Many people have trouble knowing when to say something and when to not say something, especially about politics. At the end of the day, it’s up to you. Are different political beliefs worth losing friends over? In some cases it may be.

With different morals, it is important to stand up for yourself and what you believe in. The difference between morals and politics is important. Someone could share the same morals, but believe there is a different political solution to a problem occuring, or a different way to approach those morals. Conversation is how education grows, and it is better to have a healthy conversation then not have one, even though they can be frustrating.

However, sometimes it is worth asking if it’s worth a conversation, or if the conversation will be a healthy productive one. With family you must coexist, so it may be a good idea to start educating yourself and trying to have a polite conversation with loved ones near you. There does not need to be hate near you, and hate is killed with education, and you could be the one to educate them. The place where it isn’t a good idea is where it could get into a huge dispute that will end up tearing you apart. It is up to you to determine that risk.

Many people believe one can enjoy close relationships with others who possess different morals, but that might not be possible, especially if those morals contradict your rights as a person. It may seem obvious, but if someone calls themself your friend, but doesn’t believe you deserve basic human rights and kind treatment by the government and others, they are not your friend. One of the most important parts of friendship is caring for the other person, and without that, there is little to no friendship to begin with.

There is a point however, that if you see in someone’s heart they are a good person, they could just be lost for the moment, or be influenced by others close to them. Even if those are their real views, if you believe they are a good person, there is no reason to let politics ruin a good friendship or relationship.

It is completely your decision to choose who to be friends with and who not to, but it is important to note that some people’s political beliefs reflect who they are as a person especially if you do not know them well. Small political disputes aren a reason to cut someone off, however big differences in morals will make a friendship or relationship difficult to maintain over time and is important to think about.