“How can we tolerate people whose sincerely held beliefs include the conviction that certain individuals and groups should not flourish or exist because of their race, religion, sexual orientation, political affiliation, position on women’s rights, poverty, etc.—particularly if those people are inclined to act on their beliefs in ways that encroach on our own?”

This is a poignant question. And herein lies a paradox—both extremes, it seems to me, view all of this as a zero sum game, and resort to similar tactics to 'hegemonize' their views and to stifle criticism. The far left and far right are closer than those of us who champion reason, moderation and consideration realize. Rather than occupying two ends of a linear spectrum, these extremes are like the two heels of a horseshoe, closer to one another than to the middle.