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
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