See how their intolerance changed our world...
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See how their intolerance changed our world...
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Martin luther king jr...
INTOLERANT OF RACISM
Martin Luther King Jr, famously known as MLK, was born on January 15th,1929, in Atlanta, Georgia. King attended Bible School and became a Baptist minister where he established a firm foundation for the dignity and equality of human life. King was plunged into the heart of the civil rights movement in 1956 following the arrest of Rosa Parks when he offered his church’s basement as the headquarters for the “Bus Boycott,” then was unexpectedly chosen to lead the demonstration. The boycott was a resounding success, lasting 382 days and culminating on December 21, 1956, when the Supreme Court of the United States declared the laws requiring segregation on buses unconstitutional. Over the next decade, MLK traveled extensively, speaking over 2,500 times across the nation. He made it his mission to be present wherever injustice was occurring. During that time, King drew national attention multiple times, often for being harassed by police, including having dogs and fire hoses set on him during his peaceful protests. Eventually, he was thrown in prison, but that only accelerated the traction King had among the black community. A few months later, King’s voice was the main event at a massive assembly in Washington DC where he demanded equality for all citizens under the law. It was here that MLK’s “I have a dream” speech was held and latched onto for the very first time. His relentless demonstrations and agitations forced the Civil Rights Act of 1964, authorizing the federal government to enforce desegregation of public accommodations and outlawing discrimination for patrons and employees. Not only was King personally intolerant of racism, but he was instrumental in that intolerance being firmly established in our laws (including the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and Fair Housing Act of 1968). MLK continued his fight until his assassination in April of 1968.
Martin Luther King Jr is universally recognized as one of the greatest Americans to ever live, has a national holiday named after him, and is given virtually unanimous credit for one of the most righteous movements of all time. But Martin Luther King Jr never lived to see the other side of his defiance to the cultural norm. He was arrested, abused, and ultimately murdered for his moral compass. At the time of his death, a 1968 Harris Poll shows he had a public disapproval rating of nearly 75 percent.
thomas jefferson...
INTOLERANT OF TYRANNY
Thomas Jefferson, born on April 13, 1743, in Shadwell, Virginia, was a key figure in the American Revolution and the author of the Declaration of Independence. Thanks to his father’s wealth, Jefferson enjoyed a fine education and was able to pursue his talents. His biographer later said of Jefferson, “a gentleman of thirty-two, who could calculate an eclipse, survey an estate, tie an artery, plan an edifice, try a cause, break a horse, dance a minuet, and play the violin.” During his years in university, he became convinced of a “Natural Law” that supersedes all other law, leading him to passionately embrace the ideals of liberty and self-governance. His fervor for liberty was only strengthened during the tumultuous pre-Revolutionary period when he witnessed the oppressive measures imposed by the British Crown. Jefferson's pen became a powerful weapon in the fight against tyranny as he authored the eloquent "Summary View of the Rights of British America" in 1774, articulating the colonies' unyielding demand for self-determination. Jefferson made his intolerance for tyranny – not just British tyranny, but of any kind – clear with the drafting of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, where he penned the immortal words, "That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it.” In that remarkable document, Jefferson clearly laid out what our forefathers were willing to sacrifice everything to achieve. After the young nation’s victory over England, Jefferson went on to serve as president two decades later from 1801 through 1809 – his entire presidency was built on securing and expanding individual liberties. He died in 1826 not as a British subject but as a free American.
Despite Jefferson's historical contributions to the concept of freedom, his staunch opposition to tyranny generated considerable controversy and resistance. Like many historical figures who took an “all or nothing” approach to their causes, he was seen as an extremist, unwilling to compromise with Britain or preserve the safety of the colonies at any cost. And indeed, he was unwilling.
Susan b anthony...
INTOLERANT OF SEXISM
Susan B. Anthony was born on February 15, 1820, in Adams, Massachusetts. She emerged as a formidable force in the fight for women's rights during the 19th century. She co-founded the National Woman Suffrage Association in 1869, relentlessly defending women’s equality in the United States. She was so intolerant of the male-only voting laws that in 1872, she famously cast her own vote during the Presidential election anyway. Her civil disobedience led to her arrest and trial, but Anthony’s persecution did nothing to slow down her campaign. She toured the country for the next decade, giving speeches, leading rallies, and tirelessly advocating for the constitutional amendment that would legalize her vote 50 years after she cast it in defiance. Anthony never lost sight of her foundational, American belief that "It was we, the people, not we, the white male citizens, nor yet we, the male citizens, but we, the whole people, who formed the Union.”
Susan B Anthony is widely considered a modern hero of the living generations in America today. But her uncompromising views in the late 1800s were met with near-universal criticism from the powerful and wealthy elite of her time. Like most historical figures who stood for deep morality in the face of social norms, she was labeled “radical” and marginalized as a fringe extremist. Not only was Anthony commonly denied venues, met with heckling and jeering wherever she went to speak, but she was physically assaulted on multiple occasions. Thanks in large part to her determination of a greater good for “we the people,” women’s rights in the US exploded in the 1900s, and today, there’s not a single right provided to men that is not equally or greater provided to women.
winston churchill...
INTOLERANT OF HITLER
Winston Churchill was born November 30, 1874, in Oxfordshire, England. He gained recognition in the British Empire first as a sailor, then Lord of the Admiralty, and eventually as a maverick in parliament. Churchill perceived Hitler and Nazi Germany as a great danger long before his contemporaries, warning of its rising power in the early 1930s almost a decade before the start of World War 2. In 1935, he stated, “The German Army is a dagger pointed at the heart of France,” but was brushed off by the vast majority of Brits. When Hitler confirmed his warnings by invading Poland in 1939, Great Britain turned to Churchill and appointed him Prime Minister later that year. As the leader of the British Empire, Churchill recognized the confrontation as more than war or conquest, but as a great evil that must not prevail, calling Hitler “a monster of wickedness, insatiable for his lust for blood and plunder.” From 1941 to 1943, while Germany pushed its advantage over Western Europe, Churchill came under immense pressure to compromise with Hitler or sue for peace, but the Prime Minister was completely intolerant of anything less than victory over the Fascist ideals. In September 1943, he instructed parliament, “To achieve the extirpation of Nazi tyranny, there are no lengths of violence to which we will not go.” During his most famous speech, Churchill made his intentions explicitly clear: “We shall never surrender.” And eventually, he demanded the unconditional surrender of Hitler in 1945. Churchill remained a political force for over a decade after the defeat of the Axis powers. He died on January 24th, 1965, in his London home.
Churchill’s legacy is firmly established as the most critical leader to the defeat of the Nazi regime; however, his stand at the time was widely considered “foolish”, “war mongering” and “careless”... Thankfully, Churchill recognized the truth of the impossibility to appease dictators and because of his radical intolerance to Hitler’s ideals, Europe remains free today.
rOSA PARKS...
INTOLERANT OF SEGREGATION
Born on February 4th, 1913, in Tuskegee, Alabama, Rosa Louise McCauley Parks became a pivotal figure in the American Civil Rights Movement. Her journey to prominence began on December 1st, 1955, when she refused to give up her seat to a white man on a Montgomery bus, a simple act that ignited the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Parks' steadfast refusal to abide by the unjust segregation laws was rooted in a simple belief that all are equal under God. In her own words, she later recalled, "I was just tired, tired of being treated like a second-class citizen." This singular act of intolerance propelled Parks into the spotlight as a symbol of resistance against segregation. As the Montgomery Bus Boycott gained momentum, Parks emerged as a focal point, embodying the collective spirit of those challenging racial injustice. Parks’ commitment to ending segregation was a generational one; she once said "I would like to be remembered as a person who wanted to be free... so other people would be also free." Her unwavering dedication to dismantling segregation extended beyond the bus boycott, as she continued to be an advocate for both civil rights and opportunity for those at the bottom of society. She and her husband founded the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self Development in 1987 to empower young people to learn and get the skills required to change the trajectory of their lives. Parks died in 2005 at the age of 92, leaving behind a rich legacy of resistance against discrimination.
Parks is now a lovable historic figure celebrated for a major moment. Parks' courageous stance against the readily accepted culture of segregation did not come without consequences. She and her family experienced harassment, threats, and economic hardships. Parks lost her job as a seamstress, facing the harsh realities of standing against the deeply ingrained racial prejudices of the time. Despite the personal toll, Rosa Parks' refusal to tolerate segregation became a catalyst for change, inspiring a generation of activists and contributing significantly to the dismantling of institutionalized racism in the United States.
RONALD REAGAN...
INTOLERANT OF COMMUNISM
Ronald Reagan was born February 6th, 1911 in Tampico, Illinois. He built a career in Hollywood in the 30s, appearing in over 50 films and becoming the president of the screen actor’s guild. At the time, Communist rhetoric was beginning to seep into Hollywood and Regan became increasingly aggressive in pushing back. His political career took off on the back of his famous “Time for Choosing” speech in 1964 where he called for a referendum on the direction of the United States and boldly proclaimed the evil of Communism. He was elected governor of California just 3 years later in 1967 and served until 1975. His success as the Governor of California propelled him to lead the Republican party in the 1980 Presidential election where he won a landslide victory against incumbent, Jimmy Carter. Reagan was then reelected for a 2nd term in the biggest electoral margin of victory in US history. His years in the White House were defined by his fight against communism. To call him “Intolerant” of the communist ideology is an understatement. In 1983, Reagan famously referred to the Soviet Union as the “Evil Empire” and argued that the only possible approach to the Cold War was that “We win, and they lose.” From there, he abandoned the doctrine of “containment” and set out to reduce the stranglehold of Communism throughout the world including helping “freedom fighters” topple communist regimes in the middle east and central America. Not only did Reagan fight the world view of the Soviet Union with opposing ideas, he also set out to prove the practical superiority of the American ideals. Reagan leveraged the US economy to build up the military in a way the Soviets couldn’t compete with despite having a population three times larger (Later on, Soviet officials credited the demise of their economy to being incapable of competing in a new arms race with the US). Amazingly, while Reagan was relentless in his pursuit of defeating communism, his tactics avoided war and the loss of life. Reagan miraculously built diplomatic relationships with his fiercest enemies including Gorbachev. Eventually, it was his communication and relational equity (and not the military power he built up during his leadership) that allowed him to call for the symbolic end of the soviet union and communism. By the time Reagan left office in January of 1989, the Reagan doctrine had largely achieved its goal: Mikhail Gorbachev, the last leader of the Soviet Union, publicly acknowledged the failures of Marxism and Leninism. In Margaret Thatcher's words “Ronald Reagan had ended the Cold War without firing a shot.” On November 9th, 1989, the Berlin wall was torn down as an international declaration of the failure of the evil of communism. Reagan died at the age of 93 in his California home in 2004 and was celebrated by millions in the US and across the globe as one of the great leaders of our time.
Despite the warmth with which Reagan is remembered today, his countercultural stand created detractors, severe backlash, and even assassination attempts. His now revered speeches were labeled "dangerous rhetoric" and "primitive" during his time in office. But Reagan's unyielding intolerance for communist ideals played a pivotal role in liberating more than a dozen nations from the grip of totalitarian regimes. Providing hope, peace and the promise of a brighter future for millions of people and the generations to follow.
JOHN ADAMS...
INTOLERANT OF INJUSTICE
John Adams was born on October 30, 1735, in Braintree, Massachusetts. Adams was a brilliant lawyer and a prolific writer who played a crucial role in drafting the Declaration of Independence. He was a man of strong convictions and unyielding principles, known for his commitment to justice regardless of circumstance. Adams' defining moment in putting his ideals into action came in 1770 when he chose to defend the British soldiers accused of killing Colonists at the Boston Massacre. He personally took on the unpopular task of representing these soldiers, asserting, "Facts are stubborn things, and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence." Adams faced a torrent of public outrage and condemnation for his decision to defend the British soldiers amidst a fervent anti-British sentiment in the colonies, fueled by the growing tensions that would eventually lead to the American Revolution. Adams, however, stood firm in his belief in the principles of justice and the rule of law. In the face of intense public scrutiny, he declared, "The law, in all vicissitudes of government, fluctuations of the passions, or flights of enthusiasm, will preserve a steady undeviating course; it will not bend to the uncertain wishes, imaginations, and wanton tempers of men." Despite the hostility he encountered, Adams meticulously presented the evidence in court that the soldiers acted in self-defense. His dedication to a fair trial prevailed, leading to the acquittal of most of the accused soldiers. Adams' bold stance on justice continued to define his career. He later served as the defense attorney for the accused in the infamous Boston Tea Party trials, insisting that even those who participated in acts of civil disobedience were entitled to a fair hearing. His belief that justice should be blind to public opinion and that the accused, regardless of the circumstances, deserved a fair and impartial trial is still recognized in our laws today. As he once proclaimed, "The dignity and stability of government in all its branches, the morals of the people, and every blessing of society depend so much upon an upright and skillful administration of justice, that the judicial power ought to be distinct from both the legislative and executive, and independent upon both."
In the crucible of revolutionary fervor, John Adams stood as a beacon of justice, reminding a young country that the rule of law, if preserved properly, would be a pillar that could stand for centuries to come. His legacy endures in our constitution and our procedures of law to this day.
DIETRICH BONHOEFFER...
INTOLERANT OF ANTISEMETISM
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, born on February 4th, 1906, in Breslau, Germany. After completing his theological studies and pastoral training, Bonhoeffer became a Lutheran pastor and lecturer at the University of Berlin. As Adolf Hitler's influence spread in Germany, so did the ominous shadow of antisemitism. Bonhoeffer, however, stood firmly against this dark tide. In his seminal work, "The Church and the Jewish Question," he wrote, "The Church is only the Church when it exists for others." This sentiment fueled his vehement opposition to the Nazi regime's anti-Jewish policies. Bonhoeffer moved beyond sentiment, though. In another work, "The Cost of Discipleship," Bonhoeffer articulated his belief in "costly grace" — the idea that true Christianity demanded active engagement in the world's struggles rather than passive acceptance. Bonhoeffer did act. In 1933, he joined the Confessing Church, a movement resisting Nazi interference in church affairs. He directly and explicitly opposed Hitler while most of the population – even the Christian population – supported him. Bonhoeffer delivered a radio address criticizing Hitler’s reach for power, where he proclaimed, “The church has only one altar, the altar of the Almighty...before which all creatures must kneel” before his broadcast was cut off mid-air. Unwilling to be silenced, he became involved in the Abwehr, the German military intelligence, and made connections with those that opposed Hitler. During this time leading up to World War 2, Bonhoeffer actively smuggled Jews out of Germany and worked as an undercover operative to bring intelligence to the German resistance movement. In an act of ultimate intolerance, Bonhoeffer eventually worked on a failed plan to assassinate Adolf Hitler.
Bonhoeffer’s heroic intolerance of an evil ideology was met with incredible opposition. He was publicly humiliated; his achievements and credentials were taken from him without cause. He endured constant vitriol from an overwhelming majority, including the majority of Christians in the churches he served. He was arrested and moved to a concentration camp and, eventually, paid the ultimate price for his conviction: he was executed on April 9th, 1945, just weeks before Allied troops freed the camp where he resided. The camp doctor who witnessed Bonhoeffer's execution later wrote, "I saw Pastor Bonhoeffer...kneeling on the floor praying fervently to God. I was most deeply moved by the way this lovable man prayed, so devout and so certain that God heard his prayer. At the place of execution, he again said a short prayer and then climbed the few steps to the gallows, brave and composed. His death ensued after a few seconds. In the almost fifty years that I worked as a doctor, I have hardly ever seen a man die so entirely submissive to the will of God."
MOTHER TERESA...
INTOLERANT OF ABORTION
Mother Teresa was born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu in Uskup, Ottoman Empire, on August 26, 1910. She heard the call of God at the age of 12 years old and would go on to spend her life spreading the message of the love of her Lord. Mother Teresa first gained worldwide recognition for her incredible work fighting poverty in the slums of Calcutta, India, helping the impoverished through her own Catholic order, “The Missionaries of Charity,” which expanded into a global movement touching millions of lives. Her mission to fight poverty is universally celebrated today; however, her profound fight for life is often left out of her story by expedient journalism. Mother Teresa never minced words in the battle against abortion. In 1994, she took her fight to the US Supreme Court in Loce V. New Jersey, a case about whether an unborn child has the right to life under the 14th amendment. She stated, “Human rights are not a privilege confirmed by the government; they are every human being's entitlement by virtue of their humanity. The right to life does not depend and must not be contingent on the pleasure of anyone else – not even a parent or sovereign.” Mother Teresa’s work established housing for pregnant women as well as homes for orphaned children all over the world. She categorically condemned abortion in her notable 1985 National Right to Life Convention speech, where she was hailed as a hero for her pro-life work. Mother Teresa spoke courageously for life nearly every time she was given a spotlight. In her Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech, she, again, attacked the issue head-on: “The greatest destroyer of peace today is the cry of the innocent unborn child. For if a mother can murder her own child in her womb, what is left for you and for me to kill each other?” Mother Teresa continued her fight for life all the way to her death in 1997.
One of the most beloved figures in international history, Mother Teresa made a huge impact with her life. Not only in her actions directly but by inspiring millions around the globe to be more selfless and charitable. But she also paid a price for her courage; she was libeled by many as abusive, racist, bigoted. Notable figures such as Christopher Hitchens published books smearing her character and life’s work. Ironically, Mother Teresa would have been the first to admit that she wasn’t perfect, but that her imperfection should not stop her from doing the next right thing.
JOHANN GUTENBERG...
INTOLERANT OF IGNORANCE
Johann Gutenberg was born around 1400 in Mainz, Germany. From an early age, Gutenberg developed a passion for sharing his Christian ideals which ultimately led to one of the most important inventions in human history, the printing press, in 1448. Speaking of his creation, Gutenberg said, “It is a press, certainly, but a press from which shall flow inexhaustible streams. Through it, God will spread His Word. A spring of truth shall flow from it: like a new star it shall scatter the darkness of ignorance, and cause a light heretofore unknown to shine amongst men.” Before his printing press, books were painstakingly copied by hand, making them rare and accessible only to the elite. Gutenberg's invention marked the dawn of the printing revolution, enabling the mass production of books and the democratization of information. This marked a turning point in history, as information became accessible to a broader audience and ignited the Renaissance, the Reformation, and the Scientific Revolution, fostering an era of intellectual enlightenment. Gutenberg died in 1468, and almost every aspect of progress that has accelerated in the centuries since his passing can be directly traced to the educational awakening that he sparked.
Despite being credited with this incredible accomplishment, Gutenberg paid the price for his pursuit. He was often opposed by the established leadership who viewed the democratization of knowledge as a threat to their authority, and he faced major financial hardship at virtually every turn. Shortly after the invention of the press, Gutenberg was forced out of the business he built while his former partner profited handsomely from his creation. Even at the time of his death, Gutenberg died in relative poverty with no fanfare, yet our world took a quantum leap forward because of his mission to spread knowledge regardless of the personal cost.
FREDERICK DOUGLASS...
INTOLERANT OF SLAVERY
Frederick Douglass was born into slavery in Maryland around 1818. He escaped his masters in 1838 and, unsurprisingly, became a leading abolitionist. Douglass, incredibly self-educated, became one of the leading writers and orators for the cause of emancipation. He launched his own anti-slavery newspaper, "The North Star,” at a time when the vast majority of the country utterly opposed his ideals. Douglass never shrunk back from exposing the horror of slavery. In his autobiography, "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave," he vividly told the stories that no one wanted to hear with excerpts like “I have often been awakened at the dawn of day by the most heart-rending shrieks of an own aunt of mine, whom he used to tie up to a joist, and whip upon her naked back till she was literally covered with blood. No words, no tears, no prayers, from his gory victim, seemed to move his iron heart from its bloody purpose." Douglass delivered passionate speeches to crowds that more often jeered and mocked than supported, but his life was marked by more than just words; it was marked by action. As he famously said about his escape “I prayed for freedom for twenty years, but received no answer until I prayed with my legs.” And his action continued as an active participant in the underground railroad freeing other slaves against their master’s wills. Douglass urged African Americans to join the Union army during the Civil War, proclaiming, "Who would be free themselves must strike the blow." That blow was struck, and on January 1, 1863, the Emancipation Proclamation was issued by Abraham Lincoln stating “…all persons held as slaves… henceforward shall be free.”
Despite his noble cause, Douglass faced intense opposition and threats to his life. His unyielding stance against slavery made him a target for those who defended the Southern way of life. Detractors dismissed his speeches as seditious, and his autobiography faced attempts at suppression. Yet, Douglass pressed on, unwavering in his commitment to freedom. His intolerance for slavery was marked by action that forced the US to alter its course and arrive, today, where all people of every race have equal rights under the law.
JESUS CHRIST...
INTOLERANT OF HYPOCRISY
Jesus Christ, the most influential figure to ever live, was born in Bethlehem over 2,000 years ago. He could be the namesake for nearly every issue on this page, but perhaps what Jesus of Nazareth was most intolerant of was hypocrisy. Trained as a carpenter, He started his ministry at the age of 30 and quickly built a reputation—not for condemning sinners but for rebuking the religious leaders of His time. In Matthew 23, Jesus called the Pharisees hypocrites and admonished them for caring more about the rules than the people they ought to be serving, for trying to appear clean on the outside and being dirty on the inside, and a slew of other accusations. In a separate encounter, He called them a “brood of vipers”! Not only did Jesus condemn these religious leaders directly, but His entire ministry modeled love over legalism. When He healed a man on the Sabbath, a day where Jews were required to do no work, Jesus came under fierce attack from the Pharisees but scolded them for caring more about the letter of the law than a man being healed. In response, those leaders set out to trap Jesus by requiring him to condemn a woman caught in the act of adultery to death by stoning. Jesus made no excuse for her wrongdoing but prescribed that whoever among them had never committed a wrong should cast the first stone. When none of the men who dragged her in front of Him were qualified to condemn her, Jesus made one of the most powerful statements in the Bible: “Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.” A clear proclamation that Jesus had not come to bring condemnation but transformation.
It was this recipe of truth with love that most defined Jesus of Nazareth and why he went out of his way to bring the message of his gospel to those who felt most unqualified to receive it. In his own words, “It’s not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.” Contrary to some modern rhetoric, He never suggested that God’s law could be violated without a price, but he preached that God’s mercy is available to everyone. In the ultimate demonstration of that reality, Jesus was tortured and crucified to make a way for mankind to be made right with God.