The Greeks were among our earliest critical thinkers, and the idea popped up even as Man was taking his first shot at getting his head around his own existence.
It was this: Moderation in all things.
That was true with how much they ate or drank, how well people should treat those around them and it was especially true with opinion and political thought.
It was considered a strength to intellectually dodge the barbs of the zealous, to take fire from both sides and stay focused on the Middle Earth where common sense and logic won out over emotion.
Today, being moderate is a sign of weakness, a wishy-washy place where seeing the other guy’s point makes you somehow less of a true believer, less of a standard bearer to the Cause.
Today, there are only two armies, one on the left and one on the right, and to paraphrase our President a bit, if you ain’t with us, then you agin’ us.
There are only two states of thought these days, the red state and the blue state, but if you ask me, what we need are a few more purple people.
It is the moderate voice that can’t be heard over the din of the All News Channels, where being fair doesn’t mean finding the confluence of thought from diverse opinions but instead balance has become bringing in two diametric opposites willing to scream at each other.
Controversy means ratings, you know.
Heat? You bet.
Light? Not much.
Fox News Sunday scored its highest ratings in months when a red-faced Bill Clinton wagged his finger at interviewer Chris Wallace and basically accused him of being part of Rupert Murdoch’s Neo-Con Hit Squad for asking him why he didn’t do more to stop Bin Laden while president.
It was the talk of the cable stars and the talk radio hosts for days.
Did it move us forward at all, solve anything on the global terrorism front?
Hardly.
Why is it weak to see what value exists on both sides of the spectrum?
Is it impossible to be strong on defense AND strong on the environment?
Is it outlandish to believe in smaller government AND helping the neediest among us?
Purple People unite.
It is the whisper lost in the clamor that we may need to hear the most.