# Do you have any close friends who hold deeply different political opinions?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-any-close-friends-who-hold-deeply-different-political-opinions/603834>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [November 23, 2011, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-any-close-friends-who-hold-deeply-different-political-opinions/603834 "2011-11-23T02:49:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\
**Post date:** [November 25, 2011, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-any-close-friends-who-hold-deeply-different-political-opinions/603834/41 "2011-11-25T04:57:30Z")

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> [@C.Montgomery\_Burns](#):
>
> The closest I get to an Obama conspiracy theory is buying the theory that he’s a closet atheist who chose to become a nominal Christian to look more acceptable. But I certainly never believed any of the birther/secret radical Muslim/rising dictator stuff.

Actually, I can buy that. He strikes me as far too intelligent and rational for that. Not that there aren’t plenty of intelligent and rational Christians, but they are the exception in my experience. Hard enough becoming the first Black President without throwing more difficulty into the mix.

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**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\
**Post date:** [November 25, 2011, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-any-close-friends-who-hold-deeply-different-political-opinions/603834/42 "2011-11-25T23:01:13Z")

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I’m a center-left Democrat and generally an Obama admirer; one of my best friends for the last 20-some years calls himself a conservative Democrat but really is an Obama-hating conservative Republican in all but name. We good-naturedly argue about politics all the time; it’s not usually a problem.

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**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\
**Post date:** [November 28, 2011, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-any-close-friends-who-hold-deeply-different-political-opinions/603834/43 "2011-11-28T18:27:21Z")

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Yes, several. My husband and I used to have similar political views but now we differ significantly on many issues. We accept each other’s right to hold a stupid opionion and don’t usually discuss those issues.

I am not religious but some of my friends are. They know of my thoughts and do not attempt to convert me, and I don’t disparage their beliefs.

One of my closest friends believes in holistic “medicine.” I’ve simply given up on trying to convince her it’s a bunch of hooey. [There is no “alternative” medicine. There’s stuff that works, which can be called “medicine.” Otherwise it’s not any kind of medicine.]

Finally, evolution is real. Yes, there are various theories of exactly how it works. I have not ruined any relationships based on this, but there are a couple of family members who will no longer bring up the subject.

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