Ever cut ties with an aquaintance due to their statist indoctrination?

[les nessman]

    I have an aquaintance who I see in person almost weekly...that is until three weeks ago.
I stopped all contact with the guy because he is basically a statist sheep.  I could no longer
tolerate the constant helplessness displayed while around this guy.  Not to mention, I am fairly
tolerant of most people and their personal ideals.

     So last week I run into the guy personally and he asks me whats going on and why I have
adjusted my schedule to visit this business when he is not there.  I told him honestly why I had
done so and the guy looked at me as though I had kicked him in the crotch.  How do you guys and gals deal with these issues? 

[K. Darien Freeheart]

Yes, I have. It happens. Most people, I can be cordial with because I operating under the assumption that they simply misunderstand the nature of government. For this reason, showing them about liberty is a plausable goal over time. Some people, however, actually do come to see that government is violence, and still consider that acceptable. In a real sense, those people are saying "I think it's okay to hurt you without you hurting me" and that's a trait I can't have in a friend.

[dalebert]

I'm pretty close to doing that with some friends. I think it comes down to whether they respect you. For instance, I have a friend who almost constantly jokes about me being in a cult. So far, I've made light of his jokes to sort of diffuse his notions in hopes that he will see me and the FSP in a very non-threatening way. This is not a person that wants to really have a dialogue about ideas at all. He just wants to ridicule me personally and the people I have chosen as friends, half-jokingly but sort of implying that it's not so much of a joke. That's a cop-out. It's incredibly intolerant to disrespect me for nothing more than having what is essentially a minority viewpoint. I'm willing to be reasonably patient for people considering that they've been indoctrinated all their lives, but I won't tolerate disrespect from a supposed friend. That's not much of a friend and it's not healthy for you to continue showing respect and endless patience that is not reciprocated. And let's face it. What statism boils down to is a lack of respect for people- a belief that people cannot be sovereign individuals but rather must be treated like children their entire lives. At some point, I will have to either build up the nerve to cut through the joking and have a serious conversation about this or just let the relationship fade away, as it is likely to do if I don't make the effort myself to maintain it. More than ever, I'm seeing that basic respect and that rejection of statism as a sort of prerequisite for friendship. It's pretty clearly the number one value in my life and I find that when people have that quality, they're very likable and the other stuph just falls into place. We can be very different people with very different personalities and interests, but if we respect each other's individuality, none of those differences matters.

My family is actually pretty good. I'm taking baby steps with them, but they keep surprising me in pleasant ways by seeming to basically "get it". I'm much more optimistic about my family relations. In fact, most everyone in my family makes no secret about the shared view that I'm "the smart one" in the family and they often turn to me for advice. It seems I have the benefit of the doubt from them and I would likely have to work pretty hard to lose their respect.

[Sam A. Robrin]

I recall a conversation with a former girlfriend.  I made a reference to "people who slop at the public trough."
      "Does that include my father?"
      "If the shoe fits . . ."
      The end.  (Though as the Chinese waiter told Lenny Bruce . . .)

Then there was the first date where I said I didn't believe in "public" education, and was asked "How can you live with yourself?" 
"I'm not the one who thinks he has a right to enslave children," my reply began, and well, there was no second date . . .

And there've been a whole trainload of people who would make snipy little remarks.  Those I can attribute to ignorance, but after I've pointed out the errors and inconsistencies, ignorance becomes stupidity.

[K. Darien Freeheart]

"I'm not the one who thinks he has a right to enslave children," my reply began, and well, there was no second date

I'm not sure I'm that I'm that far along. I understand I'm a minority that I think the government is a problem, but I also believe that the vast majority of people suffer some form of Stockholm syndrome, so I give people the chance to open themselves.  There is a point where I draw the line with people I've earned some kind of report with though.

[Lex]

Yes.

[NJLiberty]

There are a number of people whom I no longer associate with because of their political ideals. After talking with them for quite some time, and taking their abuse for my ideas, it was just no longer worth it to me to associate with them. It is a shame because I truly enjoyed some aspects of my relationships with them, but when discussion repeatedly turns to ridicule I draw the line.

Family is another matter altogether. My father is as statist as it is possible to be. He grew up in the Depression, was taught Roosevelt was almost a god, and still views the government and its agents with awe and an unwavering respect. He is 74 and he is not likely to change so I just let it go. He is convinced I am out to overthrow the government and so be it. He is my pop and I will love him regardless.

George

[Raineyrocks]

Maybe indirectly while I'm thinking about it now.  I can see where a good friendship started going downhill after this "religious" person told me she voted for Bush because he didn't believe in abortions.  I asked her how can you even think that it's okay that Bush started a war in Iraq where innocent Iraqi children are being killed?  It's okay as long as there not American babies?

There were a couple other conversations we had too that just really turned me off to her as a person I would want to keep as a friend.

It did shut her up but she never ackowledged my comment and I lost a tremendous amount of respect for her and started thinking she really wasn't the nice person I thought she was.

[ByronB]

Nope, I never cut any ties with anyone (that I can think of right now).

Generally if they say anything objectionable I'm too willing to get into a argument and stick with it 'till they give up or at least until they get disgusted with me and start avoiding me... I'm very stubborn, I do try to understand their viewpoint... but the more I understand them the less reasonable they seem to me.

[Raineyrocks]

Nope, I never cut any ties with anyone (that I can think of right now).

Generally if they say anything objectionable I'm too willing to get into a argument and stick with it 'till they give up or at least until they get disgusted with me and start avoiding me... I'm very stubborn, I do try to understand their viewpoint... but the more I understand them the less reasonable they seem to me.

I try to understand people's viewpoints too, being a vegetarian for a long time you pretty much have to or you won't have any non-veggie friends.   I never minded that anyone I knew ate meat.  It's their life and I'd even cook my friends meat when they came over for dinner sometimes but the abortion and Iraqi children conversation I wrote about just really turned my stomach. 

There were other things going on in our friendship too but originally I tried to stick it out but finally realized I just didn't want to anymore.  I wish her no ill feelings I just don't want to talk to her anymore.

[grasshopper]

Oh God, where do I start?
   I have people that were like that, the people that are like that are coming around.  It is OUR duty to not get mad at people but to teach people and show evidence of out life styles.  Show them the Constitution, show them what happens when guns are confiscated, show them what happend the very munite that Government gains total temporal immoral power over the people.  It is hard to argue facts, it is hard to argue with stupid people, but it is our job.  If people attack me, it is usually loud and voisterous, in a crouded area.  I put up with it and smile, and ask them what they'd do the change things?  I also answer their questions, for instance:
  Dummy:  Hey, we should just nuke thair ass take their gas.
  Me:  Oh great, you want to kill millions of innocent people like these people around us just so you can have gas?
  Dummy:  I don't care about them, they arn't in my life!
  Me:  Great, you know what happens when you start thriowing nukes around?  Fallout, irridium, trittium, and the most important part of it, retalliation, do you think for 1 second that..............................................................................................
  Taxes?  SHow me the law!