# Why do so many on the right think ending friendships over political differences is wrong? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 27, 2018, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-on-the-right-think-ending-friendships-over-political-differences-is-wrong/809650 "2018-02-27T03:17:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-on-the-right-think-ending-friendships-over-political-differences-is-wrong/809650/42 "2018-02-27T20:56:02Z")
> [@Lemur866](#): > > And this sort of thing is why regular folks can’t be friends with conservatives, because they’re easily offended hypersensitive snowflakes who take any disagreement as intolerance. Yup - it’s funny how those evil stupid white supremacist shitheads are so easily offended. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-on-the-right-think-ending-friendships-over-political-differences-is-wrong/809650/43 "2018-02-27T21:05:27Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > Conservatives think liberals have bad ideas. Liberals think conservatives are bad people. > > Simple as that. Conservatives that say things like this think they have telepathic powers. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-on-the-right-think-ending-friendships-over-political-differences-is-wrong/809650/44 "2018-02-27T21:12:12Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Yup - it’s funny how those evil stupid white supremacist shitheads are so easily offended. You equate “conservatives” with “evil stupid white supremacist shitheads”? That is rather close-minded of you. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-on-the-right-think-ending-friendships-over-political-differences-is-wrong/809650/45 "2018-02-27T21:14:00Z")
Don’t be so easily offended. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-on-the-right-think-ending-friendships-over-political-differences-is-wrong/809650/46 "2018-02-27T21:18:14Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Don’t be so easily offended. > > Regards, > Shodan Not offended, just confused. It’s hard to tell anymore whether you are mocking or talking. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-on-the-right-think-ending-friendships-over-political-differences-is-wrong/809650/47 "2018-02-27T21:22:32Z")
My next-door neighbor has a pro-life bumper sticker. A couple of my friends are gun owners and rabid “Hillary is duh evul” types. I also have friends who are social justice warrier (SJW) wannabes and coastal elites who think Conservatives are evil mouthbreathing, knuckledragging rednecks. It’s all good, because I enjoy spending time with them - as we have other things in life to share and enjoy each other’s company. We can certainly disagree on things, but we do not attack each other as “stupid”, only the ideas. I like having my views challenged - it makes them stronger, in most cases, and sometimes I am wrong. I don’t want to exist in a bubble where my “knowledge” is never challenged. Likewise, when I hear the right wing bat-sh!t BS, I call them out. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-on-the-right-think-ending-friendships-over-political-differences-is-wrong/809650/48 "2018-02-27T21:26:19Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > My next-door neighbor has a pro-life bumper sticker. A couple of my friends are gun owners and rabid “Hillary is duh evul” types. I also have friends who are social justice warrier (SJW) wannabes and coastal elites who think Conservatives are evil mouthbreathing, knuckledragging rednecks. > > It’s all good, because I enjoy spending time with them - as we have other things in life to share and enjoy each other’s company. We can certainly disagree on things, but we do not attack each other as “stupid”, only the ideas. I like having my views challenged - it makes them stronger, in most cases, and sometimes I am wrong. I don’t want to exist in a bubble where my “knowledge” is never challenged. Likewise, when I hear the right wing bat-sh!t BS, I call them out. None of those people are as low and un-American as a Trump supporter. ---
**Author:** ![SamuelA](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@SamuelA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SamuelA)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-on-the-right-think-ending-friendships-over-political-differences-is-wrong/809650/49 "2018-02-27T21:35:13Z")
> [@MandaJo](#): > > That’s clearly sarcastic. Do you think white males have greater mental acuity? > > I’m aware there are other choices, but I do feel like a lot of people think that this is an "obvious truth no one is allowed to say’. so it’s worth clearing the air. This is one of the issues I would end a friendship over, for what it’s worth. I can’t imagine socializing with someone who really felt people of African descent were genetically stupid and criminal relative to whites. What I was trying to imply was that it could be true that for certain limited domain tasks, the descendents of the people who created the industrial revolution, theories of physics, computers, advanced math, developed firearms - you know, made \*most \*\*of the advances that created our civilization - _might_ have a natural affinity for some of these tasks. \*and I acknowledge that not everything was developed by white europeans or Americans but the overwhelming majority of it _was_. Or it could be true that those white dude assholes, who have a long history of enslavement and discrimination, aren’t any better than anybody else, they just actively oppress everyone else. Except if _that_ were true, why do they keep “forgetting” to oppress asians? Why did the white managers of General Electric and HP and hundreds of other major tech firms keep hiring and promoting well qualified asians over the last 30 years, to the point that today they outnumber their white coworkers in a country where they are 5.6% of the population? \*Maybe \*it was merit. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-on-the-right-think-ending-friendships-over-political-differences-is-wrong/809650/50 "2018-02-27T21:42:41Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > None of those people are as low and un-American as a Trump supporter. Half the country’s legal votership is “un-American”. Got it. Still in all, that’s a pretty good trick. Any idea how it happened? And so quickly? I mean, during Obama’s elections they were just [del]assholes[/del] racists and now in the span of just four years half the country has somehow and mysteriously become un-American. However this happened, it’s a truly heroic feat, as getting half the population to move on anything is damn near impossible. ---
**Author:** ![Unabashed\_Fascist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/c2a13f/32.png) [@Unabashed\_Fascist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unabashed_Fascist)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-on-the-right-think-ending-friendships-over-political-differences-is-wrong/809650/51 "2018-02-27T21:43:52Z")
I find that it’s enjoyable to have friends from all walks of life. Level headed discussion with people over different political leanings, cultures, philosophies, tabs vs spaces, it helps me keep an open mind. Just stay respectful, and avoid getting overly emotional, even about issues you care deeply about. It costs you nothing to be nice. Besides, have you ever talked with someone who agrees with you on everything? It’s _boring_. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-on-the-right-think-ending-friendships-over-political-differences-is-wrong/809650/52 "2018-02-27T21:46:02Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > Half the country’s legal votership is “un-American”. Got it. 27% is half?? ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-on-the-right-think-ending-friendships-over-political-differences-is-wrong/809650/53 "2018-02-27T21:49:39Z")
I’m mostly conservative and have liberal friends. We agree to disagree and don’t talk politics, there is a lot more to life than that. Liberals espouse diversity, should diversity be limited to culture and race? I think diversity in opinions and friends is important too. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-on-the-right-think-ending-friendships-over-political-differences-is-wrong/809650/54 "2018-02-27T22:02:09Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > 27% is half?? If Trump drew 27% of the popular vote I’ll send ten million dollars to the anti-American cause of your choice. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-on-the-right-think-ending-friendships-over-political-differences-is-wrong/809650/55 "2018-02-27T22:03:58Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > Half the country’s legal votership is “un-American”. Got it. > > Still in all, that’s a pretty good trick. Any idea how it happened? And so quickly? I mean, during Obama’s elections they were just [del]assholes[/del] racists and now in the span of just four years half the country has somehow and mysteriously become un-American. > > However this happened, it’s a truly heroic feat, as getting half the population to move on anything is damn near impossible. We’re fucked, it’s true. I offer no solution. Too many deplorable people. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-on-the-right-think-ending-friendships-over-political-differences-is-wrong/809650/56 "2018-02-27T22:16:17Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > Half the country’s legal votership is “un-American”. Got it. What percentage of the legal votership actually voted, and what percentage of _them_ voted for Trump? ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-on-the-right-think-ending-friendships-over-political-differences-is-wrong/809650/57 "2018-02-27T22:27:52Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > Conservatives think liberals have bad ideas. Liberals think conservatives are bad people. > > Simple as that. Never in my life has a conservative said I have bad ideas. I’m a _sinner_. I’m _damned_. I’m _evil_. To just say that I have bad ideas would suggest that the conservative’s ideas are similarly up for examination, which never happens because conservatives don’t do the whole debate thing anymore. They are right and good, everyone else is wrong, evil, and so so so mean for picking on them. Which is why I generally don’t discuss conservative ideals with the many conservatives I know. Whenever I do they get instantly defensive, because they fear damage to their closely-held beliefs, and they get stupid, because engaging in decent debate would require them to at least _entertain_ the idea they might be wrong, which they cannot possibly do. It’s not fun, so I try not to get into this situation with people I care about. (Which excludes you internet people, incidentally. I don’t know you from Adam.) ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-on-the-right-think-ending-friendships-over-political-differences-is-wrong/809650/58 "2018-02-27T22:28:53Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > What percentage of the legal votership actually voted, and what percentage of them voted for Trump? Those who could’ve voted but didn’t don’t count, as there’s no way to know who they supported if anyone…or to what degree…or couldn’t be arsed…or just didn’t care…or it was too much trouble…or if Dem, were worried the cops might be waiting ;). There could be any number of reasons why people don’t vote that says nothing about who they support or don’t support. ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-on-the-right-think-ending-friendships-over-political-differences-is-wrong/809650/59 "2018-02-27T22:42:39Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > Those who could’ve voted but didn’t don’t count, as there’s no way to know who they supported if anyone…or to what degree…or couldn’t be arsed…or just didn’t care…or it was too much trouble…or if Dem, were worried the cops might be waiting ;). > > There could be any number of reasons why people don’t vote that says nothing about who they support or don’t support. Unless you’re talking about votes that were actively suppressed by illegal actions, you are literally dismissing the validity of voting in general. If a person chooses not to vote it is an active statement that they do _not_ support either candidate - at least not enough to bestir themselves from their couches. If this is not true, then voting doesn’t work as a method of polling the populace and we should stop doing it. Contrariwise if voting is a functional method of polling the populace, then it is absolutely correct to count non-voters as not being supportive of a candidate. So yes, 74% of eligible Americans didn’t vote for Trump. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-on-the-right-think-ending-friendships-over-political-differences-is-wrong/809650/60 "2018-02-27T22:55:32Z")
My point is that there are many, albeit no way to tell how many, people who support Trump or who favor his attitude who didn’t vote, and there’s no way to calculate how many of them there are. I know some myself. Whether you want to give them credence or not, they are still Trump supporters. Still, it seems to me bogus to include non-voters in discussions of candidate support. If you’re gonna start including people who didn’t vote in your calculations of candidate support you might as well include children too, because why not, they’re citizens too. The only realistic way to calculate candidate support is through the polls. The rest is just semantics and open to debate. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-on-the-right-think-ending-friendships-over-political-differences-is-wrong/809650/61 "2018-02-27T23:09:55Z")
If they didn’t vote, then they didn’t support Trump. They might have liked Trump, or agreed with him, but they didn’t support him. > [@](#): > > The only realistic way to calculate candidate support is through the polls. Yes, exactly, specifically the nationwide poll that was held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-on-the-right-think-ending-friendships-over-political-differences-is-wrong/809650.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-on-the-right-think-ending-friendships-over-political-differences-is-wrong/809650.md?page=4)