When your loved ones are liberals.

I'm a loyal and fierce Massachusetts Republican. I'm praying for our President's re-election.

Given where I live, it stands to reason that I'm surrounded by liberals. My family, my husband's family and most of our friends are liberals and most of them hate Bush. My husband and I don't discuss politics with them because we discovered from past experience that you just can't win with them.

My brother called me last night. I love him dearly, but it was strained on both ends. So strained that he decided to address the elephant in the room in a non-confrontatial way. Finally, he said to me, "I know we don't agree on this election, but they're expecting a huge voter turnout." I told him that Kerry's carrying Mass anyway, so our votes don't count. (I'm still voting).

We hung up shortly after that uncomfortable exchange. We exchanged I love you's as we always do. Yet, and I'm reluctant to admit this, I found myself resenting him.

In my case it is not family but my best friend. She is the only individual I know who is voting Kerry. It doesn't matter to her what he has/has not done or how much he has lied. She hates our current president, even though she benefited from his tax breaks and would not have if Kerry has his way.

We rarely discuss politics. I've let her know why I believe she is wrong in her thinking but she has no facts to back up her assertions in these discussions.

But her friendship means a great deal to me and I won't let this get in the way.

Work is my problem area, as most family is conservative in thought. It got to be so bad at work that I had to tell the eco-nazi office liberal to stop sending me any politcal e-mails, comments, etc. A couple of weeks ago, a staff member at one of our remote-sites actually grabbed me by the arm and said "you CAN'T vote for Bush!". I told him "I could" and the first step to me doing that was for him to let go of my arm.

Family gatherings are a bit strained during election time. Since my Dad passed away I'm left the only Republican in a family of commie Democrats (I'm also the only military veteran, which may correlate). They'll broach the subject, drop a couple of bumper-sticker slogans, and whimper if I actually try to discuss something substantive. They've all seen Fahrenheit 9/11 and consider it gospel. Sheep.

They're all going straight to the re-education camps...

gainesville florida here. of my dad and his 5 siblings and their spouses, only ONE lefty. and she is a lefty. when we talk politics she hangs up on me.
saturday she went into a michael moore style rant about how her vote didn't count in 2002 for gore because of the electoral college, and she wanted a democracy, and this was no democracy. i finally got in a couple of words..... "you are right, absolutely right, this is a republic, and for a reason". she hung up on me. i so badly wanted to call her when Air Force One was leaving the airport yesterday, which would have flown over her house, to tell her he was heading her way, to go out and wave to him, my bad. but i didn't.

Gotta say this, if by chance sKerry wins, the democrats who aren't really lefties are in for a shock..... it wouldn't bother me except for the war on terror...... if sKerry is elected he will get nothing, nothing! through congress. but he will leave us open to be targeted by terrorists everywhere, ala jimmy carter.

You think you got it bad? My own wife is a registered democrat. We've been together since we were 18 years old.. that's going on 27 years and we both registered as Democrats way back then.

We were kids, what did we know?

I switched to Independant about 12 years ago and am considering changing to Republican now but my wife never did.

However, after my working on her over this last year, I am happy to say that she told me a few weeks ago that she will be voting for Bush.

She still has a bad taste from Clinton and was very unimpressed with sKerry. I suppose those things helped my cause but I am pleased either way.

Lately, it has been a daily activity to pray for them which is what the good book says to do. I am not Christian, but follow 'Christian' principles and have been told this is what I need to do. My wife's entire family are Liberals and so is my sister. The rest, I have successfully been able to punditize(if there is such a word):) I just pray for them to see Bush the way we all see him - an honest and decent man. When I slip and want to pop them in the mouth, I go back and try and pray again for them. I've become more distant with them and don't see that changing. The get togethers is just for show, but as far as enjoying them, I don't anymore. Especially when I have to go up north on Holidays (Liverpool, NY) to be with them. Very challenging -

I asked my close liberal friend and fishing buddy to explain why he hates Bush so much. It's something I've never understood.

The answer he gave was that he hates Bush because Bush is not a liberal, because Bush doesn't respect other cultures, and because Bush is arrogant.

Only the first complaint is true, but truthfully, none of those qualities justify the hatred that liberals (including my buddy) feel for W. So, clearly, even my liberal friend doesn't understand his hatred.

I'm going to guess that the real reason for liberal hatred for W is that liberals understand that Bush is not afraid to stand up for his convictions, regardless of polls or approval ratings (this they interpret as arrogance). Bush has the strength of character to be a history maker. Liberals fear that Bush might actually defeat terrorism, might actually defeat poverty, might actually prove once and for all the hollowness of leftist (Democratic) policies. The hatred thus grows out of this fear.

======I find myself mad and don't even want to speak to them or be their friend. I can't help but think if they are this way, how can we be friends?=======

Notwithstanding the other remark I made about staying with the horse until it's thirsty, I think sometimes you have to stay with them from afar. Not stop loving them, but loving someone doesn't always mean you have to be close socializing friends. You just refuse to hate them, you do your best to think right thoughts and do right yourself. But I see no point in making believe you have something in common with someone, when you don't. Nothing wrong with being selective in your close friends and associates.

I know what you mean. Mrs. B. S. Roberts and I are both Conservatives with a feeling of being adrift in a sea of Liberals here in Massachusetts. Most of our friends are Conservative as well but she has some relatives here that vote straight Dem no matter who their candidate is. It drives me mad.

I have been dealing with this for years. My family are flaming libs who support Kerry and Barak Osama. My husband's family are dems, but at least they don't froth at the mouth on the few occasions we disucss politics.

I find myself avoiding my family, especially this month.

I have also been subjected to screaming attacks bordering on assault from various siblings and inlaws because they hate our President, etc., etc.

I just pray for grace to deal with the resentment, and avoid them. It helps.

I will be thinking of you as you struggle with this problem.

Part of who I am is how I think. Although I get along with liberals and am much more gracious than them, I never give an inch.

I've lost friendships over this, but the way I see it, it's not my loss.

I never apologize for who I am - ever. I relish political arguments. And if the Lefty who I'm arguing rests their case on non-logical arguments, it's clear how I think of them.

Let's say I had a brother or sister who approved of Palestinians blowing up innocent Israelis. Such a position is evil and that fact can't be ignored. It will effect my opinion about that person - regardless of my blood relationship to them.

Put another way, if my brother killed someone. I'd turn him in - in a heartbeat. No questions asked.

Morality (the right or wrong decisions one makes or avoids as to what if good for life) is more significant than blood.

I FEEL YOUR PAIN!

I am the only member of a large family who is not a Democrat. All my many siblings and parents are Democrats, but some of them are fairly conservative. I could probably win a few over if I really tried, but I simply cannot get myself to make the effort, primarily because I would be going directly against my father, a man I love and respect more than anything. He is always making sure the rest of the family toes the line. The problem with him is that he has fully drank of the Democrat Kool-Aide this time around. Full Tin-Foil helmet, Bush is Hitler and Rove is the Devil. I almost feel sorry for him, I wonder if it is hs advancing age.

In family settings, no one discusses politics with me in the room. They know I have a hard time keeping my mouth shut, and I think they feel sorry for me having to do so. On the few occasions when we do "discuss" politics, it is not a contest. FActs trump their reality, but I end up kinda looking like a know-it-all a$$hole, and I feel kinda crappy anyways..

I can't wait for this election to be over, however if/when Bush wins, my father will probably become even more miserable. Since his retirement, all he does is watch CNN all day...

My sister's commie father in law died and his nephew gave the eulogy. He stated "Nick hated Republicans and believed in the equal distribution of wealth..."

I was getting up to walk out of the service, but my husband put his hand on my knee and pushed it back down. He held my hand and whispered don't let the idiots (not the word he used) get me down.

After the funeral, I went to my sister's house and Nick's commie sister came and asked me to come into the family room so all of the neices and nephews, hippies and commies all, could debate politics with me.

I told her that I was here for my sister and wouldn't set foot in the family room even at gun point. I asked her why do liberals always have to gang up on people and put them on the spot, was it because they needed to travel in packs because logic and facts are not on their side? I told her that if anyone bothered me, I would leave. I did leave anyway because I was nauseated by this behavior.

What a bunch of wackjobs. Now this brother in law is a doctor and wants to move to Indiana because the med mal insurance is way too high in the People's Republic of Illinois!!!!!!!!!!!

I actually registered so I could come out of lurking and respond.

I've been a solid Republican since, well, as far back as I can remember. My support solidified when I was fifteen...and I am now thirty.

I can honestly say that embracing and honoring my political convictions has been the most isolating experience of my life (which is saying a lot). Currently, I don't *know* any Republicans other than my parents. My entire family - both sides - are Democrats. My cousin, who is a complete blithering yo-yo, is a dedicated Michael Moore supporter who began an email campaign urging the family to "open their eyes" and see F911.

I don't have a single friend who is even slightly right of MM himself. Hence, I am currently in deep isolation, not communicating with any friends or family because the hostility is too great on their side. And admittedly, when I think of the stupid reasoning behind their choices and what it could eventually cost all of us, I feel a little hostile as well.

So, yeah. Being the lone elephant in a donkey world is a hard road to travel. If (G-d forbid) Ketchup Boi gets elected, you can bet I'll extend my deep hiding until sometime after he's sworn in to avoid their self-righteous gloating...provided that the good book doesn't go up in flames when that insult to Catholicism touches it.

I'm in the same boat big time. My entire family lives in and around Boston (Somerville, Charlestown, Dorchester, Weymouth, Woburn...Big Irish family on both sides). My parents are conservatives, but my brother, his wife, all my aunts and uncles...all heavy democrats. We just don't talk politics that much. Although I must say I can have a rational conversation with all of them. We respect each other's views. I can't say there's ever been any real vitriol, especially between my brother and I. Deep down I can't figure it out though. He's a Marine and an avid Bush detractor. Most of it stems from Bush's lack of a solid miliatry background (even rabid freepers would have to admit there's much truth in that)But hey, he's my brother and I love him. Same goes with my uncles (a couple of Harvard and Columbia grads...too smart for their own good!) At least we all agree on the Sox...

Four of my five siblings are liberal democrats. We all live in Michigan, a battleground state. We were all raised as Catholics. This election has been ten kinds of ugly for us.

My husband and I are hosting Thanksgiving dinner this year. As of this moment, I do not know if any of my siblings will be here.

They get their news from the Boston Globe and the rock-and-roll radio news so of course they are poorly informed despite their opinions of themselves. They will believe what they believe. I try to make progress on very broad top-level philosophical ideas.

Wow. These people sound like a-holes. Who would ever marry into a family like that?

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