This column was originally posted as a web comment on March 1 to Ben Falcon's column "The center can hold, only by living to fight another day" (published in print on 2/28). It has been updated for style...

Illustration by Ren RaderIt never bothered me much in the past; in fact, I quite liked playing the role of the contrarian sometimes. People’s discomfort and confusion with my centrist ideology have...