I feel like I’m reaching a crossroads of sorts. I’ve noticed a couple coworkers who I’m pretty friendly with that are on a tear about voting for Mitt Romney. Normally, I’m pretty ok with people who vote differently that I do. It’s a free country and we all have a fundamental right to support whatever political agenda we choose.
The problem is I find that I’m less and less interested in engaging said individuals knowing they are for Romney. My feelings toward them have gone from good to bad. I’m disappointed obviously, but even more so, I’m actually a little hurt. This is not a Democrat vs Republican issue, it’s an issue of fairness and equality. They’re supporting someone who claims to want to make my very existence a crime.
I understand part of it stems from indifference. My issues really aren’t their issues. They aren’t gay so the fight for equality is not high on their radar. I get it. But what really makes it a kick in the teeth is when you delve past the surface they clearly are ignorant of the facts and just seem to be repeating a lot of the completely false rhetoric being spread by the whole repug talking heads! It would be different if we just disagreed on how to reach a goal but it isn’t. I’m fighting for my right to be treated equally under the law and you’re pissed because you might end up paying a few extra taxes.
Working for a City gov, politics at work is completely off limits. We don’t hang out socially so I guess maybe I might be worried over nothing. Clearly, we aren’t that close so maybe I shouldn’t care that I’m moving further away from a friendship with them. I wish I could look beyond it but as hard as I try I can’t. I can’t be friends with someone who can’t support my right to exist and be who I am. Ignorance and/or indifference is not an excuse. The repugs make no secret about their plans so you know damn well what their planning if they win.
I realize they can choose to vote for whomever they wish, but I can also choose not to associate with someone who supports a fake liar who wants to make my existence a crime. Maybe I should be the bigger person and overlook it but I can’t. It’s hard to overlook a choice that affects the legality of my existence based on a genetic predisposition.
*sigh*
What gets me about Romney supporters is that here's a POTUS candidate that kept his tax returns in hiding and now that his latest returns have been released we find he dumped investments with ties to China & Iran. Why is this of no importance to these Romney supporters?
I've been mulling over a similar feeling. Do I really want to be friends or aquaintences of people who are okay with my life being criminal? To the point I have actually "unfriended" some people on social media sites that have voiced support of Romney.
I wouldn't necessarily cut ties with friends who are Romney supporters – none of us, I suspect, agrees with 100% of our candidates' opinions and approaches and we have to each decide which things are most important. To me – and I would hope to most thinking people – a candidate's stance on civil rights is critical, but to people who don't foresee any threats to their own rights, economic issues or other social issues or whatever may be more pressing.
That said, I won't be friends with anyone who specifically approves the Republican platform's approach to gay issues. If you have a problem with gays, you have a problem with me.
I am going through something similar at work. I have a couple straight friends at work that are all for equal rights of Gays but there are several co-workers that are in the belief that to be gay is an abomination and all the other negative interpretations of the bible. They of course want Romney and fully believe I am something to be deleted from society. Makes the work environment less than comfortable at times.
I think I know how you feel. A very good friend of mine is an "independent voter" who has never voted for a Republican in his life. He can't even imagine voting for Obama, though he does like the provisions of "Obama-care" that will benefit him.
It is all irrational. When I try to review the facts and recent history (i.e., when Clinton left office we had Zero national debt and were not at war with anyone; when W43 left office, the debt had ballooned and were were fighting two wars), they can not seem to connect the dots.
I have come to the conclusion that you just can't reason with these folks over politics. On a one-on-one basis, they would never think of lifting a finger to harm me. But they would vote for someone who would criminalize my sexual orientation, keep me from marrying the person of my choice, etc. They just don't get it … and they never will.
Hang in there. Not every nice person is a politically enlightened person.