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You Can't Be Friends with Conservatives?
Townhall.com ^ | July 30, 2021 | Tim Graham

Posted on 07/30/2021 3:40:21 AM PDT by Kaslin

One of the most obvious misconceptions about liberals today is that they personify tolerance. The Oxford English Dictionary defines tolerance as "the ability or willingness to tolerate something, in particular the existence of opinions or behavior that one does not necessarily agree with.

A recent poll by the Survey Center on American Life at the American Enterprise Institute found that Democrats are twice as likely as Republicans to report ending a friendship over a political disagreement (20% versus 10%). Liberals are also "far more likely than conservatives are to say they are no longer friends with someone due to political differences" (28% versus 10%). However, "no group is more likely to end a friendship over political differences than liberal women -- 33% responded they stopped a friendship over politics."

This was underlined by CBS News digital reporter Kathryn Watson, who tweeted out a chart of some of these numbers, adding, "This is so wild to me. I can't imagine not having friends across the political spectrum." Twitchy.com captured a flock of "tolerant" leftists expressing hot outrage at this notion.

First up was Aaron Rupar, a Vox reporter who's popular on lefty Twitter: "It's hard to be friends with intolerant and irrational people." That's classic: I'm not intolerant. I am intolerant of the intolerant.

Race and racism worked its way in. The account "More_moxie" tweeted, "Tell me you're a straight white without telling me you're a straight white." Jersey Craig added, "Siri, what is white privilege?"

"Powerful Mel Ankoly" joked with this interpretation: "I've got Klan friends and non-Klan friends!" Leftists imagine you can't possibly be a Republican without being a Klansman. Aren't these people supposed to be the ones who are intellectually nimble and adept at nuance? No.

"GOPocalypseNow" added, "Shorter Kathryn Watson: 'it's only normal to have friends who are racist traitors.'" Here's just one more from "Masked Carpenter," who arrogantly announced: "I don't want to be friends with racist, anti-science people who support a police state. But that's just me."

Derek Thompson of The Atlantic, whose tweet Watson retweeted, deleted the tweet, perhaps to evade incoming fire at his account. He later tweeted in support of the notion that Twitter "is mostly a Dutch oven of indignation." Or: Twitter is full of some of the most intolerant, bullying leftists on the planet.

I don't know Kathryn Watson. She's not a friend of mine. But I have liberal friends, and I don't generally speak about politics in mixed company unless I'm asked about it. That's out of a sense of keeping the peace. Decades ago, my wife insisted this would be the wisest course.

The Survey Center found 55% of their sample said they discuss politics or government with their friends less than a few times a month. There's a fear there of losing friendships, and even jobs if you're talking to work friends. Social media has enhanced the heat of our political interaction. So has former President Donald Trump, who has enraged the left further into its already-increasing intolerance.

Today, merely stating to friends that Trump did anything right as president could cause a frothing horror. The same thing could happen after saying "all lives matter," "there are two genders" or "China is responsible for the pandemic."

Then, imagine people you've just met. It's sad when you're conservative that people can't see any dimension of you except the political one. You're immediately a "racist traitor" unless proven otherwise.

This "progressive" thought-cartooning just sadly calls to mind the 1980s movie "WarGames" about simulating global nuclear war: "The only winning move is not to play."


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: demonrats; leftists; republicans; tolerance
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1 posted on 07/30/2021 3:40:21 AM PDT by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin

Article confuses liberals (mostly extinct) with leftists (invasive and destructive speciees that have taken over the habitat of the nearly-extinct libs)..


2 posted on 07/30/2021 3:50:34 AM PDT by LIConFem (Read up on Russia's Oct, 1917 Revolution... And prepare.)
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Comment #3 Removed by Moderator

To: Kaslin

Even though this is yet another case/example of the left hijacking one of our stances, all I have to say to this author is good!! We don’t want to make nice with you regardless...


4 posted on 07/30/2021 3:58:16 AM PDT by sit-rep ( )
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To: .44 Special

But not all libs are like that.

Right?


5 posted on 07/30/2021 3:58:25 AM PDT by Fury
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To: Kaslin

The libs break it off when they discover their conservative friends are smarter than them and actually have cogent arguments...


6 posted on 07/30/2021 4:09:36 AM PDT by trebb (Fight like your life and future depends on it - because they do.)
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To: LIConFem

Yes. Liberal is mis-applied to leftists/progressives, as democracy is mis-applied to America, tax contribution is mis-applied to confiscation and gay is mis-applied to homosexuals.

The left manipulates the language, in purposeful ways.


7 posted on 07/30/2021 4:15:25 AM PDT by polymuser (BLA socialist is a communist without the power to take everything from their citizens...yet.p)
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To: Kaslin

Hard to find someone who can argue in principled fashion. The stakes are high when one invests rectitude in broadcast media without a foundation in logic. Any counterpoint is taken as a personal attack. The left has crystallized over the past few decades in such a way as to make clear they do not fit within a republic that depends upon self-government. They cannot even govern themselves. It is our duty to keep them away from the voting booth, and to voice opposition clearly. Pussyfoot around and liberty dies.


8 posted on 07/30/2021 4:15:28 AM PDT by Fester Chugabrew (No audits. No peace.)
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To: polymuser

It all falls under the category of NewSpeak.


9 posted on 07/30/2021 4:19:48 AM PDT by LIConFem (Read up on Russia's Oct, 1917 Revolution... And prepare.)
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To: LIConFem

Doublethink applies, to.


10 posted on 07/30/2021 4:26:36 AM PDT by polymuser (BLA socialist is a communist without the power to take everything from their citizens...yet.p)
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To: LIConFem

Thanks for saying this. I get so tired of giving these totalitarian collectivists the cover of “liberal”. The liberals are almost extinct in that party.


11 posted on 07/30/2021 4:30:36 AM PDT by Codeflier (Covid-19 taught me: Two types of "conservatives", frightened safety seekers vs. freedom lovers)
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To: Kaslin

These Leftists in the media are describing traits of narcissism; being unable to tolerate criticism.


12 posted on 07/30/2021 4:55:06 AM PDT by T.B. Yoits
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To: Kaslin

Based on my experiences and what I’ve seen politically, I’ve told my kids to NEVER get close to someone who can go tribal on them, as it’s just not worth the risk. All it takes, for example, is some silly joke that offends junior’s minority ‘friend’ and just like that my kid is in the street, all because Jameal, or whoever took it the wrong way and complained...and needless to say my kids will always end up on the losing side.

It’s not much different than the case of the college kid who had sex with some college girl, only to be accused of rape by her (for whatever reason). In that case the guy made a recording of the ‘event’, which proved the bitch was lying. He was then asked by a reporter why he recorded everything, and he said that he’d be crazy to NOT record it all.


13 posted on 07/30/2021 5:02:54 AM PDT by BobL (I shop at Walmart and eat at McDonald's, I just don't tell anyone, like most here.)
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To: Kaslin
”Liberals claim to want to give a hearing to other views, but then are shocked and offended to discover that there are other views.” William F. Buckley, Jr.
14 posted on 07/30/2021 5:04:36 AM PDT by Redleg Duke (“I’m not the olny one!”)
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To: Kaslin

I just want to say these things very clearly if any progressives are reading…

Abortion should be illegal.

Homosexual acts should be illegal.

Porn should be illegal.

Flat tax is the way to go.

No inheritance or gift taxes at all.

Enforce the borders and deport all illegal aliens.

Constitutional carry and no-retreat laws everywhere.

Robert Welch was right.

Enoch Powell was right.

The best thing out of Austin is a highway.


15 posted on 07/30/2021 5:21:13 AM PDT by Rurudyne (Standup Philosopher)
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To: Codeflier

Hayek described at length in The Road to Serfdom that the Left had hijacked the word “liberal.”

That was in 1944.


16 posted on 07/30/2021 5:31:40 AM PDT by cockroach_magoo
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To: Kaslin

That Twitter dialogue is leftist insanity of parade.


17 posted on 07/30/2021 5:36:24 AM PDT by PIF (They came for me and mine ... now its your turn)
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To: Kaslin

to be fair i put alot of distance between myself and any liberals.


18 posted on 07/30/2021 5:41:25 AM PDT by ronniesgal (so I wonder what his FR handle is???? )
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To: Rurudyne

while i am no fan of queers, why are non baby making sex acts ok with you if it’s a woman you are engaging with?
It is sodomy either way.


19 posted on 07/30/2021 5:44:16 AM PDT by ronniesgal (so I wonder what his FR handle is???? )
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To: Kaslin

I don’t want to get along with libtards.

I want to make them politically extinct where all they can do is run their big mouths without any power.


20 posted on 07/30/2021 6:15:49 AM PDT by NWFree (Somebody has to say it)
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