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Here's what I wrote in response:
Someone might be viewed as centrist if they were in favor of civil rights but have some reservations about affirmative action.
If your argument is simply that anyone who thinks gays have the right to exist is left and not a centrist, I think your definition is not aligning. People say Democrats in the US are center-right. Many Democrats support gay rights. So therefore they are left?
Do you understand the viewpoint that if you are against affirmative action, you are appeasing the right? Actions speak louder than words, and while affirmative action wasn't perfect when rolled out, it was better than lip service while doing nothing.
Let's take your statement for example: Someone wants to have equal and fair treatment. The left side makes an argument for how to make things more fair. The right side says no, you don't deserve those rights. The centrist then says, I think you should have rights, but not right now, or not this way. When the centrists appease the right, they are seen as the right.
How about "You can have this, but the full thing you're asking for is going too far? Let's compromise and give you something the right wouldn't let you have, but not exactly as much as you want."
It isn't rocket science, and the binary thinking here is absurd.
Problem is, that's not what happens in practice.