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Happy 4th to All. Just came back from my girlfriend's pool party after 4 hours. First thing I was instructed was "No politics". If anyone knows me they know I'm a political junkie. I followed orders. What would you have done?

sassygirl3869 9 July 4
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24 comments

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9

I would comply politely, UNTIL someone else made a political opinion statement. Then I would briefly wait for the host to call them out on it, and if they didn't I would take the gloves off, so to speak.

Yeah, that too. If somebody else brings it up, its open season. 🙂

8

I'd have been a good guest.

6

I avoid it with all but a handful of people.

6

Yeah...I don't think I would have lasted 4 hours under those conditions. 😀

6

As long as nobody else said anything stupid I probably would have done the same. Did everybody else follow that rule?

I heard a couple of people engaged in discussion about the military and Russia and reminded them of the hosts request.

@sassygirl3869 Good for you!

5

Good for you ! The plan was for a pleasant afternoon and you chose to abide by the hostess' request .

5

Followed orders. I am severely outnumbered where I live and with my friends, so we are always zero politics. Which is one of the reasons I spend so much time here and on Twitter -- it's how I stay SANE amongst the delusional (whom I love dearly).

4

Science is a good starter ... I find if, when there is a pause in the discussion about new kitchens/cruise deals/leaky swimming pools/etc ... to ask, innocently "Do you know why your shit is brown?" tends to swing the conversation down to levels I'm more comfortable with... either that, or people start leaving...

4

Left!

Coldo Level 8 July 4, 2018
3

I might have said something & if it made a scene left! This is how the Nazis took over in the 1940's & I think that it is something that needs to be addressed before they create more division.

3

Sometimes.....ya just have to take a deep breath and hold your tongue

3

I usually relate how I overheard a couple of immigrant coworkers/friends talking saying ‘you can’t talk about politics at work ‘ ( I was their supervisor) oh and this was during Obama campaign
I said you certainly can!
You just have to expect someone to disagree, and be graceful when they do. Let them talk too. Just be nice - if people aren’t nice- don’t play with them!

3

I'd have done the same.....and if someone did want to being it up I'd have asked them not to and reminded them we're here to have a good time and there's no need for me to make them look bad 😉

3

I would have said something like Trump is an imbecile that's going to get us all killed and then told anyone that wanted to disagree not to say anything so She doesn't get upset because she doesn't want to talk about politics then yell at them for bringing it up in the first place.

2

I have to be cautious about political discussions now that I am going to run for the Mayor's seat in the local elections.

Good luck! Have you been on city council? Let us know how it goes.

@UrsiMajor Have you been in municipal politics? If so how did it go for you?

@Surfpirate My cousin was recently elected the mayor of Alexandria. He had decades of experience on the city council and just knew when to make his move. Most of my time is spent behind a black mirror. I wish I were as strong an orator as an online chatter. Who knows, life works out in strange ways...

2

Unless everyone at the party or in hearing distance is on the same political wavelength, it's really for the best to not discuss politics. About a year ago,a diehard Trump supporter told me how they were so glad Trump had won and they voted for him because they hate Hillary. I told him he was stupid. The converstaion deteriorated from there. I learned it's better to talk about Game of Thrones and Walking Dead with radical right tea party facebook friends. Things are too hyperpartisan for rationale political talk unless you have a politically homogenous audience.

I sympathise with your wish for harmony ... but I think your original impulse to tell them they were stupid, should not be denied. Refined to try to get them to question what they believe, perhaps, but not denied ... it is far too important let go. Just been watching Noam Chomsky's latest lecture - the world is in peril - and the people best positioned to do something about it is the USA electorate

GMT and the Walking Dead are perfect topics when talking to far right types as it mirrors their politics.

@Surfpirate I never thought of those two shows as skewing either way politically. You can argue that TWD promotes gin ownership... I used to argue with a friend about GoT promoting rape. I'd say it was like saying "Roots" promotes slavery.

@UrsiMajor One show is about treacherous, back stabbing power junkies and the other is about zombies, I see a connection.

2

It's a tough one. The Irish PM, who I don't like is nonetheless not a megalomanic boor. He isn't contemplating invading Venezuela. He is not racist. He opposes caging kids. So, in an Irish context, avoiding political debate when asked is something I'd probably do.

I feel with your president, political coversations however unwelcome, are essential. But only if they are effective. Challenging hardliners sometimes reinforces their views.

2

Your experience reminds me of this rather good story.

Dang! ... wrote my answer before I saw this ... Excellent! ...

@Spudnut White Wine In The Sun is my favorite Tim Minchin song. Not Perfect is also LOVELY. The Pope Song always makes me smile but his most impressive work is Dark Side

2

Margarita Ville here i come...woo.hoo!

2

Followed orders but I would not need the orders as I do NOT discuss politics and/or religion. It is a waste of time, effort and energy.

2

Followed orders, had fun, drank a little, ate a little and tried to talk to everyone.

1

If you can't talk politics then the only things left to discuss are money, religion and sex. Knock yourself out and maybe they'll switch the topic back to politics. 🙂

1

I would have suggested religion as a topic.

ugly Level 7 July 4, 2018
0

I am very blue, and live in a red state. Sometimes I have to stifle urges to share my viewpoint.

JK666 Level 7 July 6, 2018
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