Do i part ways with my bridesmaid over politics?

Politics should not be the basis of what makes or breaks a friendship or family but unfortunately they do. If she chooses to end the relationship, that is on her as you did nothing wrong. While on one hand, you should always try to be the bigger person, having a toxic relationship is never healthy for anyone. Keep the communication open if she chooses to stay friends but distance yourself and respect her choice.

I wouldn't say part ways with her but definitely tell her that if she disrespects you like that again, especially publicly, then it will most likely ruin your friendship.

Theres no perfect candidate. All politicians have their flaws. You can find dirt and shocking things on most of them. That's absurd that she said she couldn't trust you based of who you voted for but you have been friends since HS and she hadn't questioned your trustworthiness until now.

Politics is something that you can't discuss with everyone and putting it online wasn't the best idea. I wouldn't stop being friends because you have different views, she apologized. I would have a talk with her but if she doesn't want to be your friend anymore I personally wouldn't stress over it. Hopefully you two can fix it.

You can be friends with someone of different political views! I would sit her down and let her know that although you did post who you voted for publicly (which imo is never a good idea), her public reply was not necessary. Let her know how it made you feel and hopefully you two can move forward from this! If she decides she doesn't want to be friends because of political views, it shows a lot about her character and her values, but I wouldn't stress yourself over it.

I hope you both can work things out!

I guess I’m confused about why you would post your opinion on a public forum and expect a private response. You’re the one who made it a public conversation.
I disagree with PPs that politics shouldn’t end friendships. Supporting either candidate shows pretty strongly how you feel about certain groups and if your friend belongs to those groups, or even respects someone who belongs to those groups, I think it’s entirely rational to end a friendship with someone who voted against them.

I think, like a lot of these friendship questions, that it's not about your wedding but about the relationship as a whole. Based on her actions related to this incident, and what those actions say about who she is as a person, would you want to remain friends with her if your wedding wasn't a factor?

Also, I don't see politics as some emotionless, bloodless, hypothetical thing that is only relevant every 4 years. There is nothing about life that isn't political; our politics are informed by our morals, values, and priorities. If your friend's morals, values, and priorities are completely at odds with yours, it sounds like the friendship has run its course and it may be time to say goodbye.

I have had this exact thing happen to me. Someone I was good friends with said some terrible things about me/called me names in a "public" comment on one of my posts (only my friends could see it, but still) that was in part motivated by who I voted for last time. She didn't apologize but when I pressed her on why she was still friends with me if she thought that about me, said that she thought I was confused and she could show me the right way. That was the end of our friendship. To me, that sort of behavior is unacceptable.

I know at least a couple of my close friends voted differently than I did this time. We don't talk politics much but respect each other's viewpoints, which is how I think it should be.

I am very curious who you voted for, to see if it aligns with my experience. I understand if you don't want to say though

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I'm with Caytlyn on this one. Sometimes, differences in politics justifiably do end friendships (been there, done that).

I probably would end the friendship if it’s just going to be awkward from here on forward... sadly, the candidates do say a lot about a person and how they voted...🤷🏻‍♀️

I disagree with many others, I could not be close friends with someone who supported the other candidate than me. In this case, it would be them supporting this president specifically. That doesn't mean that I can't be friends with any Republicans - by any means. I just personally could not be friends with someone who would still support this specific candidate after everything that has happened in the past four years.

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Agreed WHOLEHEARTEDLY!

I don't know the exact situation or disagreement, but ending a friendship over politics likely isn't necessary. A lot of political debates deal with how to address a particular issue, and obviously there might be some disagreement over how to best handle that concern. People also change their opinions on those things.

However, there are a lot of things that some people say are politics but that absolutely aren't. They're personal & tied to morality--knowing someone might not care about you or others is very stressful. And that is 100% worth ending a friendship over. That being said, I personally try to hold onto those relationships. I have quite a few family members, & some friends, who have said hurtful things, repeatedly. I try to gently explain why they're wrong without making them feel the need to get defensive & I try to let them know that I care about them even if they aren't showing that care toward me. It can be hugely emotionally draining to do so, however, and I can't blame anyone who doesn't want to do the same, or doesn't feel safe doing so.

You posted on a public forum so your friend had every right to publicly respond. She has since apologized for her actions like a mature adult. I would accept her apology and move on like a mature adult. Having different views doesn't automatically mean you can't be friends. For example, my husband and I have different views on abortion, but that didn't stop us from falling in love and getting married.

You can always be friends with someone who believes in different things to you IF it is something you can live with. She can't trust you and ultimately it might just signal the end of the road for you two.

Personally, as someone else has said, I could be friends with a Republican supporter, but not one in today's climate given the only candidate is that misogynist who I refuse to acknowledge by name. We all have our differences of opinion but there are just some differences that we can't look past and for your friend, who you supported in the election might just be a deal breaker for her.

Have a talk to her and see if things are reconcilable. They might not be but at least you'll get some clarity.

I agree with several other posters here. At this point in our country, politics is not at all "just politics." There is a clear dichotomy in terms of support of racial, gender, and sexual orientation equality and support of science, which comes down to moral values. Differences in whether or not our economy should be tied to gold is a political difference. Believing whether or not everyone should have the freedom to marry another human being is a moral difference.

I'm a democrat and my hubby is a Republican (majority of his views are except a few are democratic). Politics are completely off the table, we cant discuss them due to things getting heated. Same with friends. Being married to a Republican Is hard , and even in my friend circle, they are all democratic. I agree with others, that it shows pretty strongly who you support such as certain groups. We deleted social media due to the drama it can create

I dealt with something very similar prior to being engaged. My best friend since I was 5 years old was being extremely vocal about her political stance and actually attacked my fiancé on Facebook over something he posted that wasn’t even really political at all. What I did was I told her that I think it was time for us to distance ourselves and just see where life takes us. She was really upset with me for doing this, but I had to do what I felt was right and in this case she was wrong. We didn’t speak for almost 2 years but she actually apologized and said she learned that politics do not make a great friendship great...the two people involved do. And she said that I’m a good person and so is my fiancé, so the way she acted was uncalled for. If I were you, I would tell her that if politics is going to play a role in your friendship that way then maybe it’s time for a break and maybe she shouldn’t be in your wedding. People should not be choosing friends over politics EVER because old politicians aren’t ever going to come and be your friend and people should be your friend for your character and what good you bring to their lives. Maybe she doesn’t realize how much she’s upset you, but that certainly may put it into perspective. So sorry you’re going through this!

View Quoted Comment Yes, yes, yes!!!

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I agree with this.