Empathy for other Cultures & Religions

The other day I was telling my mother about how everyone at my University is very afraid that people will start being pulled out of school since already some have been pulled off planes thanks to the ban. I also told her that there is a girl in my neurobiology class in a full burka (showing only her eyes). My mother began her rant "that is what's wrong with those countries and how horrible it must be for her" and that's when I stopped her. I have a friend who has discussed her hijab with me and she told me that as a child she never wore it because she wasn't very close to her religion and also because she barely understood it. But as she got older she began to understand the significance and realized she wanted to wear it. No one forced her. No one told her she had to. But even if someone had, it gives us no right to judge her or her religion. I pointed out that my mother forced me to go to Catholic school. She forced me to get communion and to get confirmed. It's part of my mother's culture and religion to do those rituals, and it's part of the girl in my class' culture and religion to dress like that. Empathizing and understanding that while you would not do something doesn't mean it is necessarily wrong. (Obvious human rights violations like stoning women and killing people is not okay). Anyway what is your opinion on tolerance especially in light of all that is happening.