Politics are a big deal. They have been a big deal since the first-ever U.S. election. However, in 2020 it feels like the political world has become bigger than ever. The election is less than 20 days away, and a lot is riding on the outcome. In elections before this, political views didn’t have to be a deal-breaker in friendships and relationships. But with the changing times and increased need for social, economic, and systemic reforms, keeping friendships with people whose views oppose my own just isn’t in my best interest.
Now I understand how this sounds — just because someone disagrees with you doesn’t mean you can’t be friends. However, if someone’s “political views” go against basic rights for LGBTQ+ people, immigrants, women, or any other minority, then it’s perfectly reasonable to terminate that friendship. There’s less of a gray area in politics this election season than elections past. Most people fall on opposite ends of the spectrum, and that’s perfectly fine. However, it’s another thing to let your political views affect people’s basic rights. There’s only one reason I don’t befriend people with views completely different than mine: it’s about the principle.
I wholeheartedly believe that you should have friends with different beliefs than your own. While it’s (mostly) harmless to support policies like lowering taxes, it’s completely different to call for mass deportations or stripping women’s health rights. This may be a personal belief, but I wouldn’t want to be around someone who touts these kinds of beliefs. It’s common for a lot of people to think they can change their racist friend’s or family member’s mind with compelling conversation and informed debate. I hate to tell you, but befriending people with racist and harmful beliefs will not help to change their minds. For most young Trump voters, switching party platforms is not on their to-do list. Politics doesn’t have to be a friendship deal-breaker, but if someone’s views are identical or even just too similar to Trump’s, it’s a deal-breaker for me.