Politics and Friendship

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Originally Posted by Gardenarian

I don't really know any conservatives, but there is some tension between the Sanders and Clinton supporters.
The Sanders folks can be quite vicious about Clinton, whereas I see the Clinton supporters as more "I'd prefer Clinton, but I'll be happy to vote for Bernie if it comes to that."
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I love Sanders, I am just so happy that someone who holds views like mine has survived politics for so long. Some of what I learned this last year tells me he can work WITH people to get things done by the number of bills he has been part of. No one gets a bill without working with a lot of other people. Still I am about to turn off the news feeds of some of my Bernie friends, I would definitely support Hillary. I was willing to support her when she was up against Obama.

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Originally Posted by gimmethesimplelife

Alan.....please understand I didn't trivialize your property rights and I didn't say "completely" understandable. I said just plain understandable. Big diff. I have known fear of America (with all due respect, have you?)and I can understand the fear that compels people to such acts. Once again, I didn't say I approved. I will say that if you live close to me and had conservative signage in your yard, I would have the basic respect to completely leave you alone. It would be as if you didn't exist. That, to me anyway, having experienced what I have in America, shows a very high level of respect......as I said, with me, you get to believe as you wish. Fear would prevent me from being neighborly with you, though. Rob

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So, if I ran into you at a party and attempted to exchange pleasantries, I'd be wasting my time?

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Originally Posted by Alan

So, if I ran into you at a party and attempted to exchange pleasantries, I'd be wasting my time?

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Where I live we wouldn't run in the same social circles and would thus be extremely unlikely to meet at a social event. I really could not see this happening in the 85006. Rob

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Originally Posted by gimmethesimplelife

Where I live we wouldn't run in the same social circles and would thus be extremely unlikely to meet at a social event. I really could not see this happening in the 85006. Rob

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But I didn't really answer your ?, did I? I respect you for the work you have voluntarily done here and hope that if we were to meet, we would understand we would BOTH be bringing very different perspectives and outlooks to the table. If you went too far politically, out of respect for your work here, I would disengage and run. Rob

Alan, some people don't get out much, and diversity is a buzzword to describe only a certain kind of "differentness,", a palatable kind. That's what Im learning on this thread.

I used to see it all the time in my neighborhood, little political diversity, and it worked well for the 99%. For 15 years everyone we knew were politically liberal with the exception of about 12 people. We all knew who voted Republican. Then, the housing boom hit and our neighborhood became toney. People with money and expectations about crime control and safety and community and polished public structures moved in. They had big jobs, they were concerned about the crappy public schools and taxes going up with no appreciable increase in services. And now there are many more people voting Republican than we know. I know this because the Republican committeeman sends out numbers for each Presidential election by ward and precinct.

So its no longer "safe" for my neighbors to stand around at a neighborhood drinks party and assume that they are with their own kind. The token diversity that DH and I used to provide here has been usurped by a bigger population. Gosh, I wnder if my "progressive" neighbors are feeling all of the "fear" expressed on this thread? Even though they are still the huge majority, is it scarey to them to be less than 99%?

Sorry, I can't relate to the seemingly constant level of fear that some of you express.

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Originally Posted by iris lilies

Sorry, I can't relate to the seemingly constant level of fear that some of you express.

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My county is ~65% hard-core "progressives", and many people will cross the street to avoid interacting with you if they think you are a Republican. Apparently they'd like to put us on the sex-offender list or something.

When I went as a delegate to the Republican convention last presidential election cycle, a whole bunch of people stopped talking to me.

Wacky.

I still show up to put out their houses when they are on fire, cut them out of their auto wrecks, and provide emergency medical care. Maybe I shouldn't, it might be causing them additional stress...

There is at least one Democrat that I know of in the neighborhood. But most just ignore his rants. He's mostly harmless.

What I have issue with is not so much the difference of opinion, but that EVERY conversation turns to politics. It seems very disrespectful to me. They know that I have differing views, I never start the conversation, but we still end up there every time. When I know someone has differing views on something I don't bring it up every time, I try to talk about our common ground. There are so many other things to talk about, I try over and over to change the subject and no it goes right back. At a couple of things I attend it is pretty much the only topic of conversation.

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Originally Posted by dmc

There is at least one Democrat that I know of in the neighborhood. But most just ignore his rants. He's mostly harmless.

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Just like I ignore the Filipino couple two streets over that are hardcore conservatives and pariahs at the neighborhood meetings and in the neighborhood in general. It's too bad as they are from Manila - a low cost city I'd like to know more about - but their behavior at the neighborhood meetings coupled with how rude they have been to the cashiers at the Hispanic grocery store a few blocks away? I am sure they are totally harmless.....
I'm almost certain of this. But major creepy factor.....I can find out about Manila elsewhere. I guess every neighborhood has such a couple or person....here they are Republican, where you are they are Democrat. Rob

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Originally Posted by iris lilies

While I myself am an escapee from Iowa, there is nothing wrong with its political climate. Some of you must have forgotten that Iowans embraced your President Obama before others. No fan of Hillary were they. I recently read a political writer who lamented the fact that a few thousand voters in Iowa have more influence on World history due to the Iowa Caucuses than the entire country of France, but I don't think thats a bad thing. I trust Iowans more than the French with these important decisions.

The smug, self congratulatory posts here are funny, but I know that people on all political spectrums speak the same way so I will not pin it in any one political persuasion.

In closing, let me hold you all in the light, hoping that no one has to endure the ignoble experience of passing a Trump for President sign on the highway.That's gotta be brutal. Fortunately, I am safe from that here in my electric blue city. Here in the murder capital of the country our main n threat is simply being shot, there's not a Trump sign to be seen for miles.

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I went to the big annual book sale this year at the state fairgrounds in mid February.....it's something I look forward to every year as it's basically Christmas for book loving introverts. Anyway, when I left I walked over to a bus stop outside the fairgrounds. I passed a booth giving out free t-shirts......there was a time in my life when basic clothes were very dear to me and I'm not one to forget this. But I passed up the free t-shirt. It said TRUMP on it and I couldn't justify wearing it, even if it was for free and even if I only used it for yard work or painting. Trump has just said too many scary things for me to take a freebie from his campaign, and given my economic background, that truly is an insult. Rob