Middle Ground

Whew…I just signed off of a heated political debate via Facebook and I am thoroughly exhausted. It wasn’t so much a debate as it was a unrelenting attack on my liberal positions. I should have known better than to step into conservative territory, but since Paige doesn’t need to be picked up from Kindergarten for a few more hours I had some time to kill. Laundry and freelance writing be damned, I was fully engaged in this.

It all started with a discussion about whether the concept of “middle ground” on political topics exist. This is, of course, in light of President Obama’s recent speech at Notre Dame wherein he encouraged the recent graduates to seek middle ground as it relates to heated political topics.

I am of the mindset that middle ground does exist. My dear debating opponents, it seems, did not. In fact, one threw out the comment, “Middle ground? What is that, like half an abortion?”. Naturally, visions of those propaganda images featuring bloodied partially aborted fetuses flashed through the minds eye of all debate participants and future debate was sullied. Seemed like a fairly low blow, as well as off topic, but I let that one slide. My concept of middle ground as it pertains to abortion was more along the lines of an agreed ban on late term abortions or increasing sex education funding as a way to lessen the current abortion rate. Did anyone hear me? I think not.

The debate got nastier from there and I respectfully bowed out. My opponents may very well have seen that as a sign of weakness or a “Ha! Gotcha! What now, liberal?” moment. For my part, I always have a sense for when a debate is fruitful versus hostile and know when to say when. Self-preservation, my friends, and I am not about to let additional personal attacks ruin an otherwise sunny and productive day.

However, I sincerely resent the diminishing mass of conservatives viewing us liberals as the sadly misguided, poor uninformed, desperately-needing-to-see-the light fools. Most liberals I know have come to their position by educating themselves and engaging in due diligence when it comes to controversial topics. In this case, prayer just isn’t gonna cut it.

Further, most liberals have a real understanding of the positions of conservatives while at the same time vehemently disagreeing and holding their ground. Conservatives, on the other hand, see the opposing viewpoint as simply wrong and the person holding said position just needs to be enlightened. No, thank you. Really…no thank you.

Oh, and the benevolent offers to pray for my soul as well? I’m good. But those children suffering abuse at the hands of their caretakers or soldiers on the front lines in Iraq or angst laden teenagers contemplating suicide? Kindly send your prayers their way.