Hello from normally sunny California

[OrphanPip]

Sorry to disagree but I have to say that tolerance is not a word that I associate with Americans. Lots of Europeans are, privately, not in favour of gay marriage, but are prepared to go with the flow. Americans on the other hand, if they don't believe in gay marriage, they will say so, they will change their political support, etc. My feeling is that more Americans simply see nothing wrong with homosexuality and therefore nothing to be tolerant of.

Tolerance means tolerance of something that is considered to be wrong, it may be wise or a necessary evil, but I am not sure it is a good thing in it's own right (unless it's me who is on the receiving end of intolerance).

On what basis though, the numbers speak for themselves. More Americans favour increased rights for homosexuals than Italians. Likewise, political resistance to gay rights is hardly an American phenomena, the Berlusconi government has moved to stop gay rights legislation in Italy. The only reason there is any legal protection against discrimination in that country is because of broader EU legislation that has forced them into it.

Also, without getting too much into semantics, tolerance does not imply what you tolerate is wrong, tolerance is defined by a permissive attitude towards what differs from yourself.