Poll after poll shows the overwhelming majority of Americans are centrists. Some may be left of center and others right of center, but the strident views at the extremes don’t represent most Americans.

It’s sometimes difficult to appreciate this reality as we are bombarded with the shameless voices of the extreme right and left. The cacophony of scripted slogans shrilly shouted can be disconcerting. The mind-numbing repetition and absence of any nuanced discussion is so unlike the civil exchange of ideas we were brought up to appreciate. It is easy to understand how many may just elect to stay home and not participate in the circus like atmosphere.

However, apathy and passivity in the face of these extremely negative forces is not a solution; indeed it is a part of the problem.