Some advice, please...

[Joe Biden 2020]

As some of you may have seen on facebook, I recently came out in support of the public option, and I have been absolutely hammered by my right-wing Republican hack friends.  What can I say to them that lets them know that they're still my friends and will always be such, but that I am a little disappointed by their constant criticism?  I mean, I see where they're coming from, but they don't seem to understand that I am allowed to have my own views.  It seems i can't say anything on my own facebook page without getting some kind of slap in the face.

[Associate Justice PiT]

     I find it rather disturbing that you have friends who attack you for holding different political views.

[Joe Republic]

This predicament comes from living in Oklahoma, you see.  The solution is to move away and replace your friends with better ones.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

Your friends constantly attack you? In a serious manner? I mean, my conservative Republican friends sometimes poke fun at my support for abortion and gay rights, but not constantly. If that's the case, perhaps they aren't your friends...

[Rowan]

Can you just keep all of your personal problems in one thread? Kthxbye.

[Lunar]

just connect it to faith or something

easiest way to get away with being an environmentalist in them parts too

[CARLHAYDEN]

As some of you may have seen on facebook, I recently came out in support of the public option, and I have been absolutely hammered by my right-wing Republican hack friends.  What can I say to them that lets them know that they're still my friends and will always be such, but that I am a little disappointed by their constant criticism?  I mean, I see where they're coming from, but they don't seem to understand that I am allowed to have my own views.  It seems i can't say anything on my own facebook page without getting some kind of slap in the face.

First, it seems to me that you need to distinguish between disagreeing with your views, and personal attacks.

Second, in this context, I find your support for government run health insurance deplorable (and yes, if you want I will provide detailed reasons), but, you have been a responsible poster, and do not merit personal attacks.

Third, yes, it is still (more or less) a free country (despite the desire of the worshipers of the ObamaMessiah) and you are entitled to your views. 

[JSojourner]

     I find it rather disturbing that you have friends who attack you for holding different political views.

Well said.

There are lots of people in my life who attack me for holding the positions I do.  They may be associates, acquaintances and even decent people when taken as a whole.  But they are not my friends.

I certainly do have friends -- some of my dearest ones -- who don't agree with my positions.  And they might attack those positions.  But never me, personally.  This is why I consider them friends.  Make sense?

[Antonio the Sixth]

     I find it rather disturbing that you have friends who attack you for holding different political views.

Well said.

There are lots of people in my life who attack me for holding the positions I do.  They may be associates, acquaintances and even decent people when taken as a whole.  But they are not my friends.

I certainly do have friends -- some of my dearest ones -- who don't agree with my positions.  And they might attack those positions.  But never me, personally.  This is why I consider them friends.  Make sense?

Entirely.

[k-onmmunist]

Move to Vermont.

[dead0man]

Friends should give each other sh**t, that's what friends do, but it should never be done in anger.  Emotions, like religion, should be kept seperate from politics.

[Hatman 🍁]

Just tell them you know a Canadian that loves his public medicare, and so do most of his countrymen.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

     I find it rather disturbing that you have friends who attack you for holding different political views.

Well said.

There are lots of people in my life who attack me for holding the positions I do.  They may be associates, acquaintances and even decent people when taken as a whole.  But they are not my friends.

I certainly do have friends -- some of my dearest ones -- who don't agree with my positions.  And they might attack those positions.  But never me, personally.  This is why I consider them friends.  Make sense?

Entirely.

Thirded.

[TeePee4Prez]

Is it joking or is it harsh and serious? 

If something happened to my brother, the guy who would be Best Man in my wedding, if I were to ever have one, is a staunch conservative Republican who is virtually 100% anti-abortion and favors the FAIR Tax.  That said we know each others views and basically agree not to ruin a friendship over them.  If that's not the case, then JS is right, you have a problem.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

just connect it to faith or something

easiest way to get away with being an environmentalist in them parts too

Come on, we know that verses like Matthew 19:24 are just liberal atheist Jewish Muslim propaganda.

[Joe Biden 2020]

Its really just friendly fire, if you will.  We respect each other's views even though they give me heck.  After sleeping on it, I realize they're probably just trying to make sure I believe what I believe or if I'm just going with the political wave.  We're friends and always will be friends.  One of them that has been giving me a hard time is my cousin and another, my brother.  Most of these friends are very conservative.  Plus, politics is an issue that can bring up a lot of emotion and a lot of passion on both sides.

[Vepres]

Its really just friendly fire, if you will.  We respect each other's views even though they give me heck.  After sleeping on it, I realize they're probably just trying to make sure I believe what I believe or if I'm just going with the political wave.  We're friends and always will be friends.  One of them that has been giving me a hard time is my cousin and another, my brother.  Most of these friends are very conservative.  Plus, politics is an issue that can bring up a lot of emotion and a lot of passion on both sides.

Just remember what state you live in next time

[Mechaman]

Its really just friendly fire, if you will.  We respect each other's views even though they give me heck.  After sleeping on it, I realize they're probably just trying to make sure I believe what I believe or if I'm just going with the political wave.  We're friends and always will be friends.  One of them that has been giving me a hard time is my cousin and another, my brother.  Most of these friends are very conservative.  Plus, politics is an issue that can bring up a lot of emotion and a lot of passion on both sides.

It's Oklahoma man. I don't have to tell you that.
Unless you are in high school or college all the time you are going to be surrounded by super conservatives, and in this day when Congress is focused mostly on economic issues that is probably the issues that conservatives are going to be more pro about at the time. I remember back in the day during Bush when Okies were talking 24/7 nonstop about how the evil federul government was going to force gay marriage on everybody. Actually I think Okies probably freak out a little bit more over gay rights than they do Universal Healthcare, that is why I simply don't bring up gay rights when talking to my more conservative Okie friends. There are reasonable conservatives in OK (they are called Democrats), but we have quite a few nuts. Whenever I'm around an average Okie I have to force myself to keep my mouth shut, because they are quite intense on issues (and everyone here knows how intense I am on civil liberties), I can't fully speak my mind because if I do they freak the f**k out.
I wish I could tell you these people are overreacting, but they are not. It is simply the Oklahoma conservative psyche. However these people are wrong in saying that you should leave Oklahoma and find new friends if they disagree that strongly with you. I have lived in this state since I was 4, I grew up here, those insane conservatives are my friends and family too and I do not love them any less because of their views (no matter how controversial). Eventually your friends will just stop talking about such petty issues and talk about something else like sports (those damn Sooners, rage), fishing, deer hunting, rafting, or something else that Oklahomans do. In my experience the average Okie is great to be with UNTIL politics is brought up. I'm not saying you should avoid talking politics but that if you wish to make a public political statement be prepared to get emotional criticism, especially from those with strong beliefs, against it.

[Hash]

My best friends are hardcore Conservative Party supporters, and a lot love some Harper and hate some Liberal. They know I'm a card-carrying member of the Liberal Party, but, heck, we're still friends and they don't give me hell for being a Liberal. I don't see why any real friend should give somebody sh**t and hell for being politically different.

[TeePee4Prez]

Its really just friendly fire, if you will.  We respect each other's views even though they give me heck.  After sleeping on it, I realize they're probably just trying to make sure I believe what I believe or if I'm just going with the political wave.  We're friends and always will be friends.  One of them that has been giving me a hard time is my cousin and another, my brother.  Most of these friends are very conservative.  Plus, politics is an issue that can bring up a lot of emotion and a lot of passion on both sides.

I was at a local taproom and man did I feel like I was the only Democrat there.  The room was full of Republicans spewing sh**t about race, the n-bomb dropped every 2 seconds and how the Democrats are the party of the ni--ers.  And it was pretty passionate.  At the same time though every one of them was hurt in some way by the economy- can't get a job, underemployed, etc. yet Obama gets blamed for it.  I for the most part kept my mouth shut and didn't counter them too much because I don't want to be called a n--- lover and end up walking home with broken glass on my head.  And this was a high 50s-low 40s Obama neighborhood.

Sometimes for the sake of safety or when dealing with business or clients, you have to be neutral.  Unless you're a former Congressman, I'd highly advise keeping political discussions to a minimum in certain circumstances.   

[Torie]

Wow Flyers. May I ask what neighborhood this taproom is in?

[Torie]

As some of you may have seen on facebook, I recently came out in support of the public option, and I have been absolutely hammered by my right-wing Republican hack friends.  What can I say to them that lets them know that they're still my friends and will always be such, but that I am a little disappointed by their constant criticism?  I mean, I see where they're coming from, but they don't seem to understand that I am allowed to have my own views.  It seems i can't say anything on my own facebook page without getting some kind of slap in the face.

That is good then. The best way to debate in my opinion, is first be candid about what you know factually and don't know or assume. Second, ask questions of your "opponents" about whether they have thought about this or that, and what weight they give those considerations. In the end, a successful discussion is one where you clarify the basis of your disagreement. Is it a disagreement about the facts, how things will play out, beliefs about equality of ends, what is politically possible, or what?  

By the way, I am opposed to the public option for reasons associated with the political reality that over time, it will lead to a single payer system, and medical advances will slow to a crawl, and there will be a rationing system largely based on wait times. I think we can get everyone insured without going down that road, and I also don't believe a public option or single payer will save much money in the end, given the same level of services. I also don't believe that significant money can be saved from medicare like the Dems claim, for the same level of service.  Most of the disagreements about this issue seem based on disagreements about the facts (are there excess profits out there to harvest with medical insurance companies?)), and what the end game will be.

[TeePee4Prez]

Wow Flyers. May I ask what neighborhood this taproom is in?

It's in part of Philly.  Not gonna say where.  It seems conservatives/Republicans around where I live are mostly that because of race and crime/punishment yet want to be in a Union, want Medicare, etc.

My point was you just have to be careful about making political statements.