Extremism Does Nothing For This Country

As a student at a very conservative university in one of the most red states in the nation, you would think that I would be surrounded with neo-conservatives that are obsessive about their guns, they businesses, and their Pro-Life PACs but I am surrounded by extremism on both sides and despite the constant hammering from both sides against each other, nothing is being said.  Not really anyways.  They negate each others arguments back and forth again and again and it seems that most are spouting off random facts from obscure websites or political journals that are anything but clear and precise. Although there are some exceptional things said, oftentimes the way it is said completely turns the audience off to whatever argument is being made. I will gladly admit that I enjoy listening to Rush, O'Reilly, and even some of the comments that Coulter and Beck have to say but the thing that these intelligent individuals have in common is their abrasiveness. I am a firm believer in the fact that people choose to be offended and those who take offense at very minute comments have no right to be involved in politics or media but sometimes it is practically impossible to not take offense. I agree with some of the arguments made by these previously mentioned individuals but I think they would be taken better if said with more passion and less harshness. On the other side, there are actual politicians such as Reid, Pelosi, Clinton, and Snowe that have some serious issues on their political plates and yet they deal with very poorly and they don't seem to care either way.  They are as abrasive as the extreme right.  Again, if they listened to the people they are supposed to represent and spoke with an actual love of their country, they would be better received. It would not make their arguments any less wrong but they might pull in a few more supporters... maybe.
The point is, just try to be civil. It really does not make some appear to be intellectual if they are just using their mouths instead of their ears.
Try it. You may be pleasantly surprised.