How do you look at friends/aquaintances that voted for Bush?

[fujiyama]

My mom met some old friends recently and she noticed that one of them had a big SUV with a Bush sticker (and they're from Boston that too).

She's the type to avoid talk of politics with those that are Bush supporters. She'd rather not argue, but she told me how disappointing it was to see that.

I feel the same way when I find out someone I know voted for Bush. It's kind of tough to give them the same respect or look at them the same. Especially if they are people you've known for a while.

Fortunately my friends and people I intereact with on a daily basis are Dems so I don't deal too much with brain dead Bush bots.

[Bouncy Ball]

1. I don't. Period.

[AndrewJacksonFaction]

2. Disdain

[susanna]

3. I keep them at more of a distance.

Then again they do the same to me, so it works out for all of us. We still talk to one another, but something is definitely changed in our friendship(s), and appears to be mutual.

[More Than A Feeling]

4. One of my best friends voted straight republican

He even voted for Alan Keyes! I knew he was going to, and I know why, I disagree with him, but I accepted that I could do nothing to change it, so we moved on. He's a nice guy and a wonderful friend, not a fire breathing, falwell loving, tax cut lusting Bushie. It hasn't affected anything.

[smurfygirl]

5. I like to tell them the truth

That their choice of President ills me. Then drop it. When they want to argue I just ask them why they continue to defend someone they don't even know over someone they have known their whole life. I remind them of my character and they quickly admit that liberal is not such a dirty word. Those that continue to defend their leader are quickly shut out of my circle. Like my SIL. I now refuse to speak with her except at family events and then I won't discuss politics and tell her the reason why is that her mind is closed and it will only turn into an argument. It has worked well so far. And in four years I hope she will take a more liberal stance in her voting. Time will tell.

[saltpoint]

6. I pray to the Moth Man to kill them.

[Solly Mack]

7. I don't. I can't

I was talking to my middle sister today about her ultra fundy right wing in-laws.

She was telling how one SIL had a good heart even though she was confused politically and voted from ignorance... and I said, "No. She does not have a good heart."
"She votes for Bush and her vote harms people." "I don't consider that good-hearted." "I don't excuse the ignorance."

Truth is, the lady in question would never speak ill of anyone, she's gracious, polite, and kind to a fault.....but I view her vote as her morality and I find her morally impaired.

[salinen]

8. Accomplices to Murder

[Starlight]

26. That's how I feel.

They contributed to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people. I don't take that lightly. :(

[adigal]

9. It's very hard to deal with them

Many of my good friends voted for Bush, and most of my family. I argue with them and they all tell me to stop. You see, I have the information on my side and I guess I make them feel stupid, or to have to think, or defend the indefensible. They don't like that.

It's very sad what this man has done to this country.

[riverwalker]

10. I cannot respect them

because it goes beyond politics. I have trouble separating ones "politics" from their whole basic philosophy of who they are, what they value. Can you really be "a nice guy" and vote for *? I really struggle with that one, and have no answer. To me a vote for * means you do not care about human rights, lies, corruption, torture, illegal wars, international law, dead Iraqi children, education, the poor, etc, etc. Therefore, how "nice" can you really be? Doesn't it reflect on how you see the world, and humanity in general? I really struggle with it, most of my family are repugs, and I can forgive the ones who don't know better, but some do, and thats where I am stuck.

[progressiveandproud]

27. Likewise.

"I have trouble separating ones 'politics' from their whole basic philosophy of who they are, what they value."

Very well put.

I feel the same way because, as you say, I consider my political beliefs integral to my values; and I would hardly be "me" without my values. I even judge my level of consciousness, my validity as a human being, by how well I can substantiate my values; that is, if I can have faith in my values, then I can believe in myself.

Maybe this way of thinking is too harsh to apply even to myself, let alone other people. But that's still how I think.

:shrug:

[Nitrogenica]

11. Unfortunately the division that Bush has caused in this country

works both ways. I have heard a it thousand times; "thats the way the Dems used to be." I don't buy that for a minute! They have become blind. I tell myself that someday we will re-unite. For now those who lead our Country don't want it that way. WE will be the ones welcoming back our friends when it's finally over. Until then we need to work twards that, not by changing our views, but by uniting our voices together. WE are the voice of truth, facts and stats. THEY call us names!

Obviously we will win in the end if we work towards winning.

[Dhalgren]

12. I have no friends who voted for Caligula.

I have people I know, people I work with who voted for the blood-soaked monster, but I will never be their "friend". I have broken off relations with family members because of this and I would do it again. This is my country, it is being destroyed by fascists, I will not take that lightly...

[koopie57]

17. I didn't go to christmas with my family this year

but my husband went. He said that they started regurgitating limbaugh. I heard it once and I can't deal with it. My family grew up in a situation if it were not for social security and our kind neighbors we would have been on the street. Now my brothers are successful. One is a democrat and remembers the struggle. My other one is a republican and his son who grew up never wanting or needing anything, knew college was for sure and could look at any college he wanted, got a sports car for graduation, now is in graduate school, all paid for by his daddy and to hear him talk about how stupid democrats are and democrats are so stupid they think all poor people should vote for them was not going to sit with me. I would have gone after him, physically. And this is all said with the rush limbaugh arrogance. Next time I'm going to ask him who fought so he could have clean water to drink, clean air to breath, safe food and drugs (well?) and how it came to be that we have five day work weeks, paid vacations. I figure if he can be so rude to talk like that in front of me, it would not be uncalled for me to ask him a few questions back and put him on the spot.

[MajorFlaw]

13. Through a scope, of course. n/t

[riverwalker]

14. I almost punched my RW brother

last week, and I am a non-violent 5'2 girl. I was so angry, I stormed out and we havent spoken since. (He was defending the chimps $15 million tsunami aid package, and praising torture as a useful tool.) Gawd, I envy those of you with blue families. You don't know how lucky you are. Count your blessings.

[Cha]

29. I do..thank you!

At least you're able to see the light and that's the way I look at it!

[bobweaver]

15. I think of them as mentally disabled and I look at them with pity, but...

... I avoid talking politics with them at all. It limits the friendship and makes it more shallow, but so what.

[Laurab]

16. Sad to say I lost a number of friends over this election

all my choice, actually. Including one of my closest friend of many years. If she had been able to explain her vote without spouting "talking points" and lies, and had been open to discussing it, maybe I'd feel differently. If I had a fact, and she didn't have an answer, her answer was "I don't know about that - I'll have to ask my husband". She thinks of herself as a born-again Christian, although the way she lives her life sort of contradicts that, but that never bothered me much, because I try not to judge other people.

There's just no getting in through that propaganda once it's set in. I actually said "I think it's better if we don't discuss this" but somehow * voters have to keep spouting bushit. They're also factually challenged.

The others were more casual friends who just HAD to send constant anti-Kerry propaganda emails to me. I asked them to stop, they didn't. I have nothing in common with people who see nothing wrong with what this ass is doing to our country, nor do I want to. It's been my experience that these people don't want to know facts.

Luckily I have a huge family, all shrub-haters, and most pretty knowledgeable about what's going on, and I have some good friends who aren't all that political, but are intelligent enough to know * wasn't the "right man". I normally respect other peoples opinions, but I just cannot respect anyone who voted for that idiot.

[kerstin]

18. I regard them the way we regarded the Germans

who claimed they didn't know what was happening to the Jews at the hands of the Nazis in the 30s and 40s.

What frightens me is the seemingly limitless capacity that the American public now has to absorb and assimilate the most heinous atrocities on the part of these madmen to the point that it is now acceptable behavior to steal elections, take from the poor to give to the rich, torture prisoners of war, and murder innocents.

I hold them responsible. If they are truly ignorant, it is a willful ignorance.

[FizzFuzz]

19. profound disapointment

I know three people who exemplify 3 kinds of Bushbots--I've brought these people up many times here already, hope I don't bore anyone. But they are such textbook examples and they drive me crazy. I just can't fathom the delusion they are all functioning under.

One is an old friend, and I am saddened by my reaction. He exemplifies pure, willfull ignorance--he grew up supporting repubs (why, I don't know, his family is working class, he is poor working class and Deaf.) He insists that Clinton ruined the economy, and when I try to present him with a simple fact (federal deficit graph), he disappears. I pretty much can't be around him anymore, sadly--I always loved him for being a good hearted person, even though he has some idiosyncrasies that required alot of patience sometimes. But this is just refusal to look at documented fact; he's always been unwilling to really take in good advice. He's pretty smart, so I guess he thinks his own thought processes are always right, even though he's gotten himself in trouble that way many times.

The other is a work colleague. Nice guy, but he is a heavy duty Evangelical. No prob for awhile, until we had a political chat; I was somehow able to listen to his opinions and remain civil while attempting to communicate some of the disturbing real world results of some bush policies. He fervently believes all the talking points. Worships Sean Hannity. God told him to vote Bush. I am now capable only of superficial politeness or brief friendly jokes about my dog.

The third is a KillArabsYay!! Jewish woman. Gets a gleam in her eye when gloating about her love of Fux News, littlegreenfootballs.com, and dead Muslims. I am tempted to ask her if she's thrilled over the tsunami. But I won't. I was never friends with her, but now I absolutely detest her. Too bad she's my hunny's business partner. He's better at avoiding politics than I am.

[seabeyond]

20. i have three friends voted for bush

two of them i havent talked to or contacted since election. one i talked on the phone and said election was stolen, but i havent had a desire to call either up to do anything with. i dont feel the same way i did prior

my other one i run into, and all the while we talk i think asshole you voted bush, so still dont see her the same either. same with my brother nad father, because they voted bush. i still have a thought always there that they voted him

[EC]

21. They are no longer friends

just acquaintances now...I no longer talk personally to them, just in general, like about the weather and such...I no longer trust their judgement or values...

[skysurfer]

22. It's Hard For Me

My supervisor has become like a big sister to me, and I consider her husband and young daughter to be like family too. They are THE kindest, most caring people you will ever meet. Yet they voted for Bush. I couldn't believe it because they are socially liberal and seem economically moderate. They are also graduates of the Air Force Academy and were both active officers for about six years. I'm guessing maybe the military education and active duty made them feel like they should support the Republican candidate :shrug: I guess I should have been clued in when I made an off-hand remark that folks were acting like Reagan was a god when he died. She replied wistfully "Reagan WAS a god." I kept my mouth shut. Again, they are NOTHING like the selfish, inhuman neo-cons we're seeing in the Bush cabal or over at the freeper site. They would give you the shirts off their backs if you needed them. I just hope that somehow they'll see the light.

[newyawker99]

35. Hi skysurfer!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[MrSlayer]

23. The same way I always have.

If you are my friend you are my friend, I don't care who you vote for. Politics, while important, are not the end all be all for me. More important is whether or not I can depend on you to help me when I need it. My friends would kill or die for me and I would for them, that is far more important than whether you voted for a Democrat or a Republican for President.

[oldlady]

24. Depends on why they did it

Some I haven't even asked, because I don't want to know.

The Kansas in-laws, whom I love most dearly, have always voted Republican for "fiscal responsibility"--umm, they're in their 70s and I forgive them their habits.

The young black boy who taunts me with his vote and the young white boy who recently graduated from police training, I feel sorry for-- they're so young and ill-informed.

The former City Council president, who likes me even after our confrontational personal conversation, gives me the creeps...because she really THINKS she knows what's going on.

The racists across the sidewalk I avoid-- they aren't interested in reason.

My brother serving in Iraq -- well, I promised him no packages of lefty media that might get him noticed, but I don't think he'll make the same mistake twice. I consider him brainwashed.

What comforts me is the unexpected insta-bond I'm finding with strangers who did NOT vote for this crackhead.

peace

[Cha]

31. "Fiscal responsibility"...sorry they need to wake

up and smell the rotting corpses and stench of a trillion $$$$$$ deficit!

[GRLMGC]

25. Mixed

One "friend" was an asshole anyway so not talking to him isn't a loss. However, I know other people who are far too nice to not talk to. I don't respect their decisions but I'm not going to stop being their friend either. Luckily, though, most of my friends are Dems

[Cha]

28. I feel sorry for them..they're missing

an investigative gene.

[Lenape85]

30. FUCK NO, I HATE THEM

[sampsonblk]

32. I blame them for every death and every dollar...

although I haven't told them that yet. If more people had stood up and said HELL NO (including our party "leaders"), there is no way Bush could have gotten this disaster off the ground.

[mitchum]

33. I have none

[BeTheChange]

34. I dont base my view of people on one action

I dont agree with their choice, but atleast the participated in the process. I find that when I talk to people who vote for Bush they arent often the bloodlusting fundies that this site makes them out to be. They are often very good people who have been hoodwinked or who have a specific issue that they just wont budge on. My future mother in law thinks Bush is going to get abortion overturned. She has been a mother for 30 years. Literally. She has a 13 year old in the house currently. To her, being a mother is the best thing that has every happened in her life. She loves children. All children. Black, white, challenged and gifted. Due to her personal circumstance this is the one thing she distilled it all down to.

I inform her of the thousands Bush has killed in Iraq and I talk to her about the domestic instability he is causing here. And she listens and often agrees with my sentiments. She is always respectful of my view and Im respectful of hers.

The people that piss me off the most are the ones who sit on their ass, do nothing and complain.

If I hate people Ill never get the chance to help bring them into the light and I become just as bad as the worst freeper.

[NCN007]

36. Most of my friends are conservative

Some pretty hardcore too. Our arguements end with them calling me a f***** hippy, me calling them f****** rednecks, we call it even and do something else. There is a lot more to life than politics.