Middle-Americans have the right idea

I came out of Everett High in 1965, not knowing my left from my right. I was raised in a strict religious family to the age of 16 whence I began to break away. I spent ‘66 through part of ‘68 in Vietnam. Back at the UW from ‘69 through ‘72, I was able to see the peace movement up close and personal. Later the ’70s presented a free society that varied wildly from my fundamentalist upbringing.

The 1980s and ’90s brought healing, understanding and mellowing. Now I, and millions of other Americans, consider themselves to be in the middle on most issues. We split our ballot and listen to ’60s peace music and old red neck country ballads. Being in the middle doesn’t mean the middle is average, uncommitted or lacking in values. On the contrary, we are very much committed. What we are not is far left or far right.

We consider the fanatic left and right to be opposite sides of the same warped coin. For example, in our country’s crises of Sept. 11, the far right implied that it is our country’s fault because of our decadent sins and God has allowed this to happen. The far left implied that it is our fault because of our war conspiracy foreign policies. We in the middle say to you, get a life.

We ask our government to do their job to protect us; if they have to get their hands dirty, then so be it, but if they trample on our civil rights, we will certainly let them know.

Another message to the left and right, don’t try to hijack our emotions, it is OK for us to seek solace in our inner faith. It does not mean that we are on the road to a fundamentalist revival, nor does it mean that when our elected leaders are participating in prayer that we are going head-long into mixing church and state.

We have no illusions about our country. It has its underbelly, it’s share of mistakes and, God knows, bureaucracies, politicians and over-stuffed entities muddling the waters. In spite of it all, we are a people that believes in tolerance, justice and basic freedoms for all mankind.

How do I know that we are on the right track? Because after Sept. 11, in homes and ballparks all over the country, millions of middle Americans sang “God Bless America” with all their hearts, a tear in their eye, full of pride and an unflinching belief in the words “stand beside her, and guide her.” Middle-minded Americans will do just that.

Everett

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Opinion

toon
Editorial cartoons for Tuesday, Feb. 18

A sketchy look at the news of the day.… Continue reading

FILE - In this Friday, Oct. 4, 2019, file photo, a man using an electronic cigarette exhales in Mayfield Heights, Ohio. On Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2019, the American Medical Association said it is calling for an immediate ban on all electronic cigarette and vaping devices. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak, File)
Editorial: Shut down flavored tobacco’s gateway to youths

Legislation in Olympia would bar the use of flavors and menthol in vape products and cigarettes.

Herald report of Everett protest inaccurate, biased

I was at the rally and protest in Everett last on Feb.… Continue reading

Media shouldn’t use ‘she’ for trans people

About 79 percent of Americans oppose those observed male at birth from… Continue reading

USAID freeze halts vital aid work

I am outraged the Trump administration is making the U.S. weaker in… Continue reading

Goldberg: Trump declares war on higher ed, not just woke parts

The move, aided by Elon Musk, to gut NIH funding, is part of a larger and debilitating attack on academia.

Comment: Trump’s Kennedy Center will narrow exposure to art

Trump’s move to takeover the Kennedy Center is not about the arts but about celebrating his tastes.

toon
Editorial cartoons for Monday, Feb. 17

A sketchy look at the news of the day.… Continue reading

Rivian, based in Irvine, Calif., has introduced its new R2 models, smaller and more affordable SUVs. (Rivian)
Editorial: Open electric vehicle market to direct sales

Legislation would allow EV makers to sell directly to customers, making lease or purchase easier.

Comment: No one saw Musk’s DOGE rampage coming or its threat

With no formal grant of authority, Musk is making cuts without fully understanding the consequences.

Douthat: Trump is chasing off lawyers he’ll need at some point

The deal to clear Adams serves Trump only as a way of identify whom he can consider loyal in the DOJ.

President Donald Trump listens alongside Elon Musk as he explains the administration’s cost-cutting efforts in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025. Musk has for weeks posted on social media about government spending, often amplifying and seeding false information. (Eric Lee/The New York Times)
Comment: This crisis can’t be left to courts alone

The courts can uphold the law, but they can’t match the speed of the executive branch in tearing down systems.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.