Conservatives/Liberals - do you have friends/significant others that believe differently than you?

Question

Or are you mainly surrounded by those with similar beliefs? (especially for those who identify strongly with one side of the fence) Don't focus on family - those are not people we pick.

Answer 1

I have friends from all walks of life-gay friends, friends with families, single friends, black friends, white friends, Mexican friends. Even some Democrat friends. We don't always agree. I have several bumper stickers on my car, some W'04 stickers, some anti abortion, some pro second ammendment, several rebel flags. My Democrat friends don't like it much. But then again, when they sport anti Bush t-shirts, I don't like it. But we still party together! When we discuss politics, we keep it civil. Our ideals are not that different. What is different is our application of those ideals. Most of my democrat friends think abortion is awful & they would never have one, but they don't feel they have the right to tell other people what to do, for example. I would say I have as many liberal friends as conservative, though.

People want the same things-peace, a safe place to live, better wages, etc. We just have different views on how to acheive those goals.

Answer 2

Sure do. I have a friend that actively takes part in certain "Sierra Club" transplants of animals, thinks Kerry was just way to conservative, and thought Al Gores work on the spotted owl was just paying lip service to the true problems. I'm a Republican, and I work in the oil field. I'll be friends with anyone, and have political conversations with anyone who will talk honestly, supports their ideas and ideals with factual data, and will listen to the other side of the spectrum. I'm all for honest discourse.

Answer 3

I have friends that are liberals though most are not the far out there left wingers and we have had some interesting discussions on World events and political viewpoints. We don't go around acting crazy or pointing fingers each other like you will see on here because we are more mature than that. Sure we have had our share of disagreements but we remain friends and have respect for each others viewpoints and beliefs.

Answer 4

I am an out-of-the-mainstream independent and I am surrounded by liberals and conservatives alike. Since I'm in Louisiana, primarily I am surrounded by conservatives. But if I can engage a liberal into a prolonged conversation, I can convert them to my way of thinking rather easily. Conservatives are not so open-minded.

Answer 5

Hmmm...I probably have one really good friend that's more of a conservative. She is much older than me, though and not as staunch as some.

Most of my friends are either liberal or middle of the road. I have very few friends I could actually label as conservative.

My attempts to date someone conservative has always led to disaster, though I have seen some make it work.

I think as long as people remain respectful and thoughtful about each other's beliefs, they can make it work.

Answer 6

Most of my friends happen to be the equivalent to your Liberals. I didn't know that from the beginning, but I guess I just gravitated to like minded people. I'm an atheist and just about all of my friends are catholics, so I think I can still get along with people of different oppinions pretty well.

Answer 7

all (the ones i know of and have spoken to!) of my inlaws are conservatives. i am not, but i am not sure why you ask.

that just means i don't talk politics with them because it would be too disruptive to my marriage. part of the problem is that politics seems a lot like religion to me... i'm not sure i could convince anyone my views should be valuable to anyone but me.

for example, i am pro-choice because i have an emotional response to being told what to do. i can argue that to ban abortion would be more horrible than allowing it, but i can't expect that anyone besides me will automatically understand that emotional response. i have to put it aside when i talk to someone who is pro-life, and hope that i can speak to the points they consider important. but it is a very deep and painful thing to do, which is why i am apprehensive about doing that to the family of the person i love. i might not be able to repair the damage i would do if we really debated it. they couldn't unhear my words if they were disturbed by them.

i know that wasn't exactly what you were asking, but it is hard not to surround ourselves with those who are philosophically similar to ourselves. there is an automatic familiarity there which is hard to ignore. we're social beasties for sure.

Answer 8

in my situation, I am the one who politicaly is a leftist. I am a Noam Chomsky-Howard Zinn-Che Guevara-Evo Morales-Hugo Chavez follower. I defend Palestine, Iran, Cuba, Venezuela, etc. My friends, my boyfriend even my family disagree with me and that does not matter to me. I stand for what I believe in and it may be hard at times to get my point accross especially when a lot of people are opposed to what's coming out of my mouth. It is hard when you're living in a republican/democrat/right wing country and you have 200,000,000 people believing the opposite.

Answer 9

Well, for what it's worth, my family is pretty solidly liberal Democrat. I'm the political "black sheep" in my family. As for people I "picked", the only one I've gotten into any serious political discussion with is my girlfriend, who's a registered Democrat. I'd describe her as more libertarian than liberal though.

Answer 10

Yeah, one of my best friends is a Democrat, my other friend is a Republican, as am I. She's also a Catholic and I'm an Agnostic. The guy I love is a moderate leftist in his views, but identifies as a Republican. It's all really how much you like them if you can overlook their views.