How Do you Handle Republican Friends/Family

[AutumnMist]

I grew up in a very liberal family, my Father included us in all of the Democrat functions that he could while we were growing up. But, as expected, not all of my family (four siblings) has turned out working for the Democrat cause. How do you handle it?

[benddem]

1. Don't have any

lucky me!!!!

[AutumnMist]

2. Lucky You!

:)

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

6. me either :)

[BiggJawn]

16. Same here.

My dad is apolitical, my daughter is Liberal (I did SOMETHING right!) and since you can ALWAYS choose your friends, I don't have any ReTHUG friends.

[LiberalVoice]

3. My entire family was conservative...

Since I knew much more about what was going on and used logic to figure out whats right and wrong I managed to make them understand which way was the right way to go.

[smoogatz]

4. Love the sinner...

...hate the sin.

[SmokingJacket]

5. Don't think you mentioned this choice: Elephant in the Living Room

The last time we tried discussing politics, I was visiting my parents and stormed out of the room and was going to pack up my sleeping kids and come home. I decided not to... but ever since we avoid talking about politics, AT ALL. They are frothing-at-the-mouth freepers, which I don't understand because they are boomer hippies who raised me to be liberal.

We still love each other, but can't do politics. It'll divide us completely if we talk about it.

[Martin Eden]

7. Depends on the individual

If politics comes up I'm not at all shy about making my views known but if it becomes apparent that nothing is to be gained other than mutual antagonism, I learn to avoid political discussion with that person.

[mermaid]

8. Actually...

my family ties between my brother and myself were severed long before this election, but it was the closest I could come in your poll. Nevertheless...our ties WERE severed over social/political issues.

My mom and I are still tight. Then again, WE'RE both Democrats!

My mom still talks to my brother, but I won't. And my mom admits to having a much better relationship with me than with my brother...and believe me, it was not always that way!

For the first thirty years of my life, my brother was Mommy's Little Angel. It took her that long to wake up and realize my brother was, in essence, an asshole.

[AutumnMist]

9. My Family Supports Us

One day I was riding in the car with my brother (my second oldest bro) who was talking about my youngest brother being gay. My Dad pulled over, looked him straight in the eyes and said "Look, this is my son, your brother, you either love him for who he is.....or you don't talk about yourself this way. Because this isn't about you, its about your brother. Deal with it. We AREN'T going down this path." My brother (the one who was trying to be an asshole) cried like a baby. And he is a macho man. I don't have issues with him really. He is a good man. Our family has always been blunt. There have never been any problems after that. He votes conservative, but man, when he see's our youngest brother? He is the first one to step up and defend him now. We haven't had many issues. And my brother is a hard core conservative. But not a Freeper. Amen. LOL. :)

[DemGirl7]

10. My family is mostly made up of Democrats...

or are pro-Democratic party, the only member of my family who leans more Republican is my Brother in law and he is very Liberal on Social issues...and was having a tough time deciding on who to vote for...even through he ended up voting for Bush...for the most stupid reason..."because he doesn't know if Kerry would have done a good job in protecting the country". Which I told him was a stupid excuse,that Bush is not to be trusted, and is ruining the country as we speak. My mother she disagrees with little of what I believe, the biggest difference is our opinions on Gay marriage, she isn't for it, and both me and my sister have tried to turn her opinion around, but aleast she isn't homophobic...she told me she would never kick any of her kids out of the house if they were gay...she told me that she thinks it's horrible that people do that.

[Osamasux]

11. You missed the main option.

Talk about other things. Neither side is going to change the other. It is not worth losing family over.

[AutumnMist]

14. I Agree

Sorry I didn't word it in that way. :)

[Doctor_J]

12. 3, headed for 1

As soon as I get a job abroad, it will be a new circle of friends and b-bye to all the repukes in this once-great republic.

[Shredr]

13. My mom sat next to Laura at the Inaugeration Parade

My dad is a retired Army colonel. They are as right wing as you can get.

We used to argue about politics. I'd scream 'til I was blue in the face. I didn't matter. We didn't talk for 3 years. I love my parents very much and want them to be a part of my life... so we don't talk poilitcs.

[AutumnMist]

15. :)

I love my parents very much and want them to be a part of my life... so we don't talk politics.


I feel the same way. I love my family more than anything, so we just erased the line in the sand. We are just family when we get together. And I for one, am very thankful for that.

[Lone_Wolf_Moderate]

17. My Republican friends are pretty moderate, so we do agree on a lot.

Friendship trumps politics. The hot-button stuff we just let slide.

[Bouncy Ball]

18. I really don't have any family

besides the freeper inlaws who live VERY far away and whom we haven't seen in almost five years. We exchange gift baskets at Christmas, by mail. That's it.

So no problem!

All the friends I have are liberal.

[cyclezealot]

19. If I have to spend time with freepers, we ignore politics.

Generally, I find Freepers with repug politics are ugly people in their values..Generally, I find , If I do not have to rub shoulders with them , I prefer to not befriend them...I mean the hateful types.... Where I live the repugs are evangelical , minority hating, gun nuts...
If I have to co-exist with them, we ignore politics...The more moderate repugs, I might befriend but each other better be tolerant or else it is impossible...
The only time I force myself to co-exist with them is in work situations...Then I ignore politics and when I hear them speak their values, I am usually repulsed..Hateful politics are usually hateful people... Can't imagine mixed marriages between liberals and freepers..It would be the war of the roses..

[sandnsea]

20. My sister has cancer

So I can't answer the poll. I was livid after 11/3 and absolutely refused to talk to any Republican, until the day I got the call that she had cancer. Family is more important than politics, after all.

I'm still a little stand-offish with most Republicans though.

[ultraist]

21. Most of my family are liberals who despise Bush

My mother, two sisters, and neices and I all discuss how horrible Bush is but my step father is a Republican. He is fairly liberal on social issues but he got pretty pissed off at me when I asked him how he could even consider voting for Bush when his own brother is gay.

He is very close to his brother, who is a professor, but I'm not sure his bro realizes how he votes.

My in laws on the other hand are Repukes who LIKE BUSH! Funny thing though, they are not socially conservative. They are pro choice and pro gay rights (in theory, not by their vote obviously). We rarely discuss politics with them. What's the point? They get all of their info from Faux news.

[Ladyhawk]

22. Severed ties, here.

But there were other factors involved. When I made the break, my two counselors and psychiatrist cheered. I think one of them wondered why I waited so long when it was obvious my efforts to connect to them were never going to pay off.

I'M FREE AT LAST!!!

Disclaimer: Not every relationship with Republicans should be severed. You have to weigh all the factors before you do something that drastic.

[SuffragetteSal]

23. they're on their own...

since I heard one of my cousins voiced to another (not me) that they (the Bush lovers in the family) wanted to ask my 78 year old aunt to leave the family reunion because she was a vocal and strong Democrat...I ended my relationship with my cousin. She and the others like her in the family are on their own. I hope they are happy and living in ignorant bliss...and of course still blaming Clinton for bad times....whatever.

[davekriss]

24. Most of my family is very left Democrat

I'm one of the exceptions, I'm left of them (anarcho-syndicalist), but in our two party, winner take all system I consistently (as in "always") vote Democrat.

I have a cousin who is a rapid freeper, the only one not at least left of center. We've exchanged a few words over the years but we both understand, though nothing direct was ever said, that if we want to keep any kind of relationship he and I should not talk politics. Despite the truce, I've cooled to him (knowing his unconsiously Ayn Rand outlook on things), though he tries to maintain contact.