Do your political views and/or views on social issues affect the way you interact with other people--in real life? Do they affect choices you make in your job [if applicable]?
I don't know why, but earlier today I was reflecting back on some things from several years ago, and that got me to wondering about other people and how they deal with similar issues.
One of my thoughts had to do with a client we had at the data processing company where I was the programmer. The client was a vehemently anti-abortion organization. I'm pro-choice. I could have refused to accept them as a client (I had that authority), but after much discussion in my own head I came to the conclusion that it wasn't in the best interest of the company to do that, so we went ahead and accepted them and did a lot of work for them over the years. I HATED what they stood for--which included an ABSOLUTE ban on abortions, even in cases of rape or incest--but to make it more bearable I told myself they were paying me and I was making contributions to Planned Parenthood with, essentially, their money.
It turned out that the woman I dealt with from the organization was very nice, and she and I would chit chat and shoot the breeze, and I found myself liking her, despite our great difference of opinion on the abortion topic.
Another thought was about a now-deceased dear friend. He was vocally and unequivocally Republican. I was a liberal Democrat. A VOCAL one.
He was a former Marine who'd fallen on hard times due to a congenital bone disease that was causing his hips to deteriorate, and I told him he could move in with me when he lost his apartment after losing his job. We were quite a sight! He had a bumper sticker on his car--which, of course, was parked at my house--that said "There are patriotic Americans...and then there are Democrats." 
(That actually really pissed me off, because I'm as patriotic as the next guy, and my husband is an Air Force veteran who was permanently, partially disabled while on active duty, so, yeah, I think that's pretty patriotic.) On MY car, I had an assortment of anti-Bush bumper stickers; at various times they included:
[img width=400 height=101]http://www.smartassproducts.com/images/kubuntuforums/antibush.jpg[/img]
and my all-time personal favorite:
[img width=400 height=176]http://www.smartassproducts.com/images/kubuntuforums/antibush4.jpg[/img]
But, see, here's the thing--even though Erik and I were polar opposites when it came to politics, it NEVER affected our friendship. We'd have the most amazing debates/arguments/discussions but they never got ugly. Heated, yes! Ugly, no.
One time when we were getting ready to leave the house (I was taking him to an appointment at the VA Hospital in Dallas), I asked if it would bother him if I wore my "What part of Bush LIED don't you understand?" t-shirt, and that if it would I'd wear something else. He said no.
We really respected each other, but couldn't have been any further apart in our political views.
By the way, my best friend, whom I've mentioned before, is also a staunch Republican and a disabled, retired Marine. I met her through Erik. As with Erik, when I met her we were polar opposites politically, and conventional wisdom practically dictates that we should never have even liked each other, let alone become best friends. But we are.
My point, long-winded as it's been getting here, is that I wonder how others react when dealing with someone whose political or social views are diametrically opposed to their own. Do you avoid them? Does it matter to you what their views on such things are? Or do you put that aside and get to know them for THEM, and not their politics?
I don't know why, but earlier today I was reflecting back on some things from several years ago, and that got me to wondering about other people and how they deal with similar issues.
One of my thoughts had to do with a client we had at the data processing company where I was the programmer. The client was a vehemently anti-abortion organization. I'm pro-choice. I could have refused to accept them as a client (I had that authority), but after much discussion in my own head I came to the conclusion that it wasn't in the best interest of the company to do that, so we went ahead and accepted them and did a lot of work for them over the years. I HATED what they stood for--which included an ABSOLUTE ban on abortions, even in cases of rape or incest--but to make it more bearable I told myself they were paying me and I was making contributions to Planned Parenthood with, essentially, their money.
It turned out that the woman I dealt with from the organization was very nice, and she and I would chit chat and shoot the breeze, and I found myself liking her, despite our great difference of opinion on the abortion topic.Another thought was about a now-deceased dear friend. He was vocally and unequivocally Republican. I was a liberal Democrat. A VOCAL one.
He was a former Marine who'd fallen on hard times due to a congenital bone disease that was causing his hips to deteriorate, and I told him he could move in with me when he lost his apartment after losing his job. We were quite a sight! He had a bumper sticker on his car--which, of course, was parked at my house--that said "There are patriotic Americans...and then there are Democrats." (That actually really pissed me off, because I'm as patriotic as the next guy, and my husband is an Air Force veteran who was permanently, partially disabled while on active duty, so, yeah, I think that's pretty patriotic.) On MY car, I had an assortment of anti-Bush bumper stickers; at various times they included:[img width=400 height=101]http://www.smartassproducts.com/images/kubuntuforums/antibush.jpg[/img]
and my all-time personal favorite:
[img width=400 height=176]http://www.smartassproducts.com/images/kubuntuforums/antibush4.jpg[/img]
But, see, here's the thing--even though Erik and I were polar opposites when it came to politics, it NEVER affected our friendship. We'd have the most amazing debates/arguments/discussions but they never got ugly. Heated, yes! Ugly, no.
One time when we were getting ready to leave the house (I was taking him to an appointment at the VA Hospital in Dallas), I asked if it would bother him if I wore my "What part of Bush LIED don't you understand?" t-shirt, and that if it would I'd wear something else. He said no.
We really respected each other, but couldn't have been any further apart in our political views.
By the way, my best friend, whom I've mentioned before, is also a staunch Republican and a disabled, retired Marine. I met her through Erik. As with Erik, when I met her we were polar opposites politically, and conventional wisdom practically dictates that we should never have even liked each other, let alone become best friends. But we are.
My point, long-winded as it's been getting here, is that I wonder how others react when dealing with someone whose political or social views are diametrically opposed to their own. Do you avoid them? Does it matter to you what their views on such things are? Or do you put that aside and get to know them for THEM, and not their politics?
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