Have You Lost Any “Friends” Because Of Your Political Views?

minimus

I have lost a couple of FB friends. I have had conversations with many of my friends regarding politics and since we generally view politics in the same way, there is little dissension. However I do have some friends that don’t see things properly, my way, and I still like them.🤗lol....I know of some families that have stopped talking to each other because of something as stupid as political differences.

Pete Zahut

The other day my Son's very privileged mix race (white/asian) girlfriend (former JW) made yet another post on her Facebook/Instagram about BLM and "White Privilege" and this one was particularly unfair and almost propaganda like. It was meant to prove "white privilege" by showing silly photos of of white people on sidewalks holding up picket signs pleading for more toilet paper and demanding that strip clubs, hair salons, gun ranges, golf courses and massage parlors be opened up. Then it showed photos of very concerned and earnest looking black people holding up blood stained picket signs demanding justice and pleading for the police not to kill their sons etc. I felt this was an unfair comparison and the photos were blatantly biased and not helpful to anyone.

I had already had enough of the whole topic a couple of weeks ago and stopped listening to the news because I was starting to feel depressed and anxious. While my wife was at work, I began "snoozing" from our Facebook and Instagram accounts the posts of anyone we know who was making any kind of political/ racial/ negative posts or comments and this included my sons girlfriend. My wife was unaware of what I'd done, and a few hours later, the girlfriend sent us a scathing group text message. Up to this point she always seemed to adore my wife and I and turned to us like a second parents. She demanded to know why she had been blocked and why we wouldn't allow her to have her own opinions. My wife who was unaware of what I had done, said there must have been some mistake or maybe our account got hacked. The girlfriend as much as said she was lying and said that we said we were unbelievably ridiculous and narrow-minded etc.

Earlier, I heard my phone ping but didn't check my messages for about 10 minutes. When I did, I saw to my horror, the exchange between my wife and the girlfriend and realized what was going on. I immediately sent a text message to both, explaining what happened.

I said, "I've been feeling pretty low what with the worries over Covid 19 and with all that's been going on in the world these past couple of weeks, so for my own mental health, I decided to stop watching the news and to "snooze" anyone on our social media accounts who are making political comments of any kind, for now, until all of this blows over because it seems to me these comments may be doing more harm and could be making things worse. It's not that I believe you aren't entitled to your own opinions, it's more about me not being able to tolerate any more negativity in my life. I only want to see our baby grandchildren's photos and our friends vacation photos etc. for now. My plan is to unsnooze everyone once all of this blows over and I didn't realize that anyone would be able to see that I had snoozed them. (apparently I had hit the "blocked or unfollow" button instead of snooze)

My wife sent the girlfriend a message asking if she was OK and if she could call her and she said she didn't want to talk to us.

I have a feeling she's feeling bad about having turned on us so quickly and easily in defense of complete strangers and is feeling foolish. Especially since we've been nothing but welcoming and have helped her and my son in so many ways.

I hope she will get over this and realize that we too have the right to handle our social media accounts as we see fit and that we meant no harm to her.

RubaDub

However I do have some friends that don’t see things properly, my way, and I still like them.

Min ...

C'mon man.

You use the word "properly."

Does that mean, with all due respect, that only those who don't view things your way are not viewing things "properly?"

Are we perhaps thinking, as in China, of the Uighur Muslims of re-education areas or facilities?

Damn it, Min, I will be sleeping with one eye opened into the foreseeable future.

Pete Zahut

Does that mean, with all due respect, that only those who don't view things your way are not viewing things "properly?

You must not have seen the smiling emoji he used, indicating that he was being facetious.

Perfect people like me saw the emoji and knew that he was only kidding. (that's me being facetious)

hybridous

Does that mean, with all due respect, that only those who don't view things your way are not viewing things "properly?"

Do you know anyone who holds views they themselves would deem IM-proper?

RubaDub

OK, OK, folks. I get it.

I can sleep better tonight.

I think I will go and poop. At least people will not be able to say I am full of it.

However I do have some friends that don’t see things properly, my way, and I still like them.🤗lol....I know of some families that have stopped talking to each other because of something as stupid as political differences.

minimus

I’m gonna have to snooze him.

Have You Lost Any “Friends” Because Of Your Political Views?

Share this