How many friends have you lost?

[Deborah K]

I haven't lost any friends over it. In the beginning, everyone thought we had gone nuts, but they still loved us cuz hey! And then when the economy tanked, something we harped that would happen, everybody's ears perked up! Then Glenn Beck moved to Fox and started blathering all the crap we had been saying all along and voila! All of the sudden, our 'noise' started to make sense.

If there's one thing I've learned, it's that you don't speak about this movement until the opportunity presents itself and then you hit hard and fast and then move off the topic. If it sinks in right away, they keep asking questions. Or they'll try to argue with you - which is a trap that's hard not to fall into. If they look at you with eyes glazed over, then they ain't even close to being ready for the red pill. But at least you're planting seeds. Just always wait for an opening.

 

[tonesforjonesbones]

I see much less of my liberal friends these days. Some of us talk on the phone every now and then, but there is definately a gulf between us...I've tried talking to them, they know nothing about history or the constitution, and when I tell them, they say they have to look for themselves...like I'm lying...and they never do. Finally, one of them said the constitution is an old document that isn't valid today. On that note, I have decided to distance myself. These are long friendships too. I have no patience for them anymore whatsoever..and one claims to be a libertarian and I know she's lyin. tones

 

[Original_Intent]

The friends I have lost have generally been my decision that I just wasn't going to invest my time, emotion or anything else on a person who would look at the noon day sun and say it was night time.

My life long best friend other than my wife I still consider a friend even though he is thoroughly Hannitized and he really disappoints the hell out of me on many many issues. He is a spoiled rich kid who has always looked down his nose at us proles a little bit (he feels wealthy people are naturally superior, even if they were born into wealth) - you can see how it could be hard to be friends with such a person... well he has now gotten himself into huge debt, his wealthy family either can't afford or won't bail him out and he is actually haveing a rough time for the first time in his life. I've amde some pretty pointed comments how if someone making $70K from a family business job that he basically can't be fired from is struggling, maybe he should be a little more understanding of people who weren't born with a silver spoon in their mouth who have been struggling for some time.

Anyway, I guess long and short of it is I have always only had a few close friends, and I would much rather cultivate friendships with my fellow liberty minded people than get the blues about the willfully clueless. Even this guy who has been my best friend for 25+ years I have just about had it. I am not a person that can be friends with people who have a fundamentally different outlook from my own. Scratch that, I can if they are intelligent and can intelligently discuss their beliefs. But I am really sick of the willfully ignorant who don't want to know because they think if they bury their heads in the sand that the good times will just keep coming.

 

[Deborah K]

I see much less of my liberal friends these days. Some of us talk on the phone every now and then, but there is definately a gulf between us...I've tried talking to them, they know nothing about history or the constitution, and when I tell them, they say they have to look for themselves...like I'm lying...and they never do. Finally, one of them said the constitution is an old document that isn't valid today. On that note, I have decided to distance myself. These are long friendships too. I have no patience for them anymore whatsoever..and one claims to be a libertarian and I know she's lyin. tones

Tones, I know someone who said that very same thing. I've written about it in my book. Anyone who makes a statement like that is totally ignorant of the Constitution and wouldn't even be able to tell you what's in it. When I asked her why she thinks that, her answer was that it was written by a bunch of slaveowners. I pressed her a little harder and asked what in the Constitiution reflects advocation for slavery? She said, it doesn't matter. She said that the fact that it was written by slaveowners makes it useless. So I pressed her again and asked, "So you don't like the way the gov't has been set up with the balance of powers and the Bill of Rights?" And she said "What balance of power? The gov't is so corrupt." And I said, "That's because the gov't doesn't adhere to the Constitution anymore." She mumbled her in next response something to the effect of "Well, if they're not obeying it, it's probably because they need to write a new one."

We couldn't finish the discussion because she was a hairdresser in the salon that I take my mother in law to and she was in between clients.

If I had a reset button I would have asked her what specifically in the Constitution she doesn't agree with and thinks needs to change. She wouldn't have been able to answer it and my point would have been made.

Oh well, live and learn.

 

[dannno]

one claims to be a libertarian and I know she's lyin. tones

*slaps forehead*

Sorry tones, just remember all those times you have defended Palin and Beck, self proclaimed libertarians (not that they don't say good things on occasion)

 

[dannno]

I am not a person that can be friends with people who have a fundamentally different outlook from my own. Scratch that, I can if they are intelligent and can intelligently discuss their beliefs. But I am really sick of the willfully ignorant who don't want to know because they think if they bury their heads in the sand that the good times will just keep coming.

Precisely.

That is how I felt about my friend for a long, long time.. he could intelligently discuss politics and see my side of the argument most of the time.. it's just been the last few weeks or so, or I guess since he got caught up in the Iranian Revolution that I've just been like.....WOW.......really?? What the hell happened??

 

[LibertyEagle]

Yeah, most of the time I don't care, but I grew up with her family, went hiking and camping and stayed with them a lot. Come to think of it, it's probably more her family that I'll miss.

I meant that they don't seem to care about what is going on with our country.

 

[TortoiseDream]

I had 2 friends, then gained 1 and lost 1. It's not fair.

 

[dannno]

Hey, if you know me, you know I've never had a problem with one of my threads being hijacked or just to vent. Have at it!

Thanks.. we'll see how much I post, right now we're kinda heading back to possibly hatching things out..

But I will post this gem:

Your argument is debunked and a prisoner of ideology. Government spending puts money INTO the economy, and keeping people healthy saves money and increases productivity. I guess its cheaper to let a little girl die from the cancer but thats not teh country most americans want to live in. REMINDER: Obama was voted in with huge majoritry with public option health care as a madate. You all lost.

 

[constituent]

to amy:

Went to see the captain, strangest I could find,
Laid my proposition down, laid it on the line.
I won't slave for beggar's pay, likewise gold and jewels,
But I would slave to learn the way to sink your ship of fools.

Ship of fools on a cruel sea, ship of fools sail away from me.
It was later than I thought when I first believed you,
Now I cannot share your laughter, ship of fools.

Saw your first ship sink and drown, from rockin' of the boat,
And all that could not sink or swim was just left there to float.
I won't leave you drifting down, but woh it makes me wild,
With thirty years upon my head to have you call me child.

Ship of fools on a cruel sea, ship of fools sail away from me.
It was later than I thought when I first believed you,
Now I cannot share your laughter, ship of fools.

The bottles stand as empty, as they were filled before.
Time there was and plenty, but from that cup no more.
Though I could not caution all, I still might warn a few:
Don't lend your hand to raise no flag atop no ship of fools.

Ship of fools on a cruel sea, ship of fools sail away from me.
It was later than I thought, when I first believed you,
Now I cannot share your laughter, ship of fools.

It was later than I thought when I first believed you,
Now I cannot share your laughter, ship of fools.

-Grateful Dead
Ship of Fools
Shakedown Street



hth,

r

 

[rpfan2008]

they were never your "friends"

 

[Anti Federalist]

I meant that they don't seem to care about what is going on with our country.

Most people don't care.

That's where the disconnect lies, and why political activism will only go so far.

 

[pcosmar]

I haven't lost any. If anything I have gained many.
There are many here that I have not met in person that I consider friends. I am sure we would have a grand time at a pub or under a shade tree.

Any that would reject this message were never really friends to start with.

 

[Natalie]

I have not lost any friends, but I have gained many! I've met so many awesome people at RP meetups and events.

My best friend is a liberal, so we just don't talk about politics. She voted for Ron Paul in the primary because I told her all about him, but she voted for Obama in the general election.

 

[Standing Like A Rock]

I've gained friends, if anything.

 

[Andrew-Austin]

The overall beliefs of some liberals and socialists, can only be summarized as such:

They think everything in government would just work out if they were the ones running things. You can talk to them about how much the department of education sucks and why, discuss why Obama isn't go to legalize pot or end the war, and they will nod their heads. But there is nothing wrong with the system or with liberalism/socialism to them, its just a matter of getting someone like themselves in office. They would take care of the poor with every welfare program possible, and at the same time have a balance budget. Stuff like that.

Its very naive, but a lot of people seem to be like this if just on an unconscious level.

 

[Agent CSL]

Didn't have any real life friends to begin with, but gained a few over the years online.

 

[yongrel]

A pattern emerges.

 

[Working Poor]

bump[

 

[Working Poor]

I have not lost any "real" friends at all.

What I have lost is my connection to my local community: work and church. Why did I loose my church community? Because I got tired of hearing a that the war was a good christian thing to be doing and that Bush is a good christian....

Why did I loose my connection to my work? Because the licensure expense and the 30% self employment tax added up to more than I was making.

What I have gained is a much larger online community and more knowledge.