An excellent post expressing a well-balanced view of the situation. People of both sides of the debate, pro or anti, do seem to follow the view you expressed so clearly and fall into the extremist point of view. There are people of, both opinions, that, to easily and quickly take the extremist point of view.
It would be far more interesting if people, of whatever point of view, were to accept that there are people with differing opinions and debate the various points in hand without going immediately to the extreme stance.