I think it's time that people stop equating "tolerance" with accepting violations of human rights on the grounds of tradition. Like sleepyjack said, the Qur'an has many, MANY passages that very clearly justify beating women, forcing them to submission, and generally treating them as inferior beings to men. Christianity has some dubious passages too, but the difference is that for the most part, most predominantly Christian nations have stopped using the Bible to justify violations of human rights.
The major issue is that these barbaric passages are still being followed to the letter in most of the middle east and fundamentalist islamic states. Religious leaders use the Qur'an as a way to justify all sorts of violent and inexcusable practices. Yes a practice can have been performed for hundreds of years, but that still doesn't make it right. Just because it's a tradition does not mean that it is not a violation of someone's rights, and simply because it is written in a holy book is no reason why people shouldn't express their outrage with it.
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What you've done becomes the judge of what you're going to do -- especially in other people's minds. When you're traveling, you are what you are right there and then. People don't have your past to hold against you. No yesterdays on the road.
William Least Heat Moon, Blue Highways
Your toughest competitor lives in your head. Some days his name is fear, or pain, or gravity. Stomp his ass.
HOOKED ON THE WHITE POWDER
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