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In reply to the discussion: I can not have a friend who is a Republican.. [View all]Orrex
(63,203 posts)Last edited Sat Sep 28, 2013, 05:51 PM - Edit history (1)
I chose "kicks puppies" because I figured that any reader could immediately recognize it as an extreme, farcical example. Thank you for proving me wrong.
Who told you that you need to hate anyone? Certainly not me. It's a classic red herring to criticize someone for their hate rather than discuss the issue that's being addressed. I hate no one, frankly, because it's not worth the effort. However, there are people whom I dislike, and sometimes I dislike them because their values, attitudes and behaviors are so incompatible with mine.
Since you're uncomfortable with the hypothetical example, let's instead refer to social issues. If you had a friend who routinely complained about all the lazy Hispanics, drug-addicted blacks, disgusting homosexuals and drunk Native Americans, would you go out of your way to maintain friendship with that person? I suppose that you might, but I probably would not. And would you conclude that this person is likely a Liberal or a Conservative, based on his social views?
Someone at this point typically suggests that true friendship would entail explaining to this friend the error of his thinking, to which I say "I'll believe it when I see it." In all my life, I have never seen someone abandon such deeply held views simply because a "friend" had shown them the light.