It's hard to respect an old friend when....

[HEyHEY]

You hear them say things like "I think fox news is the most truthful."
I just talked to my buddy in Kansas, great guy, but he's a republican to the bone. So, consequently we have these tactful arguments about Bush and his cronies. He blows me away sometimes with cracks like the above, kinda freeperish...but still he's a good guy.

How do you deal with repug friends?

[salinen]

1. How about a gift certificate

to a mental hospital?

[opiate69]

2. I know what you mean..

Friday night, I just saw my ex-roomate for the first time in about 2 years. Now, he always was a republican, but we used to have some great debates. In any case, after Sept 111, him and one of our mutual friends (who already had spent 8 years in the 101 Airborne unit), went and joined the National Guard. My ex-roomate is "undeployable" because he's in Officer school, but my other friend is currently in Baghdad, literally having the time of his life. He's 40, and he's in the infantry now. It was truly eye-opening listening to my ex-roomate talking about "killing Iraqis". It seems the indoctrination is pretty heavy in basic. Anyway, I just told him "I'm not going to discuss the situatoin with you right now, because we've both ahd a couple beers, and we're about as polarized as it gets." When I heard that our friend was in Baghdad, I said "it's really not a good week to be there", and he got a little red in the face and said "it's no different than it has been. It's the fucking media, Rick. You should know better". I figured at that point, there was no way we were ever gonna see eye to eye, so why fuck up a long-standing friendship over it. When we get together again, I'll just make sure we talk about other shit.

[ikojo]

3. I try to look at what made me like them in the

first place. There was something there on which we connected. I hold on to that and stay away from politics and other things about which we are both passionate.

[NightTrain]

4. Thankfully, I have no Republican friends.

n/t

[liberalhistorian]

10. Hey, Dean, have I told you yet that I'm

a secret mole from CUntville? So, now you can say that you do, in fact, have repug friends! :evilgrin: Sarcasm OFF, of course!

Note to myself: never post after downing two glasses of wine in a row!

[mitchum]

5. Life is too short to waste on repug friends

Honestly, why would I want to be friends with someone that venal or stupid?

[fudge stripe cookays]

7. Exactly.

I've swapped out any Republican "friends" with progressive ones. It may seem harsh, but I don't have the time or the inclination to argue with idiots on a daily basis.

The new friends I've made since volunteering and working for a cause are far better people. No matter what minor things I might have bonded with Repubs initially, they are history now.

I'd hate to think that HGTV watching and funny office stories are more important than working for the good of this country.

[Ladyhawk]

22. I've been debating cutting off certain friendships, but I don't want to.

:(

Unfortunately, there aren't a lot of progressives around to make friends with. (Yes, I ended a sentence with a preposition. Sue me.) My family are ultra right-wing, so it's very hard right now. I do a lot of crying. I hurt.

I wish I had the magic words to convince them, but the truth is my brother and mother want the kind of state * is making. They are true Republicans.

There was a progressive woman in my voice class that I wanted to "feel out" for a friendship, but she had to drop the class.

[AmyStrange]

6. yeah it's tough...

but there are somethings that repubs and dems can agree on. The trick is to talk over news items with them and let them give their opinions first and then see if there isn't something you can agree on and go from there.

Most repub talking points are usually short term solutions and dems tend to favor longer term solutions which is why it's so difficult to prove our ideals are better than there solutions. The thing to never lose sight of is that the repubs do make some good points and I always seem to be able to see where they are coming from (atleast in part) and this goes a long way towards keep the arguements civil.

But, that's just me,

d

[bedtimeforbonzo]

8. get better friends

repugs are scumbags.

[rockymountaindem]

9. Check this out

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x1391812

I've been considering telling my many conservative friends that I can't abide their views anymore as well.

[rucky]

11. Just don't talk about politics

i have repug friends. we have an "agreement" & only fight when we're feeling fiesty.

[Lisa0825]

12. I have distanced myself from the only republican friend I had....

We were a group of best girl friends back in high school, and typically got together a few times a year (we live in different cities). But the last time we got together, a third friend there persisted on talking politics. The third friend and I are liberals, and we knew the other was likely a republican. I had avoided it over the years, but once the cat was out of the bag.... I just can't think the same way about her. She believes in none of the same things as me, but I have other friends who do.... with whom I don't feel the need to tip toe, or censor myself... who are interested in things I have done since becoming politically involved. I figured I'd rather spend my time with friends I can be myself with.

edited to add: I do have one net-friend who is very conservative, but he is also a Bush- and neocon-hater, so we have common ground. But I can NOT be friends with Bush supporters. It just won't work for me anymore.

[SoDesuKa]

13. Republican Friends

I make a point not to discuss politics with anyone who even might be a Republican. After my friend Bob told me he'd voted for Bush, he can't possibly know how much that lowered my opinion of him.

Republicans have done so much to coarsen political dialogue in this country that I can't give them of the doubt. All Republicans are presumptively scumbags unless they prove themselves to be otherwise.

[JanMichael]

14. Don't have any anymore. None. Notta one. How?

Something evil in the woodshed...

[Lizz612]

15. We don't talk politics

We gossip about what people are doing out side of high school, the weather, shows we watch, relationships with boys (but not girls, they don't know about that). I told them long ago that we don't agree on politics and its just not something we bring up.

[Bertha Venation]

16. some of these replies are pretty sad

To think that politics can actually stand in the way of relationships sometimes is just sad to me. Not that I'm special -- to my shame, I know a lot of people whom I've chosen not to have much to do with due to their politics.

I have a good friend who worked for * in Texas, before and during the governorship, and in *'s WH, and now works for the admin in a different capacity. We met through work and became good friends and remain so -- even though he's in Baghdad most of the time these days -- and I know we'll be lifelong friends. I refuse to let politics get in the way of this.

[Liberal Classic]

23. Thank you for a breath of fresh air

In this otherwise moldy thread.

[Bertha Venation]

24. It baffles me.

Especially when I do it. When I ignore a potential friend, or even lunch date, because I know s/he's going to vote for *, or because s/he said something that rubbed me the wrong way politically -- I get on my own last nerve.

Why would any of us let something like political differences get in the way of companionship, or friendship, or even just a half an hour of shooting the breeze? I don't get it.

[strategery blunder]

17. I know the chair of the College Republicans on my campus

even though my political beliefs are almost identical to Kucinich's, we still get along. I suspect this is because I point out the reasons why conservatives should hate the shrub.

Also, I'm a lot more coolheaded in political discussion than many of the liberals on campus; this probably helps a lot. I'm the unofficial 'bridge' between the conservatives and liberals on campus, even though a survey of my beliefs would indicate that I'm further left than I first appear.

[jobycom]

18. One just told me Bush was a great debater and beat Gore in debate

It's hard to deal with people who have no more sense than that. I've converted a few, but not people with that great a disconnect, to the point of being brainwashed. So just buy him a soda and talk about the good times, I guess. We can't save them all.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

19. I was shocked when my friend said she listened to Rush...

I knew she was a republican; but I always thought she was smarter than that...

[specimenfred1984]

20. I Just Told One "to stick it" and Stop Sending Me E-mails

I used to try to inform him about what's really going on but he's a minister and pretty much has his "faith" placed already.

He and I have talked a lot about every political topic and he's as closed as people get. I decided I couldn't take it anymore when he sent a long e-mail slandering Clarke.

It really is different now with the cons outing CIA agents and lying about weapons that can destroy entire cities. We aren't just talking about pork anymore, we're talking life or death.

[JVS]

21. I buy them drinks before election day

in the hopes that they will be too hung over to vote.