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Original poster

AIBU To be sick of people making others feel bad about their election choices?

91 replies

AKMD · 04/05/2010 11:22

Yes I will be voting conservative, not that it is anyone else's business and no, I really don't care who you vote for as long as you have carefully considered your choice. I will not judge you as a person or 'defriend' you if you vote a certain way, although I will feel exceedingly sorry for you if you vote BNP. AIBU?

OP posts:
Hassled · 04/05/2010 12:41

YANBU - although you are sounding a bit scary .

I'm a Labour supporter, and I want everyone to vote Labour. But more than that, I just want everyone to vote. Just have an opinion, or forego the right to ever winge about the state of the nation again.

DEPECHEMODEFANISBACK · 04/05/2010 12:45

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

posieparker · 04/05/2010 12:48

I also find people who vote Tory but have lower income a little naive.

EggyAllenPoe · 04/05/2010 12:55

my friends could vote BNP/UKIP - i wouldn't know. i wouln't disown them (though if i hear misogynist/homophobic/ rascist claptrap i will argue aganist it most strongly)

i think they are mostly big 3 though.

CheekyVimtoGal · 04/05/2010 13:00

YABU - I am not voting at all.

porcamiseria · 04/05/2010 13:02

just do what everyone does and and keep it to yourself????? I dont give a flying shit!

MrsWobbleTheWaitress · 04/05/2010 14:34

ROFL @ Depechemodefan

KERALA1 · 04/05/2010 14:54

I know a couple in their late 60s who have never told each other let alone anyone else what they vote - so maybe keep it quiet if the responses annoy you?

That said I respect people with conviction even if I dont agree (excepting BNP types obviously) what annoys me is the can't be bothered to vote brigade. Really have to bite my tongue with those.

sallyJayGorce · 04/05/2010 15:11

"I also find people who vote Tory but have lower income a little naive." Posie Parker - my family were low income Tory voters on one side. They were a particular breed of poor working class who believed that the Welfare State discouraged hard work, promoted state dependence and punished self reliance. The types who over three generations had gone from 8 people in a room to a semi in the suburbs. To them even the most menial work was preferable to claiming any sort of benefit paid for by the rest of society. Their attitude was 'We've never asked for help so why should anyone else expect it?'. They are all dead now but their type persists. They have a stubborn pride for sure but are not necessarily naive. They believe in personal responsibility and duty to society (not, as is often misrepresented, a duty only to one's own family unit). This comes before the claiming of rights.

I admire them and am grateful. Without their attitude of 'slog hard now so the next generation can move on up' I would be in a very different life. There are a lot of working class Tories whose attitude is actually 'I work hard Jack', rather than 'I'm alright Jack'. Good on them sticking to their principles.

Why shouldn't people on low incomes live by principles? Or should they just be voting for being better off?

The other side of the family were more well-off and had the luxury of being liberals with time to chat about society. Much like the majority of MN. My Tory working class forebears were too busy er...working... to sit about doing anything like this. Aren't we all lucky to have so much spare time on our hands?

By the way, anyone making assumptions about my own vote based on my admiration for my family will probably be wrong.

Takver · 04/05/2010 15:21

I find it really interesting to hear how people are planning to vote & why - and it is a positive thing (perhaps the only positive thing!) for me about this election that my friends & neighbours seem to be talking about it a lot in RL too.

I wouldn't judge anyone for how they were going to vote (excl BNP et al, although even then I would want to know more about why) - but I might do my damndest to persuade/entice/encourage them to vote the way that I thought best - just because I think it is so important - although I would try to do it in a way that wouldn't offend.

I think the reason you will find the left voters so much more present on here is that we are the ones expecting to lose & therefore the ones with the most incentive to get out there & try to persuade etc (although clearly not successfully in general . . .). There is IMO no excuse for rudeness or lack of understanding/respect on either side though.

KurriKurri · 04/05/2010 15:28

SJG - you're making some pretty sweeping assumptions yourself about people on MN.

sallyJayGorce · 04/05/2010 15:44

KurriKurri - What sweeping assumptions am I making about the people on Mumsnet?

The only one I'm aware of is pointing out that people on MN have time to BE on MN talking about politics, Sleb chit chat, which bag to buy - you must have seen the topic list. I know some people are on here needing support for very difficult situations, but the AIBU thread tends not to be where you'll find them. Whatever the reason they are here you can't deny the time spent typing away to total strangers is time that could be spent doing something else which can clearly wait. Is this assumption wrong? Or has an evil curse compelled you to be here when you'd rather be elsewhere?

KurriKurri · 04/05/2010 15:56

Um - yes actually, my cancer treatment has kicked in with a vengeance today and I'm spending a lot of time sitting on the toilet. In between times I am sitting with a hot water bottle, looking at the computer, waiting for the next bout. Sorry - I wouldn't normally say that but, your post annoyed me, and you have made assumptions.

sallyJayGorce · 04/05/2010 16:06

Kurri Kurri - Yes I've made the assumption that people on Mumsnet have time to be on Mumsnet. As you do. In your case I was spot on about the evil curse - cancer has killed all my children's grandparents, my best friend and currently doing the same to my SIL. I have nursed people with cancer on and off for the last 20 years. I am sorry you are ill and sorry I annoyed you especially when you are already having bad day. But my sweeping assumption still stands. If you read it you will see I said 'the majority of Mumsnet'. You are not the majority in this case.

KurriKurri · 04/05/2010 16:10

Fair enough Sally, lets draw a line. I am having a bad day and should not have taken it out on you, I apologise. You are of course perfectly entitled to express your views.

sallyJayGorce · 04/05/2010 16:15

That is very gracious of you Kurri Kurri and no apology necessary. I am genuinely sorry about your bad day and hope you're feeling better soon. I will nip over to another thread and make some sweeping assumptions about the BNP before I put the potatoes on.

posieparker · 04/05/2010 16:50

SJG, so they were naive, like I said. Because if you're poor, working class the mere aspiration of getting something for that work didn't get you anything did it?

EggyAllenPoe · 04/05/2010 18:45

in answer to the OP, i definitel found some of the 'none of my frieds are tory, too deep a gulf' rather much -

i really don't think there is such a huge gulf between the two parties, and what is more, i think that kind of statement shows the person making it to be something of a bigot.

SeaTrek · 04/05/2010 18:52

I haven't discussed voting choices with anyone apart from DH. I'm very interested in it and watching the debates on TV etc but I have no interest, whatsoever, of discussing it with any of my friends or colleagues. I am guessing they feel the same way...

wahwah · 04/05/2010 18:56

Another one spending time on Mumsnet due to cancer (Hi KurriKurri !).

My friends aren't Tories. I grew up in the 80's and saw what they did. Cameron's Conservatives aren't so different. I don't think it makes me a bigot, it just makes me fussy about my close friends and their values. I'm not friends with people who smack their children either.

In relation to working class values and aspirations, my parent's generation made the same middle class journey as beneficiaries of education and health care. They have never forgotten the others who got left behind (and it's not all about being lazy or unmotivated) and that's why they don't vote Tory either.

charley24 · 04/05/2010 19:12

Even if anyone was planning to vote BNP I doubt they would tell you, it is a personal preference who people vote for.

I know someone who is voting BNP and they are a muslim, it is THEIR choice, I have read the manifesto's of all parties and I agree with some of one party, not with another.

I can't hand on heart say that I think one party is better than another, they all have pro's and cons IMO.

SanctiMoanyArse · 04/05/2010 19:16

YANBU

I like politics and all teh debating but once off a thread I would not judge them as a person by what was said and I will help anyone as Ic an regardless of political affiliation

BNP possibly is the exception; I ahve a friend I think may vote that way but have made a point of not askinga s it mayw ell affect my opinion of her.

ChocolatePants · 04/05/2010 19:18

Yeah except Daftpunk as she started the mad BNP thread!

sallyJayGorce · 04/05/2010 19:19

My friends are predominantly Labour with a big side order of Tory and Liberal and some nice fresh organic Greens. I grew up in the 80's too and didn't agree with much Margaret Thatcher did (except getting rid of the hideous fermenting milk foisted on us at school). Although I was excited to live in a country where a woman could be PM at all. That was real progress.

I am glad I was brought up to see the value in everyone, regardless of how they vote (which isn't always the same way every time). My parents put our common humanity before politics and I try to follow their example.

Wah Wah - Why don't you have any Tory friends? Do you think they all same?

charley24 · 04/05/2010 19:19

I still don't know who to vote for, those online who should you vote for quizzes keep giving me a different answer everytime !

I only have 2 days to decide, I sometimes think I don't know enough to be able to vote, I am reading all I can but just seem to be getting more confused !