I think I talked about this before but I have a friend who I've known since 5th grade. We've been friends since elementary school but it seems that our life paths have taken us in different directions and I don't know if we could really be considered "friends" still.
Today I received two forwarded emails from her (this should have been the first sign that we can't be friends) about Barack Obama not placing his hand over his heart during the pledge of allegiance. The first one was to notify me (an other friends and family members) of this heinous crime by "Barack Hussein Obama's photo (that's his real name)......" He was standing in front of the American flag with his hands in front of him, fingers interlocked while Senator Clinton, Governor Bill Richardson, and Ruth Harkin stood with their hands over their hearts.
Okay, so this means something to her and I realize that. When she sends me these emails all I can do is think "are you fucking kidding me?" and roll my eyes. We are the same age. Her husband is in the air force, he is in Iraq. She has two kids. She lives in a house with her mom and older brother, sister and niece.
We don't agree on political issues, we don't have the same religious views (but I don't really care about religion so in a way that's sort of inconsequential to this issue). I don't think we listen to the same music. We have pretty different lives. So then what makes her my friend still? Our history together? I'd like to hang out with her if it could be guaranteed that our conversations would never wander toward politics, music, and religion but then what kind of relationship would we have?
Obviously I'm not going to come out and say "hey, please delete all my contact information from your records. thanks and good luck." but it makes me wonder if I should even bother trying to get together anymore. We've talked about possibly taking some yoga classes together but we have yet to set a date. It seems like that might be the only thing we have in common. I can appreciate having some friends whose personal opinions differ from my own but there have to be some other qualities that make them worth having as a friend.
I just get so frustrated when she sends me these things and sounds so self righteous about it all. I don't know if she's crossing the line or if I'm actually less tolerant of other opinions than I consider myself to be.
bugger.
11/05 update: OMFG. Ok enough. This morning she forwarded this email to me:
Today I received two forwarded emails from her (this should have been the first sign that we can't be friends) about Barack Obama not placing his hand over his heart during the pledge of allegiance. The first one was to notify me (an other friends and family members) of this heinous crime by "Barack Hussein Obama's photo (that's his real name)......" He was standing in front of the American flag with his hands in front of him, fingers interlocked while Senator Clinton, Governor Bill Richardson, and Ruth Harkin stood with their hands over their hearts.
Okay, so this means something to her and I realize that. When she sends me these emails all I can do is think "are you fucking kidding me?" and roll my eyes. We are the same age. Her husband is in the air force, he is in Iraq. She has two kids. She lives in a house with her mom and older brother, sister and niece.
We don't agree on political issues, we don't have the same religious views (but I don't really care about religion so in a way that's sort of inconsequential to this issue). I don't think we listen to the same music. We have pretty different lives. So then what makes her my friend still? Our history together? I'd like to hang out with her if it could be guaranteed that our conversations would never wander toward politics, music, and religion but then what kind of relationship would we have?
Obviously I'm not going to come out and say "hey, please delete all my contact information from your records. thanks and good luck." but it makes me wonder if I should even bother trying to get together anymore. We've talked about possibly taking some yoga classes together but we have yet to set a date. It seems like that might be the only thing we have in common. I can appreciate having some friends whose personal opinions differ from my own but there have to be some other qualities that make them worth having as a friend.
I just get so frustrated when she sends me these things and sounds so self righteous about it all. I don't know if she's crossing the line or if I'm actually less tolerant of other opinions than I consider myself to be.
bugger.
11/05 update: OMFG. Ok enough. This morning she forwarded this email to me:
There is a new movie coming out with Nicole Kidman called "The Golden Compass" which is supposed to be a "fantasy" kid movie. Well, the guy that wrote it is an atheist and ends up killing God in this movie. Just check out the link above and send it out to as many people as you know so they will know that Hollywood has tried to be low key about it but the truth needs to come out.
Ah yes, the truth that not everyone believes in god. Truly shocking.
I asked her to not send me forwarded emails anymore.
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Is this girl at all aware that you don't see things how she does?
If you want to be friends I think you could if you could just tell your honest opinion, just like she does to you.