Have you ever found out something about a long time friend, which shocked the hell out of you?

What does race have to do with which political party that you choose?

Anyway I was shocked to learn that a guy from my high school (a very competitive weight lifter, wrestler and track athlete) changed his name from Tony to Gloria and has assumed the identity of a women.

Yeah, so I called a friend of mine from work (Don’t lecture me, we’re both married and I know it’s awkward,) but there’s northing romantic between us, I just wanted to catch up, family, friends, grand kids, etc. And we’ve been tight since second grade. We got to talking politics, but when I told her how much I’d hated Trump, she went nuts on me. I never knew she was, or even could be, a Republican, it blew me away. And she is fully one half Choctaw Indian, which is even more surprising. I mean, what the hell have Republicans ever done for Native Americans? She called back later to apologize, no big deal. But I still cant fathom that. I guess the moral of the story is, don’t judge a friend by her / his ethnicity. Just when you think you know a person.

@gondwanalon: “What does race have to do with which political party that you choose?”

Because both the Democratic and Republican party are objectively right-wing (economically) parties. The only thing the Rep party buys someone is explicit racism, misogyny, xenophobia, homophobia, transphobia, etc.

I was shocked to find out my best friend had gotten his girlfriend pregnant and she had an abortion. This happened when we were living together in college. He only told me about it years later.

My friend from junior high was working at a chicken hatchery as a 40 something years old.
I guess he technically got his wish. He wanted all the chicks.

LOL @RedDeerGuy1

Yes, I was shocked to hear my best friend lost her child to her parents, due to an abusive home life and alcoholism. It’s very sad as he is her spitting image and I know the family very well.

As far as political parties, you can’t ever assume, that’s kind of on you. That’s why we’re raised not to discuss certain thing’s in polite society like politics, religion or money.

I know that, but if you’ve known some one most of your life, you let your guard down if you’re just bsing on the phone. I didn’t even think about it really. Not like she was a recent acquaintance, or a stranger. But I get your point. Open mouth, insert foot. @KNOWITALL

@Nomore_lockout Unfortunately, I learned the hard way, too. With my own cousins, some on social media. Being in the middle is more difficult to navigate than being one side or the other. No one is happy with you for not taking a side, but humanity is bigger than that, much more grey area.
I’ve noticed some people are really still burdened with resentment towards the other political parties, post Trump, than I ever realized and not able or willing to move forward. It’s really sad to see.

@KNOWITALL ^^^ Me, too, two of my favorite cousins. I can put up with my sister’s constant preaching about Jesus, but the politics really got to me.

@YARNLADY I’m sorry. Emotional involvement with politics is admirable but has a terrible price sometimes.
I assume she’s conservative? Which part do you struggle with, with her opinion?

I found out that one of my childhood friends is both a Qanon conspiracy theorist, as well as a Covid denier. It makes no sense. She always seemed pretty reasonable, and liberal, as are most of our mutual friends. I knew something was off when she and her family up and left their home of the last 20 years and moved to Florida, where there were much less restrictions regarding Covid safety measures. So for the last year, they went on a big multi-family beach vacation, and to Disneyworld. No one wore masks, and there was clearly no social distancing happening. The sick and sad reality is that her beloved cousin just died of Covid last week. I don’t think she believes that. She just thinks it was pnuemonia. She caught Covid in her nursing home, where it ran rampant, and then developed pneumonia, and died within one day of that diagnosis. It was horrifying.

@hello321 Bull Shit!

^ Really? Explain? What did I miss?

@hello321 Minorities are not all Democrats, I believe is what he meant.

@KNOWITALL She buys the “stolen election” lie

I found out that a friend of mine is actually a history buff, and she just gets everything I say about history, even the most obscure facts. It makes it extremely easy for me to discuss history stuff with her, and makes me feel less alone on my research journey. It’s really heartwarming to know I have a companion :)

@KNOWITALL Not exactly, but I did make an assumption I probably shouldn’t have. Considering how Trump and the Repubs tried to ramrod a pipeline through Tribal lands in the Dakotas, like they have the right, I fail to see how anyone of Native American heritage could support them. Go figure, and she even called me a “libtard”. But like I said she apologized, so all good. Now like we’re in grade school again, having a spat on the playground. No need to let politics ruin a life long friendship. And as my old pappy used to say, to “assume”, means to make an ass of u and me. LOL