I lost a few friends this election season. First time it’s happened, and I’m not altogether sure how I feel about it.
One of them I cut loose. She was someone I’d hung around with in junior high and hadn’t heard from between then and me joining Facebook. I didn’t feel it was much of a loss to let her go when she used her status update to swear about how a particular political candidate shouldn’t be allowed into a particular town.
Sure, it was my candidate, but it was really the choke hold she wanted to put on political speech that made de-friending her an easy choice. Of course, the fact that she only ever used Facebook to tell people how cute her kids were helped too. I mean, cute kids are cute and all, but I want to talk to grown ups.
The other two are a little weirder. This is a couple with whom we’ve usually gotten together a few times a year. We still don’t have much in common except history, but that’s always stretched far enough for everyone to have a good time.
I’m not even sure what happened, really. I can tell when it happened, because with my memory for numbers, I could tell when my Facebook friends count dropped. I assume it’s the election, because I’ve always known they were conservative and, really, what else has there been for the last several months? But I don’t know what the trigger was.
Did I mock too much while watching the debates? Was adopting Hussein as my middle name for the duration beyond the pale? Or was I just part of an unbearable anti-McCain, anti-Palin tide? Was it something I did, or was this election somehow even more contentious than even 2004?
I’m not likely to find out anytime soon. I’m not the only friend they dropped, as word is that “no one” has seen them in ages. But it doesn’t stop me from asking.
What happened?
10 comments
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Dr. A
November 11, 2008 at 7:04 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Hilarious. I don’t think I’ve lost anyone, if any thing I gained a slew of friends at the dance party in the streets election night.
Stephanie Zvan
November 11, 2008 at 7:14 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I’d have thought about dancing if I hadn’t been so weak-kneed with relief–and totally plugged in to get information on the local elections.
...tom...
November 11, 2008 at 8:53 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
…”Was adopting Hussein as my middle name for the duration beyond the pale?“Oh no you didn’t..!!.I am soooo outta here..!!…:minism:……tom…
Stephanie Zvan
November 11, 2008 at 8:56 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
But…but you just got here. [sniffle] You can’t leave yet.Is it working?
Greg Laden
November 12, 2008 at 4:33 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I gained rather than lost, but there was one close call. Too close. I still shudder about that one.
Stephanie Zvan
November 12, 2008 at 4:35 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Yeah. I bet. I’m very happy that worked out.
Frustrated Farmer Rick
November 14, 2008 at 10:28 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Hey do I know those people? I appear to have lost some facebook friends also.
Stephanie Zvan
November 16, 2008 at 8:39 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
You know, Rick, I thought this might sound a little familiar to you.
Drugmonkey
November 20, 2008 at 10:30 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I lost one in the debate over the latest Iraq war…early on… Military culture is VERY strange…
Stephanie Zvan
November 20, 2008 at 11:54 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
There’s a military component here too, DM, at least with the ones who were actually friends. I found it interesting, though, how many of our military friends were either with us politically this time or perfectly happy to disagree without getting upset or arguing.Sorry to hear about your friend.