Are your friends Democrats or Republicans?

[lovesfortune]

Yes, sorry guys, ANOTHER question from me. :)

Do you and your friends have discussions about politics? I guess what I'm getting at is, I know where I stand with this election. I don't try to push my vote onto other family members or friends.

IF they bring it up, I will state my opinion but that is it.

Well for the past few weeks my dad's wife has been sending me political emails. She is voting opposite of me. I HATE these emails.

One: I don't like emails that aren't verified sources..ANYONE can write anything about either canidate.

Two: I can't stand that she keeps slamming the canidate I'm voting for for RIDICULOUS things. I don't agree with who she is voting for but I try not to be insulting. EVERYONE has an opinion.

At first I tried just ignoring them, hoping she would get the point... that didn't work. Now I'm not sure if I should just keep ignoring it or email her to say something? We have a strained relationship to begin with, so I don't want drama.

Oh and we went and stayed with them over the weekend and of course politics got brought up. I just told my dad where I stood, that I was well informed and that was that. SHE kept going on and on that I had to leave the room.

So.... (afer all my rambling) how do you treat friends and family that you know are voting differently? The same?

[WashingtonBay]

I very much have friends on both sides. I'll argue with some of them, some of them on both sides aren't really fun to talk to about politics or religion with and I try to change the subject to something they are good at. :D

I have a little more trouble with work relations because I am the ONLY conservative in my line of work on the planet. And they're all fairly outspoken. They think I'm a rather amusing oddity. A little pet Republican. With them, I really have to walk a fine line. None of us SHOULD be overtly political legally (it's nonprofit work) and sometimes it seems I'm the only one who remembers that.

I don't really encourage people to forward me "viral" emails of any kind. I know it's a cute puppy, I know you think it's a funny joke... but I don't want to be spammed, particularly by my friends!

[Tatesgram]

Try being married to someone that disagrees with you. For years, my husband and I coudn't discuss politics. Like your dad's wife, he kept trying to convince me that I was wrong and should vote his way. Finally, we just stopped talking about it. Surprisingly, this year, we're in agreement. No more canceling each other out at the poles.

I would simply ask her to stop, via email. And if that doesn't do it, block her or send her directly to junk mail.

[alittleoffkey]

I won't open political emails until post-election because I got tired of the "Obama is a muslim and he wants to kill us all" emails. *rolls eyes* I enjoy a good verbal sparring match with people who disagree with me... and I like mocking the errors of both of the main candidates ('cause I mean really - they both make them, no matter who you support. You might as well have fun with it).

As a college student I'm one of the few conservatives on campus; unfortunately college students like to resort to the "Nu-huh" tactic, which I despise - they're always right, no matter what. Check your sources, do your own research or shut up. I know what I'm talking about - I wouldn't open my mouth if I didn't. Just send her emails to junk mail. ;) Ditto WB's sentiment about changing the topic to something they're good at. If she insists on bringing up politics just leave the room.

Edit: Tates - I love your avatar! :D

[mtnmollie]

I very much have friends on both sides. I'll argue with some of them, some of them on both sides aren't really fun to talk to about politics or religion with and I try to change the subject to something they are good at. :D



Yep. Me to.

I have friends who spam me. I dont read their mail. Some of the spam is good- funny -

except for one old business friend- i always read her spam.

[lovesfortune]

thanks guys. I think I will just delete them and maybe tell my dad. As I said, our relationship is VERY strained, so... I don't want to make any more waves.

At least I am not alone.

[Tatesgram]

Edit: Tates - I love your avatar! :D[/quote]

Thanks. Once when I was taking one of those quizes, you know, what's your middle name, what color socks are you wearing, etc., one of the questions was "what one word describes you?". My daughter said "mean". :mad: Oh well, she was a teenager at the time. Now she has a daughter of her own ;)

[Horserider]

I very much have friends on both sides. I'll argue with some of them, some of them on both sides aren't really fun to talk to about politics or religion with and I try to change the subject to something they are good at.


Yep the same. I also have friends on both sides. We just don't really talk about our politics that often. In fact I have no idea what my best friend is and honestly I don't really care. Politics shouldn't define who your friends are.

I also enjoy a good verbal war with someone who disagrees with me (not including my mom who will continue to disagree with whatever your saying even if she knows your right).

[JackieB]

I have friends on both sides. However, I've received plenty of the types of e-mails you mention as well. I recommend deleting them and trying to remain calm and polite when your dad's wife starts to carry on.

[Cat]

Friends on both sides - I just delete e-mails I don't want.

[outriding01]

I have friends on both sides as well. The thing that annoys me is that, since I'm younger many of my friends are pretty uniformed and have let the media/parents/other friends/etc. influence their decisions without actually doing any research of their own. Some of them are very misinformed and made decisions based on this info. It angers me because I work so hard to stay informed so my vote will mean something, and they don't care. I have one friend who is dead set on voting for Obama, and I honestly wouldn't mind at all if that was her informed decision, but she is cluless about the issues. I've tried having discussions with her (I enjoy a good, thoughful discussion just as much as anyone) and she doesn't even know why she's voting for him! It jut saddens me that my generation is so easily manipulated. In all honesty, I think the voting age should be raised to 25. Most people my age don't have enough real life experience to be able to make a truely informed decision.

Personally lovesfortune, I would probably put her emails in the spam folder and leave them there until after the election. It's obviously upsetting you to have to see them, so out of sight, out of mind. Just don't bother dealing with it, it seems so petty.

[Remali]

Most of my friends share my political views, but I had two friends that didn't and they used to send me really insulting and rude emails.....that finally stopped tho!

[Sundays Man]

I have family and friends on both sides also. I usually don't discuss it with the ones that have very thin skin or are very agressive about their leaning. I like open discussion with facts included, but there are few facts these days and just a lot of personal attacks, lies and rhetoric on both sides. It has taken a lot of the fun out of the election process, not that it's a game, but some people just take themselves and their politics much toooooo serious. There will be life after the election probably and we need to know how to agree to disagree and not destroy relationships and family ties. :)

[rums_mom]

Well I am in a minority at work, so we don't discuss it. And since my job is with State Government, I really can't discuss it or do anything to endorse my views. I usually keep to myself unless someone ASKS my opinion and they I will be glad to share it with them. It is amazing how many of my co-workers are very Pro-Palin because she is a "hottie". Great, just what I want a heartbeat away from the presidency. I would feel better about her if she at least had a poly sci background and understood constitutional law.

One of my co-workers was going to vote last Friday, I said, "Yep lets! That way my vote can "cancel" yours out"....and I laughed, he got upset and said, "That's right, you are voting for that <insert 'n' word>." I then did my very best Sarah Palin interpretation...........At least he had the balls to say what so many other people around her won't. That they won't vote for a black male or a white democratic woman. So many of the same Palinists, were Hillary Clinton haters, because she was a woman. I don't get it, and never will but to each their own.

[WashingtonBay]

There are similar fans of Obama that swoon over him in ways that are not exactly presidential. I like Palin because she has moxie. I think her fans like her not just because of her looks, it's the whole package. It's the personality. She's a strong personality, like Hillary is, but very different. Palin turns guys on in exactly the way Hillary doesn't. ;)

[rocknK]

Sarah makes pant suits look GOOD!:cowboy:

[lovesfortune]

One of my co-workers was going to vote last Friday, I said, "Yep lets! That way my vote can "cancel" yours out"....and I laughed, he got upset and said, "That's right, you are voting for that <insert 'n' word>." I then did my very best Sarah Palin interpretation...........


:popcorn: I would have loved to see his reaction to that.

On the topic of the "n" word, I find that really offensive that it is being brought into the campaign, but it's a fact of life that there are people out there that make it that way. :(

[WashingtonBay]

I suppose there are some people, loves, but there's a few people somewhere who discriminate against nearly any feature. I know on the right-wing boards I hang out on, his race is not the reason, and anyone who stated race as the reason for their vote would be clobbered. And should be... from either side.

[rums_mom]

Yep it was sad that he said that, and I have lost a lot of respect for him. This is a man that is the captain of the town fire dept, very active in his church (Methodist) and does a lot of charity work. But yk, he said what so many others can't or won't......

[grandmadeb]

I worked for a lady who was a staunch Republican to the point of voting that way no matter what. I get tons of e-mails from her and just delete them, not because I am anti Republican but because they are annoying. I never discussed politics with her once I figured out that she was Republican NO MATTER WHO the candidate was or what the issue was.

[HoustonFarrier]

My friends are all AMERICANS. We may have different opinions, different ideologies...but we are all united as AMERICANS!

Steve