(no subject)

[adrianem]

I have friends who are republicans, mormons, whose religious and political beliefs do not match mine. Their choices are not mine. So be it. They are still good people who I will not disrespect. I will not indulge in a mob mentality that encourages violence by word or deed.

I hope you won't either.

Comments

[toymaker.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I've been looking for a way to explain my feelings on this matter.

[cooperati.livejournal.com]

here, here!

I second that!

-=T=-

[djinneth.livejournal.com]

I agree that they need to be treated without disrespect, but I certainly do not have to concede that they're good people. I feel very much the opposite.

[shutt3rg33k.livejournal.com]

Are you saying all republicans, mormons and others who do not share your religious beliefs and/or political views are not good people? Or just the ones who are part of my chosen circle of family and friends?

[djinneth.livejournal.com]

No, I'm not even generalizing to include republicans or 'Christians' or whatever. At this moment I'm interpreting your statement in my own frame of mind and I'm talking about people voting for Prop 8 for whatever reason, religious or otherwise. Whether they're your friends or mine (and believe me, I have plenty), I think there is likely something seriously wrong with their judgment and I'm not sure I'm willing to say that they're 'good' people.

If I knew a klansman (and I probably have, somewhere along the line) who was 'good' to his family and friends, I would still consider him to be a bigot and not worthy of my own respect. I might even have feeling of hate and disappointment in response to his behavior.

And, like I said, I don't advocate any form of disrespect, I'm just not willing to accept their goodness as human beings carte blanche.

[maryanneg.livejournal.com]

I agree with you! And, for the record, most of my relatives are very religious AND republican and I love them dearly. You can love someone, or like them on certain levels, and not respect them. And even if someone believes what they are doing is right, it does not mean they are necessarily a good person.

[dracowayfarer.livejournal.com]

To be clear, I'm not trying to start an argument.

...I think there is likely something seriously wrong with their judgment and I'm not sure I'm willing to say that they're 'good' people.

A lot of them likely think the exact same thing about anyone who voted no on this prop.

You are free to think and feel however you like, but I think that to disparage them and suggest that they are not "good" people puts you on the same level they tend to reside on.

[djinneth.livejournal.com]

I surely don't want to belabor this on Miss A's LJ more than I need to, but I wanted to say this because I'm worried that I'm being misunderstood. I'll be happy to let it rest once I explain just a little bit further. I fully appreciate that you're making a point and not flaming. Here is my response in absolutely the same spirit.

I understand what you're saying. I know there are folks who disagree with my values, and honestly I do not hate them. My dearest friend at work is pro-prop 8, a Republican, the works. I will continue to work alongside her and treat her with respect and even love.

We are constantly redefining truth, especially when it comes to the evolution of societal 'norms.' I'm sure that there have been people all along the civil rights struggles of the last century who have gone way outside of their tolerant liberal comfort zone to go out on a limb to say "Hey, this is wrong. And I'm not going to sugar coat that what you're doing is wrong. This is 'bad' behavior and I won't condone it." That's how change occurs.

So I guess what I'm saying is that this issue is important enough to me to push aside my generally peace-loving and super-tolerant ways to say "Yes, this person has a right to their opinion, but I believe that they're horribly misguided and wrong, and I will do what I can to defeat them by the reasonable means available to me."

Does that make more sense? If not, I guess I'm just not expressing myself well, and maybe I need to go to bed.

[featherquill.livejournal.com]

I appreciate the respect that you offer those who disagree with your opinions politically. You're better off for doing it (less acid reflux).

I wish more people were like you. You know where I stand politically. I'm a Libertarian, and I wasn't able (because I actually did the research and found deal-breaker issues on both sides of the equation) to vote for either candidate. It makes me very, very sad that there are people on BOTH sides of the fence who hate each other and use the phrase, "if they'd do the research, they'd know ___(insert propaganda lie here)___".

I feel like the only kid on the block who knows that Santa Clause doesn't exist. I'm both extremely bummed that I no longer believe in any sort of magical goodness, and extremely disappointed to see that there are those who are so entrenched in their belief, that they are willing to hurt or kill others in the name of said belief.

[goldenstag.livejournal.com]

My friends are the same people they were before the election ... there is no reason for me to dislike someone because of their political ideas/ideals. (I believe in the George Carlin philosophy about things: "Why hate someone because of their skin color -- when you can get to know them and hate them for their personality!" -- Same goes for politics ...)

[randir.livejournal.com]

As many times as I have wondered why someone would come to a conclusion so opposite mine, as many times as I have scratched my head because they couldn't see the "obvious truth", I have found that when I took the time to see their perspective, they had as many GOOD reasons for thinking the way they do as I have GOOD reasons for thinking the way I do.

As one of your Libertarian, Mormon, friends, I totally adore you. Though I must point out that Mormons have been getting mobbed since the founding of their faith in 1830. We're kind of used to it. *wink*

--Randir