Current Events > Do you have close friends with opposing political views?

(+) Yeah! (+)

Not just an acquaintance. Someone you actually hang out with regularly and enjoy being around.

I'm generally right leaning on economic issues, and moderate with social issues. I have a friend who is liberal with social issues and left leaning on economic issues. We hang out all the time and get along fine. We even debate political things with each other and respect each other's opinions on issues, even though there's quite a lot we disagree on.
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all of my friends have drastically different political views than me
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yes
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Yep
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Yep. It's better to just not talk politics with or around them.
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Yep, one of my best friends and I don't really agree on much politically actually. But we're both respectful of each other and listen to each other's points, and are open minded to the other point of view, etc. You know, like adults. So it really doesn't matter much. It's not as if politics is a topic we discuss much anyway.
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Somewhat... I have a few friends who would consider themselves "fiscally conservative" but they hate Trump and socially conservative policies.
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Romulox28 posted...

all of my friends have drastically different political views than me

This. I live in the Houston area, and while Houston proper is a liberal city, the suburbs around it are very conservative. All of my friends are conservative. It's so weird.
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Yes.
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my best friend is a non-religious conservative, but over the years i've been wearing him down (he can't stand Trump, now accepts climate change is real, is pro-choice, etc.). still has some solid traditionalist points of view, but nothing major
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I'm all over the place. I regularly play board games at my local game store with several people who have political beliefs different from my own, but I wouldn't call us friends.

I don't know the political beliefs of many of my best friends because we know we can't talk about it without taking the conversation to some contentious ground, so we've avoided the topic for years. I had a difficult time getting them to talk to me about any quirky or alternative topic that deviated away from our shared interests.

Others of my best friends I met pounding the streets during an anti-war protest last decade, and the 2009 National Marriage Equality March, so of course we feel more comfortable discussing more elusive issues, because I trust the person I'm talking with. But we don't always share the same geeky power level.

Even in activism circles, people with whom you are generally friendly don't always have overlapping political interests. Climate activists won't necessarily be LGBT advocacy activists, or education activists, or reproductive rights advocates. While there is some overlap, it's pretty uncommon to see the same person in all those circles.
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I find it hard to be friends with Trumpers because I like to surround myself with intelligent people, but I have plenty of Republican friends.
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Trigg3rH4ppy posted...

I find it hard to be friends with Trumpers because I like to surround myself with intelligent people, but I have plenty of Republican friends.

That's also fair. I can't stomach people who regularly make stupid decisions for short-sighted or clearly misguided reasons. I'll offer advice if they ask and listen to just about anyone at first, but I have limited sympathy for clownery and people who don't learn from their mistakes. And this absolutely applies to people's political beliefs.
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