FIRE (Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression) released this chart that shows how comfortable people are sharing their thoughts – and the bars tell a story: the extremes, whether on the right or the left are very comfortable shouting out their views. The moderates and less extremes, not so much.
It makes sense – if you’re in the middle of the road, it’s easy for drivers from both sides to hit you. If you’re politically in the center, you have both extremes willing to straighten out your views. And they will.
The first column – abortion rights – shows an interesting pattern – probably much like driving past the clinic in Whitefish, where I see protestors from both sides. Over a lifetime, I’ve developed a habit of keeping my head down on the topic. Logically, rationally, my thoughts are that life begins at conception. Logically, rationally, I’ve reached the conclusion that there are times when abortion is justified, even needed. And when I’ve been pressed to share these views, I’ve drawn the ire from both extremes. One of the reasons I blog – Facebook is a dangerous place for people who see both sides.
Transgender is an old issue to me – I taught at TSJC back when Mount San Rafael Hospital, in Trinidad, was the only place in the nation where the surgery was performed. It’s been at the edge of my life since the early eighties. From what I’ve seen, I’m glad that I grew up as a boy liking girls. That view may provide a roller coaster ride of ups and downs, but the other seems more likely to lead to depression and a crash. I’ve listened to people who told how great the surgery was – and am glad that I’ve been happy without it. Transgender is off to the edge of my awareness.
The war in Iran? I would prefer there were no wars anywhere. That said, the Ayatollah basically declared war on the US back when Jimmy Carter was a President. Again, I can see at least two sides to the issue.
FIRE’s graph demonstrates that the extremes (both sides) are less inhibited in stating their views. I suspect that forms a crossfire that keeps the folks in the middle of the road silent.
Leave a Reply