talking politics in public

[Imbrium]

so yesterday, my neighbor needed to take her son's car to the mechanic and I offered to follow her/drive her home in my car and vice-versa in the afternoon to pick it up. we got it fixed, came home and she immediately said the check engine light was on, so I suggested we go back right away so that the diagnostics/repair wouldn't cost anything. (actually, she said "this orange light" and asked me what it was )

while someone was checking the car, we went into the trailer where three employees were hanging out and chatting. the conversation started (resumed?) with something like "so which debate format have you liked best?"... but you KNOW that's gonna turn as soon as anyone figures out someone else's political view is the same as/different from theirs.

as usual, I decided to gauge the room temperature a bit before weighing in... and quickly discovered that in a room of five people, four of them had political views that opposed my own. how fun is that?? >.>

suffice it to say, I sat in uncomfortable silence the entire time.

my neighbor didn't chime in much either, only enough to be polite - I think she felt bad for me, lol. we get along great and have similar opinions about most things... but we disagree *adamantly* on the topics of politics and religion. luckily, we have this lovely little arrangement based on respect and common sense where we've both agreed to just never talk about that stuff . I know I can't change her mind, she knows she can't change mine and we both know that nothing good can come of trying so we leave it alone and all is well.

 

[agnesthelion]

Politics and religion are SUCH a touchy subject. My husband and I just got in a "fight" with his brother and wife a couple weeks ago! They have extremely different view than we do and a simple conversation got way too heated. It was awkward and uncomfortable.

We all apologized to each other and there is no lasting damage but we now all know that it is not something we can talk about together.

This election seems heated from both sides. I know it had been in past elections but I just feel like the divide is pretty great right now.

I try very hard to see both sides, but I draw the line on hate and judgment and intolerance for people that are different than what you may believe. So i try not to get involved but when I hear such hateful things from the other side it's hard for me to keep quiet

 

[Imbrium]

luckily, they were more "go team!" than "boo, other guy!" so I only had to bite my tongue once (at a criticism of something done that's been done by both sides, which I thought better of pointing out simply because it would've revealed that I favored the opposition)

 

[whitelop]

Idk why people do this in public. I guess maybe they were all friends and felt they could have that conversation with out it getting too heated.
But my in-laws try to engage my husband and I in political conversations because we have different views and we always change the subject. Why would they want to have that fight?
My husband and I talk about politics in the privacy of our own home, but that's it.
My mom is a barber and she hates election years. She said that a lot of her clients will try to talk about the election and she has to stop them because she doesn't talk about that stuff. She won't talk about religion either.
Sometimes I think people just like the argument.

I also don't understand why people talk about religion in public, that is just a can of worms that no one needs to open.

If you think about it, its almost ridiculous that no one can talk about these things without it being such a big deal. Its like we've come so far as a civilization but we can't talk about things that make the world go-round. I still won't talk about it though.

 

[Blue eyes]

There was a time when it was just an unspoken rule of etiquette that one does not discuss religion or politics at the table.

 

[Imbrium]

Blue eyes wrote:

There was a time when it was just an unspoken rule of etiquette that one does not discuss religion or politics at the table.

I miss that unspoken rule and still follow it myself (though that's probably somewhat due to my views not being the prevailing ones where I live). very few people are at all susceptible to being talked out of their beliefs, so what's the point?

politics is trickier, imo, as I think people associate a "right and wrong" with their views vs other peoples' whereas I think people are more accepting of differing religious views because it's about faith rather than fact. I'll talk religion with people on occasion if they bring it up, especially if it's a less common religion because I find it interesting to learn about various cultures/belief systems from a philosophical standpoint... that's really a "tell me about it" thing rather than a debate, though.

when it comes right down to it, I feel that people have a right to believe whatever they want to believe as long as they're not trying to cram their beliefs down my throat

that makes me think of my best friend from high school. she was a vegetarian but not the annoying kind, lol. she didn't care if you ate meat in front of her and she didn't like to lecture people about meat eating.

she felt that vegetarianism was a *personal* choice and just because it was right for her didn't mean it was right for everyone. the ONLY time she'd ever lecture anyone about eating meat is if someone started ranting at her about how stupid vegetarianism is and wouldn't back off - she'd turn the tables and give them a taste of their own medicine until they shut up, which I always found entertaining.

she was the easiest person EVER to pick a restaurant with, too - if you asked her where she wanted to eat, she'd say she didn't care because she truly didn't. you could take her to a steak house and she'd be fine because all it took to make her happy was bread and/or cheese, whether it was a bean and cheese breakfast taco, mozzarella sticks, french fries, a "funny face" pancake (I worked at IHOP and she'd beg for one any time I brought her up there) or whatever. if the place had a vegan menu, she'd spend a few minutes looking it over while mocking it and vegans and then segueing into a rant on how much PETA sucks. then she'd order a grilled cheese sammich off the kids menu . if meat ever ended up on her plate by accident, she'd just have someone at the table who liked meat eat it instead of her instead of throwing a fit.

 

[Blue eyes]

^^ Grilled cheese-- ha, ha. That must be the most popular thing on the kids' menu. It seems anytime we eat out, if there are kids, then the cheese sandwich is sure to be ordered.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

I love discussing politics as much as I like the suprise of stepping in something my dog left for me to pick up in the yard. The only comment I have is the tribunal should use a cattle prod when the politico's don't answer the question, but the energy usage would probably cause another black out. Was watching the news in the AM the other day and one of our locals asked a question three times and another two with the caveat of "yes or no" and still got nothing but pure blather. To succeed in politics you have to speak with no substance and deflect.

 

[littl3red]

I like a nice political debate now and then, but with real facts and ideas, not just "THIS IS WHAT I BELIEVE AND EVERYONE ELSE IS WRONG." And the latter is MUCH more common in my area... People seem to be very opinionated here and I think it's because it's such a homogeneous group: Christian farmers, who are kids of Christian farmers, who are kids of Christian farmers, who are kids of Christian farmers... I moved here later in my life, which means I have a very different set of beliefs, which they seem to see as very very VERY bad.

 

[Imbrium]

yes, how dare you believe in keeping "livestock" as pets?!

 

[littl3red]

Exactly. :banghead

 

[MagPie]

Yeah I don't like talking politics, because well people are going to keep their opinion no matter what facts you throw at them, so I'd rather not waste my time or energy. As long as you aren't cramming your political or religious views down my throat I won't do the same

Besides I'm kind of fed up with all political nonsense right now.

 

[Imbrium]

yeah, it'll be nice when it's over and done with!

 

[Imbrium]

oh, HUZZAH, it is that wonderful, magical moment that I like to call "politicians FINALLY shut the hell up time"!

 

[Nancy McClelland]

I forgot which comedian said it, but I agree wholeheartedly- "All politicians should do 2 terms. One in Washington D C and one in Leavenworth!"

 

[Imbrium]

lol

 

[Toady]

I usually excuse myself when politics, religion or anything like that starts to get discussed... I spent 6 years of my schooling in "Christian" schools only to discover that most of them were a bunch of hypocrites, like how the Principal reckoned that my mother should've stayed with an abusive, alcoholic husband cause divorce was looked down upon and for 3 years I put up with him looking down his nose at me cause I was from a divorced family, also seeing these so called 'good Christian people' treat anyone 'not in their flock' like gum on their shoes.

I still like the saying "Religion/Politics is liking having a willy, it's good to have one and great to be proud of it but don't whip it out in public and start waving it around and don't trying to shove it down people's throat" (Mods feel free to edit this, tried to keep it as PG as I could)

 

[Imbrium]

HAH... agreed.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

:yeahthat: Don't get me started on religious Bigotry/Hypocrisy. Most of those trying to make a stand on religious convictions have never really read or just don't understand the bible, let alone the roots for some of the statements attributed to Christ.

 

[MiniLopHop]

The conversations at work had gotten a little uncomfortable. I work in a very conservative industry, but I tend to have liberal views. Needless to say I tend to disagree with the conversation 95% of the time but have to work with these people, so I keep my mouth shut! I am so glad the lunch table went back to normal today. Geee, wonder why they didn't want to talk about the outcome? :laughsmiley:

I did have a couple heated discussions on facebook. As long as people have a rational and informed argument then I totally agree to disagree. But when they start to just make crap up it makes me angry and I have to call them on it. This election seemed to have more make-believe bull than in the past, or perhaps I just saw more?