A lifelong friend called to wish me a Happy Birthday

[philoshop]

He also asked what I was up to and I told him I was writing a book about the scandals and failures of the Obama administration. He asked, and I replied. He then vented for ten minutes using some pretty nasty language and vitriol against me, personally, and everything Conservative and/or Republican, before he slammed down his phone. To be clear, he asked me, and then became angry at my answer.

We've been friends for 45 years. And we lived and worked construction together throughout young adulthood. We've always been on opposite sides of the political spectrum, but this phone call was over the edge. Has anyone else witnessed, personally, this level of hatred for the President?

 

[Robhuntandfish]

Maybe he was having a tough time with something else in his life and this is just where it came out.

That being said I have never seen people so divided as they are today politically.  And if you don't agree it ends up being more vicious than a good debate it seems.

Hope you two mend the fences.  Always politics and religion that cause the biggest hottest debates it seems.  Being friends that long is more valuable than all the politicians you can put in a pickup any day. 

[philoshop]

I spoke with his mother shortly after the exchange, who I actually keep more in touch with these days. We're more politically aligned I guess, and her office is in his house. She's wicked smart and a good writer/blogger, so I lean on her a bit.  She said the same thing, that it may be  some other issue. She didn't elaborate on that but advised me to expect an apology shortly. I'll gladly accept it.

I get beat up on websites every day for my political views. It's part of what I do and it comes with the territory of writing political commentary. They don't know me, or anything about me, so I don't really care. But when the hatred for Trump is transferred to hatred for a long-time friend for political reasons, it's really unnerving. This is a recent phenomenon. Thanks for listening/reading.

[ATbuckhunter]

I have seen this hatred for both sides. Trump is definitely far out there, whether you love him or hate him so its easy to see how he would ruffle some feathers and create riffs between friends. This is why I don't talk politics with people...some just cant handle someone being on the other side of how they see things.

[philoshop]

He asked me what I was writing about. I told him. He then came unglued for over ten minutes on the phone. It was weird. He's a very smart and level-headed guy who owns part of a lucrative wealth management firm.

Do you think it would have been better if I lied to him and told him I was writing a cookbook?

I hated Obama as President, but I didn't destroy life-long friendships over it. I hated the thought of Hillary being president, but I didn't feel it was necessary to vilify those who supported her. Something has changed, and it's not good.

[The_Field_Ager]

5 hours ago, philoshop said:

 

We've been friends for 45 years. And we lived and worked construction together throughout young adulthood. We've always been on opposite sides of the political spectrum, but this phone call was over the edge. Has anyone else witnessed, personally, this level of hatred for the President?

 

shake the dust of that 'freindship'

the battle lines are being drawn today

[The_Field_Ager]

11 minutes ago, philoshop said:

 

5 hours ago, philoshop said:

. Has anyone else witnessed, personally, this level of hatred for the President?

 

It goes way beyond the President. Before I stopped teaching I witnessed Faculty go into frothing rages over any and all issues deemed to be of a conservative nature. Something has gone terribly wrong and it is heading toward civil war. This is not hyperbole on my part. It's coming.

Frankly I think half the country has been demon possessed. The levels of hate and division are not normal, they don't  feel normal.

Edited March 27, 2018 by Papist

[philoshop]

I can't go quite that far Papist. All due respect. But thanks for the reply.

My friend's wealth and business has been created over the last decades by selling out Main Street America to Wall Street and helping to create this "service economy" that Wall Street desires and requires for their own prosperity.  Trump is threatening that norm, and they're fighting back. My friend is going to have re-evaluate all of his positions for all of his millionaire clients and he doesn't like that. It's a lot of work. I get it. When he calls back I will suggest that he remove his clients' money from China and put it into the U.S. because WE'RE BACK BABY!

[ATbuckhunter]

4 hours ago, philoshop said:

He asked me what I was writing about. I told him. He then came unglued for over ten minutes on the phone. It was weird. He's a very smart and level-headed guy who owns part of a lucrative wealth management firm.

Do you think it would have been better if I lied to him and told him I was writing a cookbook?

I hated Obama as President, but I didn't destroy life-long friendships over it. I hated the thought of Hillary being president, but I didn't feel it was necessary to vilify those who supported her. Something has changed, and it's not good.

No there is no need to lie. As you pointed out he is frustrated and I think we've all done some things and said some things that we didn't mean in those times. I have friends that are so pro trump its almost impossible to talk to them at times when they get on the topics of politics in America, but I would never let it harm my relationship with someone. Give him some time and I'm sure he'll be back to his normal self. 

[Steve D]

10 hours ago, philoshop said:

Has anyone else witnessed, personally, this level of hatred for the President

We don't talk politics in our house just for that reason.

[virgil]

‘Has anyone else witnessed this level of hatred for the President?’  Was this a serious question?  Or, did you mean specifically this president?

[steve863]

16 minutes ago, virgil said:

‘Has anyone else witnessed this level of hatred for the President?’  Was this a serious question?  Or, did you mean specifically this president?

I'm glad someone else asked this question first.  Yeah, the left is dumping on Trump ( not like he doesn't give them plenty of fodder daily ), but does anyone really think there was LESS hatred towards Obama by the right??  Now that would be seriously funny if people thought that there was less.  LOL 

By the way, I hope Philo sends all of us forum members an autographed copy of his book on Obama.  Looking forward to seeing it on the best sellers list!

[Doc]

I must admit to occasionally getting overly passionate about some issues. Imagine having a political discussion with Hillary or Bernie......Ha-ha-ha. Could that drive you up a wall and into an absolute rage? I would say that when you commence a discussion about politics, or other sensitive issues, anything can happen. All people have an irrational spot when it comes from trying to change opinions that are diametrically opposed to our own. For me it happens quickly when I am talking with anti-hunters, or gun control advocates.

I will say that it is very likely that he will calm down and resume your friendship at some point in the future. I guess I would suggest that you avoid any political discussions with him in the future ..... lol. 

[chas0218]

54 minutes ago, steve863 said:

I'm glad someone else asked this question first.  Yeah, the left is dumping on Trump ( not like he doesn't give them plenty of fodder daily ), but does anyone really think there was LESS hatred towards Obama by the right??  Now that would be seriously funny if people thought that there was less.  LOL 

By the way, I hope Philo sends all of us forum members an autographed copy of his book on Obama.  Looking forward to seeing it on the best sellers list!

I think less publicly yes, also I don't think hatred is the word I tolerated him as president.  I never hated Obama just the policies and "deals" we got into as a nation under his reign. Now people literally hate Trump, I think it stems from his tell like it is attitude and people are too sensitive to take it.

I don't talk politics with my wife because she doesn't care or know about what is going on, but all my friends voted for Trump so we just make fun of the left and their wanna-be, snowflake ideas.

Edited March 28, 2018 by chas0218

[steve863]

20 minutes ago, chas0218 said:

I think less publicly yes, also I don't think hatred is the word I tolerated him as president.  I never hated Obama just the policies and "deals" we got into as a nation under his reign. Now people literally hate Trump, I think it stems from his tell like it is attitude and people are too sensitive to take it.

I don't talk politics with my wife because she doesn't care or know about what is going on, but all my friends voted for Trump so we just make fun of the left and their wanna-be, snowflake ideas.

Good to know that you weren't one of those who hated Obama, but I can assure that there were plenty to take your place.

Even republicans hate Trump.  Is that the lefts fault?  Do you think guys like McConnell and Ryan like him, to name only two?  Many republicans are appalled by his antics.  How about all his cabinet members he has fired?  How about his wives?  He is not exacty Mr. Lovable.  Not that he has to be to be president, but just pointing this out.  He has rubbed people the wrong way for most of his life.  I doubt too many people will be blowing kisses at him, even the ones who voted for him.  He is what he is, but I don't understand why some of you are so surprised that people hate him?

 

 

[philoshop]

30 minutes ago, steve863 said:

Good to know that you weren't one of those who hated Obama, but I can assure that there were plenty to take your place.

Even republicans hate Trump.  Is that the lefts fault?  Do you think guys like McConnell and Ryan like him, to name only two?  Many republicans are appalled by his antics.  How about all his cabinet members he has fired?  How about his wives?  He is not exacty Mr. Lovable.  Not that he has to be to be president, but just pointing this out.  He has rubbed people the wrong way for most of his life.  I doubt too many people will be blowing kisses at him, even the ones who voted for him.  He is what he is, but I don't understand why some of you are so surprised that people hate him?

 

 

To be clear, 'The D.C. Establishment' hates Trump. R or D doesn't really matter. Trump's taking their food dish away and making them work for a living, and a lot of them don't like that idea.

[chas0218]

1 hour ago, steve863 said:

Good to know that you weren't one of those who hated Obama, but I can assure that there were plenty to take your place.

Even republicans hate Trump.  Is that the lefts fault?  Do you think guys like McConnell and Ryan like him, to name only two?  Many republicans are appalled by his antics.  How about all his cabinet members he has fired?  How about his wives?  He is not exacty Mr. Lovable.  Not that he has to be to be president, but just pointing this out.  He has rubbed people the wrong way for most of his life.  I doubt too many people will be blowing kisses at him, even the ones who voted for him.  He is what he is, but I don't understand why some of you are so surprised that people hate him?

 

 

I'm referring to the voters, obviously there are people that hate Trump just look at all the MSM. I was referring to the fact that there was a lot less publicized hatred of Obama than Trump (I think the race card played a big role). Any chance the media can deface Trump they take it whether it's true or not. When people are held accountable for their actions that they have gotten away with for years under another administration they get all butt hurt then they slander Trump. I haven't been around for a lot of presidents but I can say I love Trump and what he has done so far. He doesn't back down like our previous president. Trump's accomplishments won't be given any credit by the media and for me that is okay because I know they are bias and trying to make sure he doesn't win another term but if he does good by the people that voted for him I could see him winning another election. You have to realize all these people protesting voted for a different candidate not Trump so they will do anything to hurt the people that voted for Trump because they aren't going to be able to touch Trump himself. Half the people protesting should be on the NICS denial list by how crazy they act toward other human beings. I'm not sure how people can have such a strong hatred towards another human being.

[steve863]

39 minutes ago, philoshop said:

To be clear, 'The D.C. Establishment' hates Trump. R or D doesn't really matter. Trump's taking their food dish away and making them work for a living, and a lot of them don't like that idea.

How about his cabinet, do you think they like him?  He came into office saying that he will drain the swamp so he started appointing some outsiders, many of who he has already fired and replaced.  So I guess HIS swamp needed some draining, too, and then who was his most recent replacement??  John Bolton, who was one of the old swamp dwellers, the type that Trump despised at the start.  You guys seem to think Trump can do no wrong, but others are coming to the conclusion that he has NO clue to what he is doing.  Won't be long before NO one wants to work for him, and could you honestly blame them??  He will rave about you on Monday and by Saturday he will be tweeting that you've been replaced, before you were even told that you were being replaced.  Unbelievable.

 

 

 

 

[Rattler]

I find it very revealing the political side that preaches so much love of "tolerance" regarding so many things that are really the antithesis of American lifestyle and history, has such a virile hatred of Trump, Conservatives and traditional values.  Just look at their current venomous vitriol being spewed at Firearms, the 2nd Amendment and hunters.  This isn't normal or healthy.  There is surely some mental illness in this level of contempt.  At the very least, it's childish and immature.

Conservatives despised Obama and attacked his political decisions and executive actions because they felt they were illegal, unconstitutional, and Leftist, but I never saw anyone holding his severed head, or calling for his death by assassination. 

I don't see where any of their hatred for Trump, or people who voted for him, is even remotely justified.  Blind hatred is evil and people who have it go to great lengths to justify it so they can live with themselves.

No President has ever been loved by all Americans, but the half of America that is insanely resisting everything they don't agree with, is a level of lunacy this country has not seen before.

[virgil]

Really?  No recollection of Obama being called a Kenyan or Muslim, signs depicting him or his wife as primates, the birther conspiracy farce....?  None of that?

[Rattler]

Oh I recall all of that, but don't believe that was the same level of homicidal hatred we are seeing today.  Besides, I firmly believe two wrongs do not make a right.  Are we looking to see how far down the rat hole America can fall with each Presidency?  Or are we going to accept civil discourse is the only method of debate we should condone?

[ApexerER]

3 hours ago, steve863 said:

I'm glad someone else asked this question first.  Yeah, the left is dumping on Trump ( not like he doesn't give them plenty of fodder daily ), but does anyone really think there was LESS hatred towards Obama by the right??  Now that would be seriously funny if people thought that there was less.  LOL 

By the way, I hope Philo sends all of us forum members an autographed copy of his book on Obama.  Looking forward to seeing it on the best sellers list!

The right hated Obama, along with Clinton, Pelosi, Schumer etc....The difference is we don't vilify the people that support those schmucks. I can have a reasonable conversation with anyone....Not everyone can have a reasonable conversation with me....

[virgil]

....and you would feel the same way about the need for civility even if your choice had not won the election?  Seems like a convenient position to take. 

I agree. Civility is gone and badly needed. It disappeared in 2008 and is only getting worse. 

[virgil]

Now this is just getting funny. Really, no vilification of ‘leftists ‘ and ‘libtards ‘ on this forum?  Very convenient selective memory. 

[Rattler]

4 minutes ago, virgil said:

....and you would feel the same way about the need for civility even if your choice had not won the election?  Seems like a convenient position to take. 

I agree. Civility is gone and badly needed. It disappeared in 2008 and is only getting worse. 

Yes I would, and it disappeared when Bush was elected, way before Obama was even a thought.