By Timothy P Holmberg This is a message to my Centrist friends. I feel the time has come for us to talk. Full disclosure, I am one of those lefties that, along with my counterpart right wingers, are ostensibly responsible for the downfall of our politics and our country along with it. As gospel has it, I represent one of two extremes, and luckily, all you have to do is contrast me with my ill begotten brethren on the far right, and there, smack in the middle is . . voila! Truth!
Thanks so much for this. I will say that many centrists I know labor under the Golden Mean fallacy aka argument-to-moderation that really chaps my hide sometimes. For example, my angry push back against the type of ideals that lead to equating slavery with a jobs program is met with the, "yeah but let's hear the other side out..." kind of response which is just, dare I say, confounding! I am not going to argue the very idea of my humanity with someone who doesn't recognize it. To which end, I am called an extremist who is also Othering the opposing side, yah know, for balance. It's arrogant to say the least. A dearly departed friend of mine once said, tolerance only has meaning if there are horrible things you refuse to tolerate. True dat. To that end, I am not sure what I am politically--I hate labels, I hold no cows sacred and I take everything on a case by case basis. I used to fret that I do not "belong anywhere," now I no longer care because honestly, I'd rather be able to live free from labels than be chained to a thought box.
Good words, Timothy! I stand on the edge of that leftist corner with you after sliding from the middle. In the 80's. I did not like the term Liberal because it seemed too harsh to these midwestern ears raised by strong, hard-working Republican parents. I preferred to call myself a Progressive, however, now I'm not even sure where I fit into the political bandwagon. I'm much more liberal than my liberal friends and am not of the "Vote Blue no matter who" mentality. The wagon doesn't seem to have a place for me anymore. I am without a home politically so to speak and that thought alone makes me feel powerless when it comes to elections.
Thanks so much for this. I will say that many centrists I know labor under the Golden Mean fallacy aka argument-to-moderation that really chaps my hide sometimes. For example, my angry push back against the type of ideals that lead to equating slavery with a jobs program is met with the, "yeah but let's hear the other side out..." kind of response which is just, dare I say, confounding! I am not going to argue the very idea of my humanity with someone who doesn't recognize it. To which end, I am called an extremist who is also Othering the opposing side, yah know, for balance. It's arrogant to say the least. A dearly departed friend of mine once said, tolerance only has meaning if there are horrible things you refuse to tolerate. True dat. To that end, I am not sure what I am politically--I hate labels, I hold no cows sacred and I take everything on a case by case basis. I used to fret that I do not "belong anywhere," now I no longer care because honestly, I'd rather be able to live free from labels than be chained to a thought box.
Good words, Timothy! I stand on the edge of that leftist corner with you after sliding from the middle. In the 80's. I did not like the term Liberal because it seemed too harsh to these midwestern ears raised by strong, hard-working Republican parents. I preferred to call myself a Progressive, however, now I'm not even sure where I fit into the political bandwagon. I'm much more liberal than my liberal friends and am not of the "Vote Blue no matter who" mentality. The wagon doesn't seem to have a place for me anymore. I am without a home politically so to speak and that thought alone makes me feel powerless when it comes to elections.