This has just happened between two friends who have known each other for over ten years.
As in, genuine cutting off of contact. For balance, I won’t mention which side did the flouncing, but this seems pathetic.

Yep.

Depends how close to the extremes of the spectrum they are

Of course not.

I’ve broken contact with someone over a difference of religious views, although it was because the ‘lady’ in question became personally abusive when she couldn’t win the argument.

Only if you’re 17, or if you’re dealing with excessive zeal or extreme political views..

Real friends wouldn’t fall out over such an inane pastime anyway

And the brother in law got told in no uncertain terms over his plans to vote Ukip

Yes definitely, considering whats recently happened.

Already jettisoned one, family looking more complicated but I’m working on it.

No.

No, of course not, pretty pathetic & childish behaviour. I’ve only ever fallen out for personal/family reasons & that’s only twice in 60 years.

Yes definitely, considering whats recently happened.

Really, & what was that then?
*with inquisitive look*

Depends how close to the extremes of the spectrum they are

this
and

the ‘lady’ in question became personally abusive when she couldn’t win the argument.

This

I’ve got no time for some of the closet racists etc.

Depends. Normally ‘no’ as long as it we were both either happy to understand a difference of opinion and may even chat about it while accepting we may differ in opinion.

My nephew, however, has decided he’s”right wing”. So right wing that he’s started quoting/retweeting Tommy Robinson and EDL, continually disparages muslims and bigs up both Trump and Faridge, so much so he finds it “delicious” (his words) about people being upset about Trump etc. He actively delights in others’ pain.

So much so that while he’s only 19 I’ve told him to get stuffed, sling his hook and come talk to me when he wants to behave like a human being. If he doesn’t decide to respect other people then as far as I’m concerned I want nothing more to do with him.

That depends on how close the friendship is.

10 years friendship is just ordinary friend which is rather common.

The answer: No, at my hometown in far east everyone voted for the govt except us.

My friend’s wife, with a few drinks in her talks total bollocks.
We visited them for dinner at the end of June just after the vote. His wife had voted out and was very pleased with the result.
Once someone says “I’m not racist but….” you know you are going to have to do some pretty serious tongue biting.
Have not seem them since.
Shall have to try and engineer daytime visits to catch her while sober.

Another question is “could you be friends with a UKIP voting racist xenophobe and homophobe?”

I don’t think I could be.

Real friends no. Work colleagues yes. It was a sad day when the labour supporter came out.

I’ve recently been unfriended and blocked by my Tory MP on Fb.. We didn’t share political views and he didn’t like me mentioning poor people or the disabled on his fb posts…

Isn’t this how wars kick off?

Anyone for a war?

Is it the opinion or the way the opinion is presented? Can easily see how it would escalate and could cause that.

I wouldn’t stop talking to any brexiters just because they voted out, i’d stop talking to the ones who continue to be aggressive with it. And i’d be the same with in voters.

This is a lefty trait, I’ve known so many ‘free thinkers’ who only debate with others sharing similar opinions otherwise they trigger. Becomes so predictable that it’s amusing to watch. 😆

Isn’t this how wars kick off?

Yes and it’s a shame that CMD has divided the whole country trying to appease the bigots in his party.

I have a sign on my front door saying
“please do not UKIP in my letterbox”
Hasn’t stopped the kipper-voting Daily Heil reading racist father in law from visiting I’m afraid..

A difference in political opinion is one thing, racism and homophobia is beyond the pale. I spent too long battling BNP scum to give airtime to those views.

I have seen this happen at work,
During a referendum a couple of years ago, one member of staff had a discussion about why everyone must vote yes, another member of staff suggested that it was none of her business which way anyone else voted, (he didn’t, at any point, use the word no) and she, from that moment onwards, refused to speak to him again.
She also tried to put a grievance in with management, removed him from her facebook page, attempted to have him removed from a facebook group we are all on, (the group is used for roadwork updates) and made her mouth go about it to anyone who happened to be near, for the remaining 3 months until the referendum actually took place.
Religion and politics, don’t discuss them, ever.

It depends. And I suppose, not so much over the political opinion, but the beliefs and opinions that underpin it. Like, I wouldn’t unbefriend a person because, frinstance, they voted Leave. But I would if they voted Leave because they want to send all the darkies home.

If you only surround and associate yourself with people of similar views and opinions than you then you are narrow minded and pretty ignorant. It takes assorts and politics is a pretty crappy thing to base any relationship on. My mates have a variety of political opinions and on the odd occasion we discuss politics we’ll argue our points, sometimes i’ll learn something or see something from someone else viewpoint – I might still disagree but at least i’ll understand why they hold that view. But I very rarely talk politics with mates for any length of time.

Best mate became a full on racing roadie about 5 yrs back, we still speak.

Politics isn’t something that happens in the parliament of your choice. Your political opinion pretty much covers every aspect of your personality and attitude to others. I don’t think I would stop being friends over a significant difference in political opinion simply because I am very doubtful we would have been good friends in the first place if we were that fundamentally diametric. What you count as a friend of course is important- the lad that turns up on a group ride you nod to? The bloke who also has a kid at the same school you get stuck talking to at the gate or just people who know you almost better than your wife? I have a lot of acquaintances but very few folk who I count as real friends.

[Quote]Religion and politics, don’t discuss them, ever.[/Quote]

Yep, you’re right.

I don’t actually know anyone’s political views that I know, other than my wife. Not friends, colleagues or even my parents. It’s not the done thing.

Depends on the difference & extremity of the views I guess. I’m a dyed in the wool red lefty, but my girl friend voted for Cameron and out in the EU referendum for economic reasons. although it leads to the occasional heated debate, we accommodate the each others views, particularly as we both thought out our own opinions over the years based on information from credible sources rather than memes on Facebook. If however she / I was a religious zealot or a closet racist & xenophobe I’m sure neither of us would want to have any that my to do wth the other

You choose your friends in this life, they ain’t forced upon you.

Doesn’t matter which side of the triangle they care to sit, if thier underlying beliefs are not similar to your own and you fail to distinguish and or respect them, then you are basing freindship on crumbling foundations.

We all go though jettisoning friends throughout our lives, gaining new ones along the way. It’s how we develop and learn and grow as people.

Religion and politics, don’t discuss them, ever.

Was always told this as a kid.

Nope never fallen out with a friend over politics/religion or lost one because of it. I imagine it’s possible.

So, say you had friends from years ago, proper good mates, but only recently (& I mean well before Brexit recently, cos that’s what this is all about after all) you/they realised that they/you had different political ideas/persuasions, would you still be mates?
Cos me & my proper mates are.
Maybe some people don’t actually have any proper mates?

Just saying.

Yes I would.

If you are small-minded, ignorant and prejudiced; if you believe that the rich deserve their wealth and the poor deserve their poverty, or support policies that are underpinned by that belief; if you are comfortable with there being want and suffering whilst the privileged enrich themselves further, then…

…no, I don’t want to be your fwiend.

Maybe some people don’t actually have any proper mates?
Just saying.

Or maybe some people have principles.

Just saying 😉

If you are small-minded, ignorant and prejudiced; if you believe that the rich deserve their wealth and the poor deserve their poverty, or support policies that are underpinned by that belief; if you are comfortable with there being want and suffering whilst the privileged enrich themselves further,

That’s ok cos none of my long term friends are tories anyway. I’d probably still be friends though, cos I’m not a cock, just a pisstaker.

If they can engage in adult conversation and debate. Why not?
If they are shouty children who repeat themselves over and over or invent facts, I’ll struggle to respect them.
If they come out as outright loons (extremists, Daily Mail readers and brexshitters), I’ll buy them the hook to sling.

none of my long term friends are tories

I like you already 😀

No. Never.

Infinite diversity in infinite combinations – “live long and prosper”

🙂

On the other hand, if you value political beliefs over true friendship…that’s pretty shallow & I wouldn’t want true friends like that.

That’s how fights start.

Did I say that already?

FWIW, my long term riding pal who I’ve been riding with for 25 years is probably a tory, he’s well off, has a house worth about 400k with no mortgage & 4 renty houses.
I have absolutely no idea how or who he votes for. politics have never ever come into conversation in 25 years of riding together.
That may be odd, but It’s good.

if you value political beliefs over true friendship

It’s the opposite of shallow. “True friendship” cannot ignore someone’s core beliefs.