I was recently on a blog discussing one of the hottest social topics in the U.S. today...gay marriage...and I was given a little flack for being unwilling to use the words homophobe and bigot. At the time I chose not to get into my reasons, although there were plenty of comments made that would have justified such a response.
Admittedly, I have started this blog for purely personal reasons. I like blogging and writing. I enjoy putting my thoughts down on paper (or a web page) so that I can look at them later...sometimes much later...and see how my thinking has progressed, how my positions might have changed, and whether or not my frame of reference wasn't large enough at the time. For me it's exciting to challenge the illusions, misconceptions and outright lies that we tell ourselves as human beings. I knew I'd have to put something down for my first article and having the name-calling issue fresh in my mind gave me some great fodder to segue into... Why do I take a moderate position?
Popularity. Well in all honesty, one of the reasons to take a moderate approach is simply popularity. I'm the kind of person that likes to get a along with everyone. There are some higher ideals that come along with this but as I said, one should always look at the whole truth and denying that a part of me enjoys sitting on the fence because it enables me to interact and become friends with everyone would be a lie. I accept the desire for validation from my peers as an aspect of my humanity.
Respect. That said, it is hardly my sole reason for playing peacekeeper. Going along for the ride on the moderate bus is a greater respect for your opinions. My reasoning probably stems from my many years working in various service roles. The worst thing you can do to a customer having a problem is disregard their feelings; even if it's trivial, even if it isn't your fault and has nothing to do with you. Perhaps it's human nature, but when someone dismisses our concerns and fears, we tend to stop listening to anything they have to say.
Jesus Christ and Martin Luther King Jr. I was raised in a good ol' fashioned Christian household by parents who constantly drilled in my head that I should be respectful of individual freedoms and that gender, racial or religious discrimination are not values worthy of holding on to. Among my top role models are Jesus, MLK Jr. and my two dads (my biological parents are still married though and I was never adopted, but that's another story.) Jesus' example is one of inclusion and not condemning others, and MLK's message of non-violence and freedom for all is simply timeless. If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then I am adulated. Being a moderate allows me to emulate their message.
Clarity. With only one eye, our depth perception is severely limited. That's the reason why God gave us two eyes. When you start aligning yourself with only the left or the right, you often start looking at your world through only one eye. You can't see the whole picture clearly and that can lead to misconceptions and half-truths. The truth can be scary and often it is very ugly, but we're not ostriches and hiding your head in the sand usually won't make a problem go away. I prefer to look at the unseen and face the truth, sometimes courageously and other times sheepishly. Moderation allows me to look at both sides of the issue to come up with a clearer picture, even if my opinions themselves haven't changed.
Progress. I'd like to believe, I want to believe, that my biggest goal in taking a moderate approach is so that we can actually move forward. We have so many issues that polarize us as a race; religious dogma, gay rights, global warming, creationism versus evolution, the list just goes on and on. Moderate approaches often lead to more progress on these fronts. However don't let that fool you into thinking that I believe we do not need strongly passionate, vocal supporters who cannot tolerate the middle. If moderation is the grey area, it's only there because there is a black and a white. We need people like Rush Limbaugh and Dennis Kucinich. They provide the much needed contrast to these issues and allow us to better formulate our own opinions, even if they sometimes abuse a platform for their own agendas.
As a moderate, I don't think I've ever used the words homophobe or bigot and don't ever plan on it. My moderate side says that they are polarizing words not condusive of reasoned debate or forward progress. To take it even further, my logical side says it's wasted typing. If someone really is a bigot, they are not going to listen to reasoned counter-points by the very definition of the word. If one could make an argument that sways their opinion...well, you've just broken the definition of the word.
To close, I can't say what this blog will really look like. I have a strong interest in political issues, but moderation doesn't mean that's what I have to focus on. For now, I intend to take on a 'build it, and they will come' mentality. Here's hoping this does not become very popular blog of one.
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