Can you remember your pre-controversial days? Days when the word "controversy" was a word that you glossed over, because you didn't quite know what it meant? Then came the day when you learned it, and suddenly you had to form opinions on "important" issues? For me, that day came early in high school, when - as part of a social studies unit - we were given controversial statements about abortion, war, capital punishment, gay rights - statements that are these days quite polarizing. To visualize the controversy, if we were for a particular issue, we were to stand on one side, and if we were for another issue, we were to stand on the other. And then we would state why we put ourselves on one side or the other. More often than not, it was one or two students forming a minority, and arguing against some 20 other students.

It is worth noting - the exercise was meant to be polarizing: You had to take a stance on either side; there was no "apathetic" category, no "neutral" category, and no "indifferent" category. It was one or the other - and this lead to many simply following their friends on issues they were particulary impartial to.

Speaking for myself, I would say that for most of the statements, they were the first time I had ever really thought about them. When it came to some issues, I often found myself switching from one side to another, and with others my stance was supported with arguments I would by no means use today. Afterall, there was very little experience I could put into my opinions, being only 14 at the time - perhaps only 3 of those 14 years which were not preoccupied with toys and chocolate.

Do I keep the same opinions as I did then? For the most part, I would say there's an even distribution among the opinions which have changed, and the ones which haven't. There are some that I'm still indifferent about, and some I've grown indifferent about. But, at the very least, I've tried to think about each of these stances.

When I get into the inevitable political discussions of our times, and hit upon controversial issues, I've often found that liberals think I'm conservative, and conservatives think I'm liberal. To be honest, I side with those who think about the issues (a statement which, I'm sure both liberals and conseratives will smile at, thinking I mean them.) To be frank, I don't know how anyone could not be a moderate. There are too many issues that both conservatives and liberals adhere to, that I personally see as conflicting. I'm not a moderate because I'm indecisive, and while I may be ignorant on some issues, I do make the effort to avoid that.

I make sure I think long and hard about each issue, and I stick with all those who think long and hard about the very same issues. And quite often, we arrive at different conclusions - which is perfectly acceptable in my mind. I have my own experiences, my own perceptions, on which to base my views and opinions. And I'm more than willing to discuss my views with those who have thought hard about their views. The people I have trouble discussing my views with are the people who immediately adopt a label that lumps them into a particular category. They are often of the mentality that: "If you're not with us, you're against us." and so my taking issue with one point makes me their enemy - at least, politically.

When I think about the word controversy, I think about those issues that came up in class that day. Those stereotypical issues that are immediately polarizing. Issues which, before then I would have thought - albeit, in my naivety - everyone agreed upon. As though there were certain truths, some learned, some refined, some discovered - and there was nothing left to discuss. That is, as I now see it, a stance of ignorance: the unawareness of a different opinion than your own. Or rather, not realizing that what you think is an opinion, and mistaking it for fact. And when I was told it was a controversy, I thought harder about it, listened to other opinions, to find out how I truly felt. Afterall, when you're a 14 year old boy with clean ears, the last thing on your mind is whether abortions or euthenasia should be legalized. They are two things you just don't come across as a 14 year old boy. (Of course, these days one can't be so sure about the teenagers...)

And I think of all those in class who sided on an issue purely because their friends did. Without giving it a second thought, their immediate desire was to fit on and not isolate themselves from their friends. And in that mindset of a teenager, it makes perfect sense: why risk alienating yourself from your friends regarding issues that neither of you are all that likely to face - at least not in the near future. (Of course, these days one can't be so sure about the teenagers...)

And then I think about today: When I find myself arguing with someone who is on the same side of all issues, I wonder - is this where their friends are? Or at least in their microchosm: is this where everyone else is?

To paraphrase Chris Rock: How can anyone belong to party? That is saying you've made up your mind about the issue, before you've heard the issue.

More paradoxically, as I mentioned earlier: some of them are - in my eyes - conflicting.

To paraphrase a bumper sticker: Why does Pro-Life = Pro-War? And on the other side of the coin: Why do some care more about animal rights than they do about human fetuses?

For the record, I'm not making any of my views known here. The only argument I'm trying to persuade here is simply this:

Before you call yourself a socialist, a liberal, a democrat, a republican, a conservative, a facist, a libertarian, an authoritarian, a communist, a monarchist, an anarchist, and even - yes, even, a moderate, consider this: If an issue came up - a brand new, controversial, multi-faceted issue for people to feel passionate about in many different ways, how likely is your affiliation going to determine your stance before you've even thought it through yourself?

And if you call yourself a socially-liberal, and economically-conservative, my only response is this: To me, you are saying you care about social issues, but not willing to pay up the money to sort them out.

Images from http://www.politicalcompass.org