Dear Moderates: Get Off The Fence And Pick A Side

While the Tea Party rallies conservatives to take back their country, and formerly enthused Obama supporters search for the progress they were promised in 2008, there seems to be a recent surge in the amount of people who would like to find common ground between two polarizing factions.  As a result, a growing number of the once progressive intelligentsia have now begun to fashion themselves as “level-headed” moderates, who want the country managed from the center.  Looking back at American history, nothing is more dangerous than the instances where progressives devalue morality and freedom, for the purposes of seeming rational.  Nonetheless, when observing the “Political View” field of many of your Facebook friends you’re likely to find newfound converts to the “Moderate” label.  Unfortunately, those who subscribe to moderate ideology fail to realize that straddling the fence creates the most dangerous political climate possible.

For evidence that an increasing contingency of misguided souls are lining up towards the center, one needs to look no further than the recent Rally to Restore Sanity, spearheaded by Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert.  Essentially, the premise of the event was to prove that liberals, who believe Bush’s presidency may have been motivated by sheer corruption (go figure), are just as irrational as conservatives, who believe Obama is the second coming of Hitler.  In an effort to prove they aren’t as nutty as the assault rifle packing wing nuts on the right, or the spliff smoking hippies on the left, supporters of the Rally to Restore Sanity found themselves where Gerald Seib of the Wall Street Journal described as “the place where compromises are forged, and where practical results matter more than ideological divides.”

Though moderatism seems sensible on the surface, do yourself a favor and dust off that ‘92 Encyclopedia Brittanica granny bought.  A deep dive into American history exposes the dangers of relying on those at the center to make the right decisions for our future.  Going back to 1787, when George Washington and the 65 bourgiest (pronounced boo-zhee-est, thanks Urban dictionary) men in the United States met to construct the Constitution, moderates have compromised on critical issues, stifling the spread of liberty and justice for all.  Had it not been for the few spineless douchebags willing to compromise on the issue of slavery, the North would have likely bullied the South into abolishing the practice altogether.  Not having the patience to deal with such an extended confrontation, pricks like Roger Sherman of Connecticut convinced the delegates to compromise:

Mr. Sherman was for leaving the [slavery] clause as it stands. He disapproved of the slave-trade; yet, as the States were now possessed of the right to import slaves, as the public good did not require it to be taken from them, and as it was expedient to have as few objections as possible to the proposed scheme of government, he thought it best to leave the matter as we find it. … He urged on the Convention the necessity of dispatching its business (History of the American Negro 685).

Ideologically, Sherman knew slavery was dead wrong.  Yet he took the easy route when it came to finding a solution to stopping its spread.  Searching further documentation on the construction of the Constitution, Roger Sherman was not the lone moderate scumbag that caved on the issue of slavery.  Edmund J. Randolph also favored the continuance of slavery in order to appease Georgia and South Carolina, the only two states screaming “Hell No!” to ending their slave practices.

Mr. Randolph was for committing, in order that some middle ground might, if possible, be found. He could never agree to the clause as it stands. He would sooner risk the Constitution. He dwelt on the dilemma to which the Convention was exposed. By agreeing to the clause, it would revolt the Quakers, the Methodists, and many others in the States having no slaves. On the other hand, two States might be lost to the Union. Let us then, he said, try the chance of a commitment (History of the American Negro 690).

The conversations of the Constitutional Convention prove there should be no middle ground between two factions when one side is obviously devoid of ethics.  The continuance of the slave trade and the “Three-Fifths Compromise” are prime examples of what happens when moderates play Millionaire Matchmaker with morality and Satan; the freedom of citizens is jeopardized.

On the issue of freedom, there can be only ONE right or wrong path – that which preserves individual liberty.  It’s asinine to come to a fork in the road, walk straight and then believe you’ll visit a little bit of both places along the way.  If you’re still not convinced, look at the host of tragedies created after moderates ushered in another generation of slavery: The Civil War, The Compromise of 1877 (aka The “Great Betrayal” which ended Reconstruction and civil rights for newly freed Blacks), and the Jim Crow Era.  All of these catastrophes could have been avoided if the people in the middle would have forsaken the “I just don’t think America is ready for that quite yet” mentality.

But hindsight is 20/20 right? So what’s poppin right now?  Barack Obama has equally disappointed liberals and conservatives, leaving him where of all places – that’s right – in the center.  Don’t get it twisted… Obama was definitely the best and smartest choice for president after 8 years of getting Bushwhacked.  However, the real reason why so many Americans are pissed with Obama after only 2 years as POTUS stems from the fact that he’s been too gotdamn moderate!  Remember when our favorite speech spitting mulatto hit the trail talking about “radical change” in Washington?  Well where the f- is it son?!  Not being able to dig us out of a record economic hole in 24 months is understandable.  But what about fixing the basic freedom related policies every president seems to sprinkle their personal seasoning on?  Antoine Dodson still gotta “hide his husband” because gay marriage is unjustly illegal.  As a matter of fact, the United States still can’t send that angry, burnt perm wearing Negro into combat because Obama has been tippy-toeing around the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.  Furthermore, Barry c’mon son… you know your lips didn’t get that dark from smoking Newports alone!  We all saw the pics of you getting your Wiz Khalifa on during the 80s.  Yet, Big O won’t repeal the unjustified prohibition of marijuana, despite the mounting evidence which proves it is much safer than alcohol and tobacco, (not to mention a possible source of government income through taxation).  These are all civil rights which Barack refuses to address head on.

To make matters worse, Barack is only promising to become more moderate as Republicans have regained control of the House.  My man went on 60 Minutes last week to spew that same empty rhetoric that has us all vexed:

Our goal has to be to try to bring the parties together and see if we can move forward on some areas that we know will encourage growth — like education, investment in research and development, investment in science and technology. (President Obama on 60 Minutes November 4, 2010).

Brother, can’t you see that trying to level with irrational people, demons solely focused on gridlocking your presidency and promoting your failure, is a recipe for disaster?  Obama wasn’t elected so the left could compromise with the right.  To the contrary, he was elected to do the exact opposite of what the right did for 8 grueling years.  While it’d be lovely to see Barack shout “Gotcha bitch!” as he announces Reparations during a State of The Union address in his second presidential term, gambling on being moderate during his first term may not get him re-elected.

With the current crisis that America faces, we no longer have room for moderates to be on the fence inhibiting advancement.  It’s time for Americans to decide whether they’re for progress or not.  Those are the only two real options.  THERE IS NO MIDDLE GROUND.  When ideological divides are black and white, it’s foolish to assume resolution can be found in grey areas.  In the end, political change is only achieved by those who are the angriest and most vocal about their discontent; not those who coolly promote the status quo while appearing to favor progression.  The Tea Party gets that… when will you?