Faith + Reason = Truth

Do you consider yourself an extremist?  Probably not.  And if you're not at the extreme, then you're somewhere in between, right?  And if you're somewhere in between, then you're probably able to see both points of view, to some degree.  However, if you display that ability publicly, whether in the form of a Bush-backed scientist stating that global warming is happening or a Northern California Democrat supporting the Iraq War, you will be attacked from both sides.  One side will disparage you because you are their sworn enemy regardless of position on a specific issue (Dem vs. Repub, Lib vs. Conserv), and the other will disavow you for believing something that's out of lock step with "the cause".
So you see, you cannot assume the middle ground out loud, even though it's where almost all of us live in our heads.  Which doesn't seem logical on the face of it, until you step through it logically as we have just done.