- Short answer: yes, but it’s more complicated than that.
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Right now, politics aren’t just about things like taxes. They’re about women’s rights, LGBTQ+ rights, racial justice, immigration rights, religious rights, disabled rights, environmental protection, gun reform, and so much more. America has made so much progress from the country we once were, and now it feels like many are trying to take us back to the days of heavier white supremacy and oppression. It’s not about democrat vs. republican, it’s about the people. If you’re not for the people, then no, we can’t be friends.
- Black Lives Matter vs. All Lives Matter
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If your response to my saying that “black lives matter” is “no, all lives matter”, then no, we can’t be friends. If you truly believed that all lives mattered, there wouldn’t be an issue with my acknowledging that black lives matter. Of course, every life matters, but not every life is being treated as if it doesn’t. Black lives have consistently been taken by people of power, and often without consequence. Breonna Taylor, Jonathan Price, George Floyd. They matter. The value of their lives should not be a matter of politics, and agreeing to disagree is not an option. Either you’re anti-racist or you’re racist. I will not claim to fight for racial justice while keeping someone close to me who ignores the existence of racism altogether. Saying all lives matter in response to black lives matter shows me that you are ignorant of the systemic racism in this country and as a minority myself, no, I will not be friends with you. All lives can’t matter until black lives matter.
- Pro-choice vs. Pro-life
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If you don’t like abortion, then don’t get one. It shouldn’t be anyone’s choice what a woman does with her body other than the woman herself. This, again, should not be a political issue. A woman should not need permission from anyone to do what she wishes with her own body. Yes, we need to take into account the possibility that the woman was raped or that this birth could kill her, but ultimately the reason doesn’t matter. If the woman isn’t ready or doesn’t want to have a baby, then she should be able to make that decision for herself. If you’re pro-life, instead of focusing your energy on passing judgement, you should focus on making contraceptives more available, sex education more common, and government support for mothers and children more supportive once the baby is actually born. Don’t claim to be pro-life if you don’t care what happens to that baby after it’s born. Don’t claim to be pro-choice if you’ll chastise single or teen mothers who choose to go through with their pregnancy. If you don’t believe that women should have full control over what happens to their body, then no, I will not be friends with you.