to ask if you've unfriended people because of politics?

[IceGreenTea]

For example, you have friends who strongly support a leader you cannot stand?

Do you think, if they think what he's doing is ok, then they're not the kind of people you think they are.

I think most people gravitate towards people who have similar personality traits; similar sense of humour, family values etc. I have never knowingly befriended a labour/liberal person, because I find those people intollerent and opinionated, and sometimes too serious and dull. But, I have to say that I am unaware of the political leanings of most of my friends as although we might touch on current affairs, I don't press them to tell me how they vote. I prefer spending uncomplicated, fun times with friends.

So does liberal mean liberal democrat voter?

No. People have the right to their opinion. As long as they respect my right to have mine, and discussions can be lively yet friendly, I wouldn't "unfriend" someone who voted for a different party to me.

I've distanced myself from a close friend in recent years as he is always harping on about lefty/ socialist stuff and he gets on my nerves !! I unfriend people on facebook if they put any Britain First stuff up.

I'm confused. Who is less tolerant?

Liberals, who are apparently "hate-filled" when challenged and therefore intolerant
People who claim liberals are intolerant and then can't tolerate that intolerance and so flounce off the thread

My friend from school called No voters in the Scottish referendum "fucking Tory lackeys" - we are now decidedly less friendly than we used to be.

I just post this to make UKIP/Brexit supporters shut up.

Yes, someone who only ever posted about how great the Tories were and how wonderful Brexit would be. I wasn't the only one who 'unfriended' them, I think they've lost a lot of friends irl too, due to their views and the way they are put across.

Gabilan, I posted the dictionary definition of "liberal" upthread. People who are intolerant of those with different views to their own are not liberal according to that definition.

Damn those pesky liberals with their intolerance of bigotry and racism

Dione - there is a fuller definition of liberal that's used in history of political thought. You do have to distinguish between Liberal (and the old Liberal Party * is just about still going, or was last time I checked) and liberal. Being "liberal" in that sense is not primarily about tolerance but actually about a belief in equality and liberty. Along with that comes a set of beliefs about how a society that is based on equality should operate (free trade, democracy, access to welfare etc.) I was joking when I asked about who was more liberal. (Though evidently not very successfully).

• And I do mean the old Liberal Party, not the Lib Dems

See I would differentiate those definitions of liberal by whether the word was capitalised. Like Conservative and conservative.

It did occur to me that you were joking, but similarly it occurred to me that you could be asking a legitimate question. I went woth my more earnest side.

Dione No problem - evidently it wasn't much of a joke! Unfortunately I think very often now the political sense of liberal is used as an insult, as in "bleeding heart liberal". Which is a shame, because I think there is nothing wrong with having some empathy and wish that people hadn't turned it around as if it were an insult. But then, that is how propaganda works.

One person because they appeared to support Farage and they are not the people I want to be friends with (they hadn't shown this side until brexit) but I've also had people unfriend me on FB probably because I very vocal about thinks like brexit (I am a remainer) and Trump is a cunt . I don't post every day - maybe only once or twice a week with political based things - more if I find something interesting but I'm not massively concerned by being deleted, I'm a big girl and I'll get over it!

Things not thinks