapons.

5. Shouting people down or bullying opponents or others into silence.

6. Viewing those who don't agree with your point of view as expendable.

7. Persecuting legal aliens or redefining citizenship to eliminate those you don't like.

8. Imposing your own version of religion as the national standard at the expense of other religions.

9. Propagating or spreading hatred and intolerance of those whose personal and private choices differ from your own.

10. Knowingly characterizing false statements or unsupported rumors as factual news on TV or other broadcasts.