The Paradox of Tolerance
Tolerance is the acceptance of an idea or person regardless of if one agrees or disagrees with it.
To be tolerant one must accept notions of intolerance, such as bigotry, racism and religious intolorance.
Thus the paradox; It is impossible to be entirely tolerant without a contradiction.
In a debate situation tolerance has no effective argument to counter an intolerant position. It follows that if society is tolerant without limit, its ability to be tolerant is seized or destroyed by the intolerant.
Karl Popper described it this way:
“In order to maintain a tolerant society, the society must be intolerant of intolerance.”
i.e., free speech should not extend to those ideas that threaten free speech itself.