I just don’t talk politics with people I like, for the most part. I know plenty of unhinged lefties and I like them personally. I’d like to keep it that way.
I have several family and friends that voted for Trump but none of them are MAGA or nowhere near it. They are mostly in the “I can’t vote Democrat” camp. I’m still baffled by how torpedoing our country is better than voting for a Democrat but whatever.
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Last night’s post was obviously about the “far righties.” I too have some friends - and some that I don’t consider friends, speaking “unhinged” L.
The difference between the MAGATs and the “Libtards” that I have contact with, is that the Lefties can actually listen, comprehend, and at least move to the right toward center.
MAGATs simply escalate, dbldown, and literally start to scream. As if volume brings veracity. An interaction is like being on Springer.
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I think some of my wife’s aunts and uncles are at least conservative. Others are liberal. But they all live 800 miles away and we haven’t seen them in 8 or 9 years.
A friend of mine who I used to do endurance sports with called Sven, is a total unhinged righty. We don’t talk politics though, so it’s all good.
The only MAGA person that I commonly associate with is a fellow adjuster that I have traveled with quite a bit over the last 8-10 years. We are going to Atlanta for some training later this month.
He knows that it is best not to bring up politics as we have had a couple of clashes in the past. If he brings up one more time, I will probably tell him that we’re done traveling together. It will hurt him a lot more than it does me because I typically book and pay for the rooms and answer a ton of questions that he should know but doesn’t. I will miss his friendship.
I have other friends and family on Facebook that support trump - for now at least. Most are retired so they might have some different feelings if/when their Social Security money is impacted. I have made it clear to my mother-in-law that we won’t be discussing politics at our house, and that we will leave if she starts it at her house.
Parents. Mom is worse than Dad. He couldn’t bring himself to vote for Biden/Harris. But is now upset because he really didn’t think he would do what he said. (I know, I know)
She is gleeful. Harris is an “idiot”. God’s plan. RFK is really smart, won’t allow another Dr. Fraudci. Doesn’t really see the true value in higher education (don’t get me started). Her tone is full of smugness and smirk. Haven’t talked to her in over a week.
And it causes strain. Because appropriately my wife has made her a source of blame and anger. My HR goes to 120 at the simple thought of us all hanging out together.
It has bonded me to my brothers a bit more. So there’s that.
I don’t know how I would handle that. Was she always like that, or is like she’s joined a cult?
And what are they saying now?
I think like most scenarios, as you get older, you see and understand what was beneath the surface more and more. And as they get older, the filter becomes less and true inner thoughts come out. And he is complicit in her views. He doesn’t stand up.
It is so upsetting. Ruining what I had thought was going to be deep and authentic relationships in their Golden years. I still love them. But I don’t respect them anymore. And that’s hard to get over.
Yes that is my situation. I have zero respect for either of them now. They make really racist comments and it is sickening. I have had a few very big verbal arguments with them about this stuff. I cannot stand to be in their company now and really limit any interactions with them. They are so narrow minded and bigoted.
I grew up with the racism so for me it was there from the beginning. Overwhelmingly my dad, my mom has always just been a nice, understanding person. Had arguments with him when I went to college and realized how wrong headed it all was, but at some point just had to let it be.
It still comes out every once in a while but I have to give my dad credit for at least moving in the right direction. He’s at least aware it’s not acceptable to be an open racist.
I feel this. My dad died suddenly in late 2023 after a short hospitalization. I never stopped loving him but I did lose respect for him. We always had a bit of a fraught relationship that took a nasty turn post-MAGA. It never recovered and now it never will.
One of the final straws was his realization that his teenage granddaughter, my niece, is a lesbian. Suffice to say, he did not react well.
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One of the things that actually increased my respect for my dad was that back in the 90’s one of my cousins died of AIDS and my dad was actually pretty decent about it and said something like “what are you going to do if you had a gay kid, you can’t not love them.” My brother also dated an Indian girl at one point and he didn’t seem to have any problem with that.
I don’t like the fact that politics is a taboo subject. I think it’s a reflection of how downright toxic politics has gotten that even good friends wouldn’t discuss politics together.
I don’t have many MAGA people in my sphere. There are a couple, but they are mostly relatives who I don’t interact with very often.
For anyone who I considered a good friend that I wasn’t comfortable discussing politics with, I’d seriously rethink my friendship with them. Politics is about how we collectively govern ourselves. It’s silly that it has to be kept secret.
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My dad’s response was some version of … “I love Elise but I cannot condone or love that she chooses to be a lesbian. And I will not be quiet about it. Her soul is in the balance.”
For him, this was definitive and there was no room for conversation or accomodation.
Politics needs to be kept secret these days.
I’ll read reddit and it’s full of posts where people are looking for businesses who support Trump so they can go after them. There is some really unhinged shit proposed. Why would anyone talk politics publicly anymore is a mystery to me.
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That’s tough, sorry to hear you’re dealing with that.
Families can be tough.
My family is spread out over the northeast and southern Ontario. We get along fairly well and our politics generally span from just right of center to mid-left (Canadians). Our conversations are generally commiserative when we do talk politics. Traditional political differences where any exist. They all generally have their shit together as adults and as good human beings.
My FIL is MAGAish and is the only one who can be an insufferable prick about politics. He’s also maddeningly selfish at times, mercurial, and intent on killing him self with booze. This week he left home drunk, went out drinking, hit something with his truck (he says mailbox) thrn the garage wall when he got home. He’s a fucking menace, basically. He holds all the money in the marriage and my MIL is between a rock and hard place with him, to include his political bullshit. His son and DIL are self righteous MAGA bible thumpers who make things difficult in the family dynamics. His other daughter and SIL much the same, he’s a used car salesman type who would sell the shirt off your back. The last time we were all together they were all cackling together about Sleepy Joe and The Ho who “slept her way to the top, DEI hire” etc.
I reached a point where they knew to leave it alone with me because I push back with facts. It’s been fine ever since, but that’s likely because Trump won the election. They now have nothing to snipe at and nothing to crow about with Trump’s shit show, so politics doesn’t play much in our day to day anymore.
I would have a difficult time in your situation. My mother and I aren’t close for reasons that don’t need mentioning but it’s not because she’s a disagreeable person (boundary issues mostly) and it would be exceptionally hard to maintain a connection with her if she were hardcore MAGA. My capacity to maintain respect for them is severely diminished at this point.
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It’s one thing to be devoutly religious.
It’s one thing to be conservative.
It’s another another thing to be MAGA.
MAGA is an unacceptable combination of criminality, treason and self-righteousness.
I eliminated all Trumpster types from my inner circle decades ago.
The biggest mistake a person can make is to allow a confirmed sociopaths to remain in one’s life.
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Yes, one of the things about my parents is that they aren’t encumbered by any sort of religious beliefs, or at least strongly held religious beliefs. I’m thankful all the time that neither of them has gotten religious so far as the end is approaching (both are 80 now).