An essay on the political extremism that is causing such division not only within our government, but also within the framework of our personal relationships and our families. A look into why people would rather regurgitate extreme views that they hear on TV or the radio than look into their own minds for how they really feel about an issue.

Extremism is the purest form of human ignorance. 

Extremists are people who flock to the most fanatical end of their respective political spectrum because, like all insecure people who are naturally drawn to cults, they are incapable of forming their own opinions on any issue of mind-blowing magnitude, so they require a leader to tell them what to think.  When it comes to anything as colossal and complex as a political issue (principally dealing with subjects like life, religion, taxes and individual rights) there is never a black-or-white, all-or-nothing correct answer.  There are always caveats, always too many exceptions to the rule.  There will never be a clear-cut, simple answer for any issue of that nature.  Intelligent people get this.  Extremists do not. 

Whether you’re a self-proclaimed ‘patriot’ with a tea bag on your head and a baffling ‘god hates homosexuals, but this country is lacking in Christian values, and get me an assault rifle now…’ mentality or a filthy parasite urinating into a tent while you ‘occupy’ Wall Street for unspecified reasons instead of just looking for a damn job, then you are an extremist.  And you are ruining this country. 

We keep hearing how divisive this country has become, and that is painfully true.  But, what I’d like to know is what happened to all of the moderates?  Have they vanished?  Whatever happened to being called Republicans and Democrats?  Now, Republicans and Democrats have evolved into being called Conservatives and Liberals; one extreme or the other.  Why?  What happened to the intelligent people who could see the value and good points that both parties had to offer as a whole and didn’t feel the need to align themselves so radically to one side or the other like two children choosing sides in a game of Battleship?  When did politics turn take on this melodramatic Lord of the Rings/Harry Potter flavor of Good Versus Evil?  Aren’t we smarter than that?  Or has our country stopped evolving and taken a huge step backwards intellectually in the last few years? 

I believe that extremism is the culprit.  Extremism makes people stupid and intolerable.  These people need to just calm the hell down, take a deep breath, open their minds and stop listening to the extreme propaganda being pumped through their favorite radio and television broadcasts.  Stop reading absurdly one-sided books that only serve to pad the brainwashed base that’s already there in your head.  Stop forwarding ludicrous conspiracy-theory type e-mails, especially without bothering to first check your facts and make sure that there’s even a shred of truth in its message.  Stop listening to nonsensical crap that just doesn’t sound right and start relying on your own brain for what to believe.  I guarantee that your own brain will formulate a more moderate, intelligent viewpoint if you trust it to do its own thinking for once.  Moderation in politics is highly underrated.  And extremism has never, ever come to any good. 

What the United States needs more than ever right now is bipartisanship on every level of government, not a bunch of tantrum-throwing toddlers who would rather cover their ears to the voice of reason than admit that there’s a chance they could possibly meet halfway and agree on some sort of middle-ground.  And as long as these government officials have their ever-loyal following of brainwashed monkeys blessing every single one of their missteps along the way, then nothing is ever going to change. 

If you’re the kind of person who regurgitates every single item that you hear on whatever extremely left or extremely right program you subscribe to and try to pawn it off as your own personal opinion, then you are an extremist.  If you make your friends and family members distinctly uncomfortable on a regular basis with what you perceive to be your ‘passion’ for politics (although it’s actually perceived as creepy fanaticism at best), then you are an extremist.  If this essay pisses you off in a highly emotional way, then you are an extremist.  And you are ruining this country.