Left and right meet in the middle

Objectification is a cancer that looks to kill truths told by others different than us. We call them extremists, whether right or left, and in that term, there are no persons, no mothers or fathers, sisters or brothers, men or women, only “things” or “objects” to be vilified. We also can turn others into objects just because they disagree with us. The former is very beneficial to those whose agenda is to create fear and hate, whether religious or political. It gives them a sense of power and control mistaken for empowerment. Extremists are dangerous because they traffic in excluding the middle as well as the other extreme. The latter situation is unfortunate because it can unnecessarily end or weaken friendships and family ties. This usually gives only sadness and regret.

Cut a piece string at least two feet long. Grasp each end and notice the left end is as far from the right as it can be. Now take the two ends and tie them together in a knot. Now notice that the extreme left and right are closer to each other than they are to any other part of the string. Remember also that the ends of strings eventually fray. The string tells a tale . . . a tale of truth?

This story was originally published March 17, 2017 at 4:32 PM with the headline "Left and right meet in the middle."