It is obvious to everyone that we live in a dangerously polarized political climate. The left side of the political spectrum has demonstrated a remarkable hostility to anyone expressing political views that conflict with their Marxist ideologies. All too often progressives. and other leftists, greet individuals espousing different political beliefs with anger, verbal abuse, and even threats of violence.
I have experienced this personally far too many times. About ten years ago I came out of the closet politically as a Libertarian to my best friend of over twenty years, who is an ultra-liberal, in a public place. My friend had no problem at that time with my confession. Another person who overheard our conversation did take extreme offense. After my friend left, that other person got in my face and berated me about my political views, going as far as to threaten me with violence. My friendship with my best friend came crashing down several years later, months after we became Facebook friends, because he could not handle me posting my beliefs on social media. He turned every post I made into an all-out war, full of ugly personal attacks. I never returned the favor because I had no problem with him sharing his political beliefs.
Since then, I have lost many close friends for the same reasons. A startling number of friendships never got off the ground because they could not tolerate my right-wing beliefs. This led me to be cautious when I comes to sharing my political beliefs, until I discern that that individual is a fellow right winger. I have now realized that that was a major mistake. I let these intolerant liberals intimidate me into silence.
Over the past weekend I was in the middle of a large group of individuals, with mixed political views, when the person behind started bad mouthing Biden. Thus began a very boisterous political discussion between two outspoken right wingers. I shared my Libertarian views with my new political comrade. He agreed with my views because it turns out that he is a fellow Libertarian.
A woman I knew to be a staunch progressive, who was sitting quite a distance away, approached me with a great many questions. She really liked what I had said. It had caused her to reexamine her political belief system. It may take many more conversations, but she may end up becoming a fellow Libertarian.
I will never hesitate again when it comes to sharing my political beliefs with anyone.
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