It's Lonely In The Center

Liberals, even socialists, aren't evil thieves intent on taking your money. What form of evil intends to take something in order to give it to someone else? On the other hand, conservatives, even libertarians, aren't evil greed mongers intent on taking all your money and giving it to the CEOs. Most conservatives are ordinary working people trying to get by, and just want to be left alone for the most part. Most liberals see a need for assistance for those in need, and feel we as a community (nation-sized, but community) have an obligation to help.

Most conservatives don't hate everyone else in the world and don't want to kill them all; they just want to make sure our citizens and economy are safe. Liberals don't hate America and love the terrorists; they just believe that if we go pushing around people who aren't already an active threat, we may motivate them to become one.

Conservatives claim to want less government intrusion into our lives. What they mean is that they want less intrusion into their wallets, but they don't have a problem with legislating morality. Liberals want more freedom in the personal arena, but more economic regulation.

So, why the hell can't we all agree to quit being assholes toward each other, quit the god damned name calling, and admit the truth: We all have different theories about how to fix the mess we've gotten into, different claims about the causes, and different ideas about who can do the best job for us all. I'm all for debate. Debate, conducted with an open mind, leads to the exchange of ideas, which can lead to real solutions.

I'm so sick of agreeing with a point made by a friend, only to be appalled by the fact that their next post or verbal topic is a poison dripping, melodramatic attack on the political leader of their perceived opposition. And I see this from both sides. Dammit, it's lonely here in the center.

Seriously, people, let's stop demonizing each other and just talk. And until somebody actually introduces legislation requiring traveling papers to leave our houses and starts literally exterminating people because of their race, religion or sexual orientation, let's call a halt to comparing anyone to Adolf Hitler.