How do we differentiate a moderate person from a left/right extremist?

[Bushido]

"Humans are social animals, and by that I of course mean we are bred by evolution for group murder. Natural selection has awarded you with a brain that loves everything your team does and hates everything the other team does, regardless of what it happens to be. That's because our ancient ancestors figured out at least 3.5 million years ago that we could kill things better when we ganged up on them. And when it came to survival, unity trumped logic, morality and everything else. If the group was wrong, you went along anyway, because the alternative was trying to go solo against a Mammoth."

I got it from a Cracked article (If you want to read it, I can link it). What caught my attention was that it DID surprise me by answering some questions I've been asking myself since I've been here for the first time:

"Why does a Republican think that he has to support fundamentalism just so that he is able to support a freer market? Why does a Democrat think that he has to support affirmative aciton just so that he is able to support sexual freedom?"

So, we already know that a lot of people here are extremists and support EVERYTHING that their party says. But where is the line drawn? At which point does a person become an extremist?

[Ungratefulroute992]

Moderates generally view the opposing party as part of the solution as well.

[AverageJoe]

There are no moderates.

There are, however, millions of apathetic people who allow themselves to be swayed into voting for fake "moderates" because they themselves do not care enough to actually learn what is at stake.

[Lauren]

You can be a very right wing or left wing person without being an extremist. The difference is how you act towards people who don't agree with you. If you are someone who comes on yahoo answers and calls people "commies", you're probably an extremist. If you're protesting, or insulting people, you're extremist.

[El Nerdo Loco]

when does red become purple or purple become blue? It is a spectrum. Anywhere you choose to put a line is arbitrary by necessity. We can recognize centrists and extremists, but there will always be those between the middle and an extreme you can justifiably call either.

[RockIt]

Ask them what they read.

[relievedfood748]

All the same thing. Try Tea Party

[Metal Craftsman]

Going to go out on a limb here, but it takes just one sentence for the uninformed to categorize you as an extremest these days. It makes it easier to dismiss what others say.

Personally, after I see more than 5 posts from someone who sounds like they came right from the Obama ongoing campaign office, I label them as an extreme Liberal.

[Rocky]

forget about labels and just watch what they do.
Labels to more to obscure facts than to clarify.
That is one reason I don't take people who like to label people very seriously.
An 'extremist' is usually someone who disagrees with whoever is calling them an extremist.

[Jimmy]

if that's how you amuse yourself, knock yourself out!