Respect and frienship is a two way road...

As this election draws closer I find myself less and less on Facebook. Not because I get upset over the political posts, but because it brakes my heart to see how naive and even gullible so many people seem to be. I do not mean that as an insult, but [to a certain extent] many seem to lack the ability to critically think through what they are posting. I've even wondered if it could possibility be that they enjoy the insults, the lies, the misrepresenting of facts and the controversy; which saddens me even more. I am referring to whatever candidate one may or may not support.

One point I want to make perfectly clear is I truly believe each person has the right to their political opinions as long as it is said and done in a respectful way. I stress, RESPECTFUL!
And luckily on Facebook we have the ability hide a post; better yet just scroll on by and ignore them.

However, I read the following post on Facebook the other day; hence the title to this blog, "Respect and friendship is a two way road..."
This is what they wrote:

 Fair warning... I'm going to be unfollowing and/or removing Facebook friends who make posts about being in strong favor of Trump...or Hillary (but especially Trump!). I'm trying really hard to not change my opinion of you. I believe everyone has a right to their own opinions and their vote. It's just better if I don't know that you support these awful candidates.It makes me sick to see this train wreck all day, every day so I am going to remove it.

This was eye opening...
Is there a bit of an oxymoron in this statement? 
Perhaps they didn't intend to but their words show their complete inability to accept and respect a person that does not think the same as they do politically, (I'm sure they'd disagree with me). Many people are unsatisfied with the candidates, but many are satisfied, and like in previous elections people [should] have their right to endorse their candidate of choice..
However it's sad if we establish our opinion of someone solely based upon their political leanings.
It is heartbreaking to realize that someone would sever a friendship simply based on ones candidate of choice. To remove a person from that part of your life [in my opinion] shows how insignificant these friends seem to be to the one who wrote this. Even if its just Facebook.

I cannot imagine removing a person based merely upon ones political opinion. If this election has rattled this poor soul to such an extent that they find it difficult to see any more of this political mess on their Facebook page, then just unfollow those people, but why announce it and potentially cause hurt feelings?
No one's opinion is right, nor is it wrong. It's just an opinion.
An opinion is defined as: a belief, judgment, or way of thinking about something: what someone thinks about a particular thing. merriam-webster.com/dictionary 

 I have recently met a person that I enjoy being around and talking with. We have many things in common especially our love of dogs and animals. I feel truly blessed to have met her and look forward to the time we spend together. I also know that her political leaning and opinions are not the same as my own. But that is just one thing compared to the many things we share alike. I would not dream of changing my opinion of her based on her political persuasion or belief or candidate of choice. I like her just as she is, we do not need to agree on politics for me to respect her or to be friends.
Although we have not talked about politics (and I'm not planing on it). I would hazard a guess that we both want the best of our country; that we feel blessed to live in this country and that we both care about the current issues facing our country. 
When we look at this in the right perspective we see that the differences are only one out of countless similarities! 

Is there anything I'd sever a friendship over? Yes... if they were physically abusive, or were continually deceitful, or were intentionally cruel, or they were deliberately lying about me or lying to me about others.

So in my opinion, (keeping the above definition in mind), this way of thinking is subjective at best, and biased at worst.

Thought for the day: Truth is hate to those who hate truth.