Who has split with friends over politics?

[tylamonroe]

Interesting blog here, from a black guy and what it has meant to him to not be on team Obama.

Curious, have any of you lost friendships as the politcal climate has gotten more heated over the years?

I've know lost contact with a couple of old friends, since we couldn't really stand to be in the same room anymore after the elections. Honestly, It's probably more my fault than theirs. But the fact that they can't acknowlege one good thing about conservatives and fail to find one bad thing about liberals lets me know I'm better off without them.

http://theblacksphere.net/its-time-for-an-apology/

Homepage > Blog > It’s Time for an Apology

The Relationship Legacy of Obama, by Kevin Jackson

Obama has ruined more relationships than internet porn. I believe it is time that all the Obama worshippers who abandoned their families, friends, and all reason to support Barack Obama should start their mea culpas.

I find it astounding that Liberals so readily gave up lifelong relationships over a total stranger. The followers of Obama exhibited cult-like adulation of Obama that make the followers of Jim Jones look kindergartenish in comparison.

In 2008, I lost a friend of 28 years over Obama. We knew we differed politically for years; I am a Republican, he a Democrat. It never mattered. That is until Obama came on the scene.

My former friend was utterly beguiled by Obama. He claimed it was about Bush, however it boiled down to racism. He wanted a black president at any cost.

The day it all ended was on my friend’s 50th birthday.

I flew to my friend’s birthday party at my own expense. I was the only “old” friend who went through the trouble. My friend is a hothead and an egomaniac, but he was my hothead egomaniacal friend. His third wife and two young daughters had finally managed to settle him down, but regardless I chose to see his brighter points.

Other party-goers were people to whom or for whom he had sold houses, and there were a couple of stragglers who I think were there mostly for the free food. The crowd was 100 percent black folks.

While seated at our designated tables waiting for food to be served, one of the guest and I chatted for a bit about work. Comfortable, he asked me what I thought about Obama.

I answered honestly, and all heads turned. The room that had been comfortably warm, suddenly went ice cold. Though my friend was in another area of the restaurant, word got to him quickly there was a traitor in the midst.

I didn’t think politics was appropriate for my friend’s party and changed the subject. However the damage had been done. My friend’s attitude was different, so much so that I...

didn’t even stay for the cake cutting. I politely excused myself, went back to my hotel, and flew out on the next flight.

I checked my messages upon landing, and I was greeted with a phone call from my friend, where he asked why I ruined his party talking politics. I’m certain he meant, “the wrong politics.”

I told him that one of his guests had brought up the subject of the election, or more specifically Obama, and I merely answered his question…truthfully.

At this point the real issue came out. My friend was upset I didn’t support Obama. I asked him if Obama was more important to him than a friend of 28 years, the friend who had fought off 5 punks who attacked us at a gym, while he ran to crank the car?

Did Obama replace the friend who had loaned him money ten years ago to help him start his business? Did Obama replace the friend who had counseled him through his divorce? Did Obama attend the birth of his two daughters or his wedding or his 50th birthday party?

Over the past 4 years, my friend has lost about everything. His real-estate business is defunct. He has sold almost all his toys, including a classic car he had been refurbishing for about 8 years. He sold his motorcycles, and pretty much had gone into survival mode. He had been an investor in real-estate, and lost all his other properties. And I’d be willing to bet he has even lost the dream house he had acquired years earlier.

I can only imagine what his feelings for Obama are now.

Like the followers of Jim Jones, many Obama followers are finally being made to drink their cyanide-laced Kool-Aid. I wonder if people like my friend have changed their dogmatic stance on the stranger who convinced them to ruin amazing friendships, and caused major rifts in their families.

Obama has not just been bad for politics. Obama has been bad for things that are much bigger than politics. Maybe Obama’s election loss will heal the nation in ways that mean much more. What a legacy.

© 2012 Kevin Jackson – The Black Sphere, LLC – All Rights Reserved

[brotherplanet]

I have a friend, a very good friend who happens to be black, who started to say if Obama loses the election it's because of racism. I reminded him that I voted for Obama four years ago and would not do so again and I didn't suddenly become a racist over the last four years. I also told him a hell of a lot of white people voted for Obama four years ago and it's not likely if Obama loses it's because they all suddenly because racists.

My experience was different than yours. He thought about it for a moment and realized he was just having a knee-jerk reaction.

On the other hand I had a friend who's black and Puerto Rican with an Italian last name, which he refuses to believe is Italian and keeps saying it's from Spain so he doesn't have to admit he's got some white European blood in him. I once mentioned that different cultures think differently and he went ballistic. "That's racist." I informed him if different cultures didn't think differently we wouldn't have different cultures and he was using the word, "racist," incorrectly.

We're no longer friends.

[Stoner]

I got FB de-friended by some dude that I went to high school with but haven't seen in over 20 years - it made me laugh because after he de-friended me, he followed me around to other mutual acquaintances pages, not saying anything to directly to me, but making sure I saw him.

Other than that, most of my friends are progressives/libs, so there's really nothing to disagree about other than who has the stupidest conservative friends.

[Drunk Kennedy]

how do you know if someone has defriended you on FB?

[Danzig in the Dark]

how do you know if someone has defriended you on FB?

A little bit of your soul dies.

I don't know anyone who has turned their back on me and I've yet to turn my back on mine over politics. It seems petty to me and to my friends, I assume.

[TenBenny]

how do you know if someone has defriended you on FB?

Try UnfriendFinder. It's an add-on that actually works. It notifies you at the top of your profile page when someone flies the coop.

As for losing friends due to politics, that's just silly. As long as people can be civil, I can separate the politics from the friendship and it's all good. People have the right to believe what they want, as long as they're not hurting anybody.

[DEATH ROW JOE]

I have a friend, a very good friend who happens to be black, who started to say if Obama loses the election it's because of racism. I reminded him that I voted for Obama four years ago and would not do so again and I didn't suddenly become a racist over the last four years. I also told him a hell of a lot of white people voted for Obama four years ago and it's not likely if Obama loses it's because they all suddenly because racists.

Did he remind you that Obama was not running against Romney in 2008?

There are two reasons to prefer Romney over Obama:
1) you're a billionaire looking for some corporate welfare
2) you're racist.

You're not a billionaire looking for some corporate welfare.

[tylamonroe]

I got FB de-friended by some dude that I went to high school with but haven't seen in over 20 years - it made me laugh because after he de-friended me, he followed me around to other mutual acquaintances pages, not saying anything to directly to me, but making sure I saw him.

Other than that, most of my friends are progressives/libs, so there's really nothing to disagree about other than who has the stupidest conservative friends.

He had no idea who he was Efucking with. Silly man. Sounds like he got off easy.

So, no conservative friends by choice, or does it just work out that way?

[Rev. Johnny Tyler]

I got FB de-friended by some dude that I went to high school with but haven't seen in over 20 years - it made me laugh because after he de-friended me, he followed me around to other mutual acquaintances pages, not saying anything to directly to me, but making sure I saw him.

Other than that, most of my friends are progressives/libs, so there's really nothing to disagree about other than who has the stupidest conservative friends.

I hate how alike our actual views are, Stoner, you bitch.

Anyway... I have "boycotted" friends and even family members. Sometimes right wingers are just too much. They actually seem a little bit retarded at this point. Still running around calling Obama's birth certificate a fake. Salivating at the thought of standing in line for some Chick-Fil-A... Posting one (disproven by Snopes) facebbok image or "fact" after another and clinging to it as if their very life depended on it...

Then you got the people (family included) who you don't hear a peep from until you insult their politics or religion on Facebook or something and then they jump right up to thump you with the Bible or tell you how we need to go BACKWARDS to how things used to be. LOL!
I have no use for them. They clutter up my scenery. They are generally miserable people and just no!

They all get Foewned.

[hysteria_625]

Then you got the people (family included) who you don't hear a peep from until you insult their politics or religion on Facebook or something and then they jump right up to thump you with the Bible or tell you how we need to go BACKWARDS to how things used to be. LOL!

^^This

Had to block my uncle who decided to rail on me about my political views this election - he went so far as to call me a "baby killer" but he is in his mid-60's (i.e. set in his ways) and it's not up to me to try and change his stupidity.

[Stoner]

So, no conservative friends by choice, or does it just work out that way?

I have some - and I make fun of them.

Mostly behind their backs because they get all pissy when I do it to their face/FB wall.

[brotherplanet]

Then you got the people (family included) who you don't hear a peep from until you insult their politics or religion on Facebook or something and then they jump right up to thump you with the Bible or tell you how we need to go BACKWARDS to how things used to be. LOL!

In line with what you wrote, my favorite is when they feel you're taking their America away from them as if this country hasn't always been evolving.

Then you got the people (family included) who you don't hear a peep from until you insult their politics or religion on Facebook or something and then they jump right up to thump you with the Bible or tell you how we need to go BACKWARDS to how things used to be. LOL!

^^This

Had to block my uncle who decided to rail on me about my political views this election - he went so far as to call me a "baby killer" but he is in his mid-60's (i.e. set in his ways) and it's not up to me to try and change his stupidity.

Yeah, he's done. Set like stone in his ways.

[vlad]

I don't think I have split with friends over politics...though Sarah Palin put a mighty strain on one female relationship....we just don't talk politics anymore. She and her husband who grew up with my husband were just as shocked to discover we are Democrats as we were to find out they are wingnuts. Same with all my conservative and/or religious friends. My family for the most part are the only Democrats in SW MO so family is never a problem.

I have decided that some otherwise attractive men in my life weren't for me when they said they were Republican, I'm not big enough to ignore that...but even then we're still all friends. Again, we just don't talk politics. It's not worth the loss of friends.

[brotherplanet]

I don't think I have split with friends over politics...though Sarah Palin put a mighty strain on one female relationship....

Have you found that the people who like Palin aren't exactly the most intelligent people you know?

[vlad]

I don't think I have split with friends over politics...though Sarah Palin put a mighty strain on one female relationship....

Have you found that the people who like Palin aren't exactly the most intelligent people you know?

Not necessarily. The lady in question is by no means dumb. On either side (and in the middle, too..I mean really...you (not you) are still undecided after a campaign that basically began four years ago, and in earnest for months now...????) there are unintelligent people. The thing that got me about Palin was that it was so fracking obvious she was an idiot of the first water from the get go. Otherwise intelligent people thought she rocked (though most have changed their minds based on her own behaviour over the past four years). It was inexplicable to me.

She is a handsome woman, though..and Todd is kinda hot, still.

[Luminiferous]

Yes I have... And while it sucks, I'm not going to beg forgiveness or change my viewpoint to appease anyone.

I have several conservative friends and liberal friends, but I have noticed, especially since Obama was voted in that my conservative friends are much more vocal and pushier with their views. Not sure why, maybe it's because I've always noticed that more conservatives tend to enjoy discussing, debating or arguing than the liberals?
While I understand (or at least try to) their disdain with the current administration, I also find many that seem to believe more of the hoaxes than the ones I used to hear the liberal friends of mine spout about Bush. These aren't stupid people, many are some of the most intelligent people I know, but some of the stuff I've heard come out of their mouths I find myself thinking "Are they serious or fucking with me?"
When I try to point out that the hoax has been disproven or has no validity, I get labeled with swallowing what the "lamestream media" has fed me and to wake up.. I really have gotten sick of that stupid term.. lamestream..

I've also found that more of my conservative friends get frustrated when they start in on a ramble, waiting for me to chime in with support and instead I tell them I don't wish to discuss politics and try to change the subject to sports or music.. You immediately get questioned about your political party choice and other questions, which to me, is my business. Maybe it was the way I was raised. My parents never discussed politics or ever told us kids even who they voted for that election.

The same as if I point out a fallacy in one of my liberal friends views I get slapped with the "What? You get your news from Rush Limbaugh or something??" Jeeeez...

I have always followed my father's creed, vote for a person, not a party.
I've actually taken to unsubscribe from my friends/family in the news feed on Facebook because of their daily and constant political posts. I've lost more conservative friends than liberal friends/family in the last 4-8 years, but since I don't really give a shit about politics that much, I find myself actually shrugging it off as obviously we weren't as good or as close friends as I thought we were.
To me, life's too short to worry about it.

[Crazy Levi]

I have a few friends with differing politics I can have intelligent conversations with, but generally politics is a huge buzzkill so really what's the point.

My friend's dad just sent her an email about how she should really consider voting for Romney because he won't be able to leave her all his money once Obama taxes his millions of inheritance...as if it matters since the bitch stepmother is gonna take it all. That kind of stuff is really weird.