I am a firm believer that you have to be yourself. Why would being yourself be cowardly or smart? Being yourself is just your natural state, it isn't inherently anything, so if you are someone on the center in most things, how could that ever be cowardly or smart?
I don't like the centrist label myself but....
People like me tend to be loathed or feared or shunned. Now this is just my personally view, but hate and fear I've received from multiple sides seems mostly out of not being able to control me. The way I see it, they fear me because they can't control or manipulate or bully me, but that doesn't mean that I'm an enemy either. I don't care what your leanings are, I don't care what you are, hell, in most cases I don't even care who you are, just be a decent person and you're fine in my book. I truly believe that in most, not all of course, but most cases, we are more alike than we are different. Why not find some common ground, worst being decent, and talk? Worst thing that can happen is some new ink at the cost of some time, right?
Gonna touch up on a few things:
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See, this is kind of what I was taking about, how is it cowardly to be yourself? That and I'd say let us not label an entire forum as haters of X or supporters of Y or ignores of Z.
How is it privilege if being open about it leads to the majority of people from all sides hating you in some way? At least when you are not in the center, you can find some support, but when you are dead center? Yeah, it isn't exactly a walk in the park.
Speaking of privilege, some people who are political outliers can also be people who lack privilege. I'm queer, which puts me in a minority, yet I'm also a minority within that minority, I'm a Semite so there's that, but I'm in the minority within that as well so I get race hate not just by racist non-Jews but by racist Jews as well who aren't in my Jewish minority , I'm visually impaired, get migendered all the time, etc... (seriously, there's a lot more, but I shan't go into it here)
You can definitely be lacking privilege and be in the center. Those 2 things have nothing to do with each other, that's the way I see it through personal life experience though.
But yeah, final thoughts? You gotta be yourself. If you are in the center, understand why to some you may be perceived as problematic and push for respect so that you can learn something. If you aren't in the center, know that someone who may be need not necessarily be your enemy; you may have common ground so be civil and decent. Am I right? Am I wrong? Who knows, what I do know is that what's important is treating people with respect. And of course there are vile, racist, degenerate, bigoted, discriminatory, and hateful people out there, and of course one should be concerned, but assuming anyone not strictly on your side of the grid/compass is one of them only hurts you. After all, garbage people like the aforementioned can be found anywhere, even amongst your side of the grid.
Peace, love, respect, tolerance, understanding.
