RE: Historic spirals

On Thu, 20 Jan 2000 13:04:21 -0500 (EST) Andrew Wayne 
Austin <aaustin@utkux.utcc.utk.edu> wrote:

> We hear in the mass media the terms "rightwing extremist" and the "radical
> left," but never about the "radical center" (although the term radical
> only fits well with the left, in my biased view).

Actually, British prime minister Tony Blair claims to 
represent the radical center, a.k.a. the Third Way, a term 
invented (I think) by General Franco, which is really 
quite apposite. The term "extremist" sounds less pleasant, 
but, to quote Martin Luther King (Letter from the 
Birmingham Jail): "the question is not whether we will be 
extremist but what kind of extremist will we be. Will we be 
extremists for hate or will we be extremists for love? Will 
we be extremists for the preservation of injustice - or 
will we be extremists for the cause of justice?"

Malcolm.

----------------------
Dr Malcolm Brown
Department of Sociology
University of Exeter
Amory Building
Rennes Drive
Exeter EX4 4RJ
U.K.