The Responsibility of the Moderate

I believe moderates of any belief system should be held responsible for the actions of the extremists. Yes, that’s a strong claim, let me tell you why I believe it.

First and foremost, it is the moderates that create an environment out of which the extremists spring forth. It is moderates general tolerance that gives the extremists the room to manoeuvre and ultimately do harm. If the moderates wouldn’t exist that would first of all limit the number of extremists and secondly leave them far more exposed as their beliefs would appear far more abnormal, even to themselves.

Secondly, extremists will never listen to any people who are not at least moderately of their belief (and even then, their listening is limited). How ever much outsiders might be appalled by the behaviour of the extremists, it is only the moderates who have any chance of reigning in their extremist fringes. By not doing so, the moderates are complicit by silent consent.

If the moderates do not monitor extremist groups forming and, failing that, controlling those groups once they’ve formed then these moderates cannot say that they have nothing to do with those groups’ actions. They should instead be held responsible and be held accountable.