2012 Presidential Election Costing Friends??

reply to post by etombo


Yes, I have.

But after thinking it over I realized it wasn't the election but long running problems that weren't addressed and a fundamental difference in personality. Plus it opened my eyes to the lack of respect they have for my feelings and opinions. During the last year I was constantly told in a polite and not so polite, veiled way to shut up if I don't agree with them.
The election and the issues brought it to the surface.

And I like you could not get a good answer to the obama question except he's not Romney.

Another problem was they could never back up their "facts" with proof except for quotes from the DNC.

I made a point never to get personal, just the facts mam, but they always brought it to the point of insulting and telling me to shut it if I don't agree.

My sister in law actually told me she respects my freedom of speech but if I don't agree with her, don't say anything.
Then she said, "if you think that means I am telling you to shut up than you are calling me ignorant"....... Uh...yeah, at least she got that right.

I decided to just stop communicating with them because I am not a fan of banging my head against the wall.

My best friend and I don't usually discuss politics because she is a die hard Democrat and I vote for whom I believe in, regardless of party affiliation. I did vote for Obama in 2008 but I have been disappointed with so many of his broken promises and how this divided our country.

On Halloween, though, she came right out and said she voted early and voted for Obama. Normally that's not a problem but this time there was such a level of stubbornness and borderline anger in her that it touched a nerve. I asked her, "What do you really know about him?" and she totally went off on me. She later apologized but it was still hanging in the air between us until she asked me if I was voting for Romney. "No, I am writing in Ron Paul". Then she asked me if he was 'the young guy'. Good grief... I had to educate her on the merits of Ron Paul.

I didn't lose her friendship because I knew it wasn't worth arguing over. She's my best friend and we have so many other shared interests. I figure I will let her see for herself what happens in the future and we can discuss when she's ready.

reply to post by seabag


I am with you, I don't want to be around people I can't respect or have nothing in common with.

Life is short, why waste it appeasing people who don't respect you anyway.

Took me 45years to figure that out!

Originally posted by etombo
reply to post by seagull

 

You sound like my friend, calling people stupid and all. I think what I am trying to ask is, has anyone else had any fallout from the election with friends and family? After months of negativity with ads and people in general it came to a head where I allowed it to take the best of me. I am glad you're perfect and impervious to emotional compromise but unfortunately I am not. Please take a look at this from a broader point of view.

Fortunately (for everyone-else), I have no friends...so - the answer to your question is, obviously, "no".
There are people that I am friendly with...and who bring a smile to my face and heart, when I see them - but, no-one outside "work" that I talk with regularly, or hang out with...other than my family.

On the other hand, I come here to have conversation with people who don't know they shouldn't be my friend/s, and find that they (Democrat, Republican, Socialist, Tea Party and even Libertarian) are exceptionally intolerant.
Some seem like very likeable people...but some are so riddled with bitterness & anger that you can't even question "why" they believe something without being lambasted and labled as everything they despise.
As TexasGirl... I generally stay away from such topics around others (unless they bring it up), and even then, pretty much try to find something to agree on, rather than debate...

reply to post by timetothink


Definitely a fundamental difference in personality and there were things that needed to be addresses, just sort of annoying that the election was the tipping point. Thanks for your response, well thought!

Originally posted by etombo
reply to post by timetothink

 

Definitely a fundamental difference in personality and there were things that needed to be addresses, just sort of annoying that the election was the tipping point. Thanks for your response, well thought!

If you want to have friends..sometimes you have to overlook their failings. Im usually the first to tell someone how i feel about something feelings be damned. Life is Too short to pay lip service. If we do not agree on a issue i just leave it as we agree to disagree and move on.

Originally posted by WanDash

Originally posted by etombo
reply to post by seagull

 

You sound like my friend, calling people stupid and all. I think what I am trying to ask is, has anyone else had any fallout from the election with friends and family? After months of negativity with ads and people in general it came to a head where I allowed it to take the best of me. I am glad you're perfect and impervious to emotional compromise but unfortunately I am not. Please take a look at this from a broader point of view.

Fortunately (for everyone-else), I have no friends...so - the answer to your question is, obviously, "no".
There are people that I am friendly with...and who bring a smile to my face and heart, when I see them - but, no-one outside "work" that I talk with regularly, or hang out with...other than my family.

On the other hand, I come here to have conversation with people who don't know they shouldn't be my friend/s, and find that they (Democrat, Republican, Socialist, Tea Party and even Libertarian) are exceptionally intolerant.
Some seem like very likeable people...but some are so riddled with bitterness & anger that you can't even question "why" they believe something without being lambasted and labled as everything they despise.
As TexasGirl... I generally stay away from such topics around others (unless they bring it up), and even then, pretty much try to find something to agree on, rather than debate...

Perhaps I am misunderstanding you..... but I consider myself Libertarian, yet I feel that I am a very tolerant person. I just want to point out that everyone is different in how they handle other people's opinions, no matter their political affiliations. I find that generalizations tend to get us nowhere in life. I like to look at things on an individual basis I suppose.
I don't usually like labeling either, but on some occasions I find it is the easiest way for me to quickly sum up my political views.
And like you, I also would rather find topics to agree on rather than debate about. I hate the stress that comes with heated debates. =|

I did not lose any friends because of THIS election but I did lose my job and a friend in the early 70s because of political differences.
I believed Nixon was a crook and deserved to be impeached. I was invited to argue my point with a fellow worker and it would get hot sometimes, but we both enjoyed the intellectual conversations. By the way, the boss was very right wing. When Nixon resigned my friend went crazy and would not talk about it anymore. Next thing you know, I was fired.

It taught me a lesson that changed my life: Be a good slave or you will be fired! Sound familiar? It changed my life. I work for myself now and avoid the servitude.

I made a slip after the election. An extreme liberal asked me how I was a few days after the election. I said fine, I knew Obama was going to be reelected cause people are stupid. Please note, I did not say liberals are stupid, I said people are stupid (that includes me). People are allowing themselves to become divided, people are placing politics above what is really important. Why does your political affiliation define how you will be treated?

This election showed extreme character flaws in people, it truly saddened me. I saw some conservative star have horrible things said to her because who she chose to support. People wanted her to die because she was conservative. What does that say about us? Why has so much hate towards differing opinions evolved? It bothers me that the OP's "friend" would specifically call up to verbally attack the OP. Why? What is the gain?

Newsweek's cover declaring Obama's Conquest is a very interesting choice of words. Why was the word revenge used at a campaign speech? I find it very interesting the words being used- they are fighting words and that concerns me.

In M. Scott Peck's Children of the Lie, he wrote how the pack mentality becomes immature and primitive. One definition of primitive is: unaffected or little affected by civilizing influences; uncivilized; savage.
Is that what America is becoming?

Originally posted by Cherry0

Perhaps I am misunderstanding you..... but I consider myself Libertarian, yet I feel that I am a very tolerant person. I just want to point out that everyone is different in how they handle other people's opinions, no matter their political affiliations. I find that generalizations tend to get us nowhere in life. I like to look at things on an individual basis I suppose.
I don't usually like labeling either, but on some occasions I find it is the easiest way for me to quickly sum up my political views.
And like you, I also would rather find topics to agree on rather than debate about. I hate the stress that comes with heated debates. =|
I think you did misunderstand my intent (maybe not your fault, though).
I have found some very pleasant/likeable people on this site... Have found some within all of the groups labeled in my previous post.
I understand your point, and generally (*) agree...but, in all honesty...if we didn't learn to generalize at a very early age, we would move very slowly through life. We might be more accurate in everything we do...but - we would "do" a lot less.
I know that wasn't the direction you were going with it...but...as my former reply didn't go far enough to eliminate the possiblity of your "misunderstanding", I'm trying to cover more bases with this one...

seems a bit permanent for a four year problem...but I understand
I love my friends regardless of party affiliation but I am bewildered at the reactions on both sides as this is just another election.

Originally posted by AuntB
I made a slip after the election. An extreme liberal asked me how I was a few days after the election. I said fine, I knew Obama was going to be reelected cause people are stupid. Please note, I did not say liberals are stupid, I said people are stupid (that includes me). People are allowing themselves to become divided, people are placing politics above what is really important. Why does your political affiliation define how you will be treated?

This election showed extreme character flaws in people, it truly saddened me. I saw some conservative star have horrible things said to her because who she chose to support. People wanted her to die because she was conservative. What does that say about us? Why has so much hate towards differing opinions evolved? It bothers me that the OP's "friend" would specifically call up to verbally attack the OP. Why? What is the gain?

Newsweek's cover declaring Obama's Conquest is a very interesting choice of words. Why was the word revenge used at a campaign speech? I find it very interesting the words being used- they are fighting words and that concerns me.

In M. Scott Peck's Children of the Lie, he wrote how the pack mentality becomes immature and primitive. One definition of primitive is: unaffected or little affected by civilizing influences; uncivilized; savage.
Is that what America is becoming?

I think you pretty much hit the nail on the head. This is a very good interpretation of the situation.
You have to ask yourself, "Are my political opinions more important than a friendship or friendships?"
It's one thing to disagree with someone's voting choices, and another to verbally attack and insult them because of it. Anger and hate can make us do things that we regret later. And of course there are some that may not even regret it but that may be due to a lack of perspective. We need to start putting ourselves in other people's shoes, in my opinion.
Like the old saying goes, Do unto others.....