My recent assertion that the Fox TV show Glee is not about tolerance brought some reader response, some in basic agreement, some in respectful disagreement, some in somewhat less-respectful disagreement.

Here a sampling, along with my responses:

Jeff wrote:

I totally dis-agree with your comments. Glee doesn’t pull any punches and neither did Nip Tuck! Real life is “ugly” at times, or should I say, can be perceived that way quite easily. The show takes us on a roller coaster of emotions, constant ups and downs – just as life does! And I find a lot of joy in the episodes, ex: Kurt’s relationship with his Dad, Rachel’s never-ending quest to being accepted, Finn’s ability to lead, Puck always meaning to do the right thing, but maybe in the wrong way, etc, etc. Try watching an entire episode or two and you’ll find yourself smiling quite a bit!

Thanks for your comment, Jeff. Some other readers, not all as polite as you, took exception to my criticizing the show while admitting to not having sat through an entire episode.  I mentioned that fact because I felt it was only fair to.  Still, I think I’ve seen enough portions of the two-year-old show to render a reasonable opinion about it.  But, on your recommendation, Jeff, I will make a point of catching a few entire episodes this month. I doubt my opinion will change. But you never know. I’ll try to keep an open mind. It wouldn’t be the first time I was wrong about something.

Dennis wrote:

You totally missed the point of this exceptional series of programs about tolerance. It honestly portrays what actually happens in schools today and clearly points out the “bad” guys. It is not a censored “goody-goody two shoes” pack of lies about the real world. Shame on you and your hypocritical values. Watch it for a while and learn to see its message. No one is too old to learn.

I think maybe you missed my point. A show focused on portraying large swaths of the American population as “bad” guys isn’t about tolerance or understanding, it’s about labels of the type that foster anger and resentment. It justifies one group’s disdain for another while while raising the anger level of the so-called “bad” people. You don’t have to have a “goody-good two shoes” view of the world to recognize that as unhealthy.

A better example of a show that promoted tolerance and understanding would be NYPD Blue in which the conservative police detective Andy Sipowicz (brilliantly portrayed by Dennis Franz) is taken on a journey from antagonism to admiration and respect for his black, Latino and gay co-workers (who likewise learn to like and admire him).  Andy certainly had his baggage but he wasn’t a cartoon. The audience was able to sympathize him while also caring about characters like John (Bill Brochtrup), the openly gay administrative aide and Lt. Thomas Bale (Currie Graham), the closeted squad leader.

In one moving scene (which, unfortunately, I can’t find online), John talks with a depressed victim of anti-gay violence, assuring him that it does, in deed,  get better. NYPD Blue dealt forthrightly with such evil while also compassionately recognizing that people can fail to understand each other without being evil. They can even learn to work together and like each other. Prejudice and narrow mindedness may be  serious flaws in human nature but they don’t necessarily equal hate and, I think, it’s important to draw the distinction.

(BTW, I first tuned into NYPD Blue expecting to find it trashy. Some conservatives were appalled by its occasional use of nudity but, when I actually watched, I was drawn into to its gritty but compassionate storytelling and its flawed but compellingly likable characters. Conversely, I was attracted to the positive-sounding concept of Glee (unpopular kids finding acceptance via a high school glee club) and was looking forward to seeing the show. But, whereas, NYPD Blue drew me in, Glee repelled me with what felt like an underlying tone of nastiness that ran through it and was quite apart from religion or politics.  I’ve seen nothing since that changed my initial impression. I will, however, fulfill my promise to Jeff. I’ll watch some full episodes and let you know if I reassess.)

All in the Family was another classic show that understood the difference prejudice and evil. Archie Bunker (Carrol O’Connor) was a bigot and the deserving butt of many jokes — but he was always presented as a human being who was also deserving of understanding. And, as flawed as he was, he wasn’t evil — as demonstrated by this scene in which he finds the courage to a stand up to a local chapter of the KKK.

Currently, Modern Family portrays gay characters with respect and dignity without, so far as I’ve seen, resorting to unseemly nasty swipes at religious or political conservatives.

These shows,  in my opinion, actually promote tolerance and understanding because they come from a place of compassion for the flawed human characters they depict.

My problem with what I’ve seen of Glee (so far) is that  it presents a simplistic “good” right-thinking people vs. “bad” wrong-thinking people view of the world that, rather than promoting understanding as it purports, sows (perhaps unintentionally) division.

Desiderata, one of my favorite poems, contains a line that reads:

“As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons.

Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant,

they too have their story.”

As I see it, Glee takes aim at those it considers “dull and ignorant” without humanizing them. Often when we take the time to listen to those we find dull and ignorant we find that their not as dull and ignorant as we thought. What’s more, when people understand that you’re at least hearing what they have to say and respecting their humanity, they’re more likely to be open to what you have to say and to respect you. It’s human nature. People (gay or straight, liberal or conservative) do not respond positively to ridicule and condemnation.

flipperthedolphin wrote:

I think it was last year, my Mum and I watched an episode of “Glee”, and we found it so awful, in it’s stigmatising, and degradation of each other, that we switched it off. How can human beings carry on like this? All they seemed to do was denegrate one another. Needless to say, not very nice!! We used to have a series here on our Australian ABC, called “The Librarians”, which consisted of an Austraian national, a Muslim, and others, but unlike “Glee” however, despite the cast having a dig at each other, it was not derogatory. To the contrary, they had a deep and profound respect one another and their differences. If “Glee” was like this show, well, who knows” Maybe I’ll be able to stomach an episode.