I have a friend here in Las Vegas. An intelligent, interesting guy, who I love to converse with outside the subject of politics. I have several friends, just like him.
He’s a rabid left winger, suffering from, in my point of view, a serious case of Trump Derangement Syndrome. Our views on politics couldn’t be more opposite, and his frequent Facebook posts are acutely insulting to myself and other like-minded individuals. I’m sure we all have similar experiences, and I make no claim to be innocent of passing along a few occasional insults myself. We are all human.
Yet, I still try to separate politics from my personal relationships. Like others, with differing points of view, I still consider him a friend, and a good man in many ways. I value our friendship.
Occasionally my efforts to remain friends, despite these notable differences are successful. While at other times, likely more often than not, even with very close relatives, it-just-doesn’t-work. I’ve lost count, over the years, the number of those unfortunate failures.
I note one thing in common with each of them. With no exception, it’s always the other individual who chooses to end our association, one with another. They simply can’t separate political ideology while at the same time maintaining our connection. It’s too important to them. With no patience for me, a deplorable, they refuse to agree to disagree.
To my way of thinking, life is too short for such trivial nonsense. In the wider scheme of things, we will surely come to know, it matters not. It’s especially ironic, when the leaders of their dogma preach “tolerance” and “acceptance.”
Today is my friend’s birthday, and after reading some of their most recent, and outrageous, anti-Republican, anti-right-wing sentiments, I posted the following on his Facebook page.
“Can we all get along?” ~~ Rodney King
Thanks for hanging in there.
℘
Stories I Share With Friends 