to think that people who denounce their friends for voting differently to them are pathetic?

[kinkytoes]

Should they also live in the same type of house as you, drive the same type car as you and do the same type of job as you too?

I've seen lots of people saying they'd disown their friends, even their partners for voting differently. It flies in the face of democracy and makes me very angry.

People are much much more than just their voting preferences.

kinkytoes I think it's safe to say that if someone secretly votes UKIP or DUP they will still give an indication as to their political views in a million different comments and conversations.

A democratic nation is basically made of people that disagree politically, but agree that they should live together because of other factors: history, other values that transcend politics,family links, friendship and business.

If you cut bridges with people that disagree with you only politically politically (and that these politics are not the extreme ones), then maybe the democratic ideal is not for you.

Healthy debate is fantastic. Name calling and bullying is pathetic.

My own family all voted differently.

We manage to rub along and debate. I would struggle with a BNP voter or a communist as I passionately believe in democracy.

Engaging with people of different views rationally and calmly prevents the rise of far right far left parties.

I don't know how my sister voted but I can hazard a guess. We don't talk about politics. I don't like the values she expresses anyway.

And to be fair I doubt she likes mine much either.

Yes we should live and work peacefully alongside one another but pray explain how it's 'undemocratic' to not want to be friends with someone who shares radically different political views?

Am I being undemocratic if I also choose to not be friends with someone who has a crap sense of humour? I can think of plenty of people who share my political views that I also choose not to be friends with. Is this okay?

Yes of course have any friends you wish but are you really saying the first conversation you have with a potential friend is 'what are your politics?'

Jesus my friends are a huge mixed bag of race/religion/politics.

How fucking boring to have clones of you as friends.

I couldn't be friends with someone who voted Tory or UKIP. I'd just feel like our world outlook were too different. Same for people who don't vote at all.

Shit, so you surround yourself with sycophantic supporters of your view, with never a nay to be heard??

That honestly explains the colossal intolerance of any view that isn't following the party line then - it really explains a lot!!

By all means, be friend with whomever you want. It's just a little bit silly to refuse to see that other people can be great, just because they don't follow the same dogma as you. It's slightly short-sighted and childish, in my mind.

The only ones I would denounce are those who didn't bother to vote, especially those who then complain about the outcome.

Jesus my friends are a huge mixed bag of race/religion/politics.

And? I'd imagine most people's friendship groups are a mixed bag of races, religions, and political views.

I'm talking about people who hold radically different political views such as vigorous UKIP support.

My grandmother in law would have everyone over on a Sunday and by all accounts there was no disharmony amongst the large family ever. She requested that everything aside from politics or religion should be discussed. I will quite often ask peeps the same, it can get very heated. I agree with you op people who denounce others for their politics are pathetic. I've come out as admiring Prince Charles, well the looks I got!

I did however tell dh not to bother coming home if he put his cross in the Ukip box..

Yes, thankfully we're still free to choose our own friends.

but are you really saying the first conversation you have with a potential friend is 'what are your politics?'

Nobody has said anything remotely like this. Try having the argument at hand, instead of making up a new one.

It's not about having clones as yourself as friends, its about not wanting to spend time with people fundamentally opposed to things that matter to you.

And you're a big fat lier if you think you don't make all the same judgements.

Yes. I've been shocked the the vitriol and personal comments on FB and the arguments and unfriendings going on.

And generally it does seem to be the allegedly tolerant lefties that are the worst offenders. If you want to vote Labour fine but going on that anyone voting Tory should be ashamed of themselves, is an uncaring bastard etc is ridiculous and actually just makes them look pathetic.

If you want me to vote labour next time tell me about all their wonderful policies and what they will do for me and the country. Don't try to bully me into it. We have a democracy for a reason and everyone has the right to vote how they want.

I wouldn't block someone because of their vote but I am quite likely to block them due to their ridiculous pontificating about how all Tory voters are evil and preening themselves on how wonderful and caring they are.

Isn't it a bit odd that the same people on this thread who can't understand why we can't all be fwends are the same people who've called voters they disagree with 'vile little shits', 'losers', immature, shallow, failures and silly?

My late mother always voted Tory and was a fan of the Daily Wail. My default vote is Labour, with the occasional vote for LibDems, Green or Independent Labour when Labour have pissed me off. While me and my Mum had debates and discussions around politics we were always able to appreciate the other person has a right to disagree. I also fully appreciate that the UK is a democracy, and that within this framework taht everybody as a right to their own viewpoint so we never had a major fallout over it.

She surprised me once though by voting for Ken Livingstone rather than Boris Johnson for London Mayor. I nearly fell though the floor, and joked the medication she was taking as part of her treatment for cancer had obviously had a positive impact on her. . My husband voted for Boris in the same election. . My whole world had turned inside out in that election!

As for UKIP, I do agree with husband in that while they attract racists, their candidates etc aren't generally rascist themselves. The UKIP candidate in my consistency (Hornsey & Wood Green) was Black, for example. I don't know anyone who voted for them personally so am unable to say whether I know any racist supporters of UKIP.

I think what I'm trying to say is that many many different people vote for a particular party, for many many different reasons. Not all of them are going to be good people and not all of them are going to be bad people.

I'm really just saying that a simple vote you don't approve of is NOT on its own, a good enough reason to shun these people from your life.

sqoosh I said previously I would struggle with BNP/communist supporters although dsis was. Communist at uni but that doesn't count.

My dm voted UKIP but as she's 83 I think cutting her off is a tad stupid.

I couldn't be friends with the sort of people who name call, insult and belittle those of a different politic view as they would be crashing boring and childish.

With family it's different, to me at least. I have many elderly conservative Catholic relatives. I still love them, I just choose not to discuss things like Ireland's upcoming marriage ref with them as it won't lead anywhere.

PS a friend of my husbands is a FB friend of mine as my husband doesn't use FB. He requested anyone who voted Tory or UKIP 'unfriend' him. My husband (who voted LibDem yesterday) asked me to respond by saying 'Donna's husband says he wants to deFace anyone who doesn't vote LibDem.'

I think it's childish TBH. Unless someone is spectacularly racist I'm prepared to tolerate diffences. Like, I was brought up RC but have religious beliefs as an adult and TBH am sceptical about religion, but if any of my friends or family have a quiet and dignified set of relgious beliefs I'm happy enough keeping them as friends. We're all different and it's a free country.

no religious beliefs as an adult.

I think requesting Tory voters unfriend you is a bit silly.

I just unfriend, block and report to FB any suspected Tories.

And then throw eggs at their front windows.

I have admittedly unfriended a loud Tory on fb but I only knew her from school and she liked a lot of annoying stuff in general. An actual friend I'd find difficult to continue with if I knew they supported ukip, but any other party as long as you don't try to impose your beliefs on others (like pretty much everything in life) s'cool.