What do you do when?....

[thetinymagic2]

Posted: 6/11/09 at 12:40pm

your best, most darling beautiful friend of 30 years starts posting poiticall "propaganda" stories on your e-mail, which are very contrary to your own ideologies? Do you totally ignore, and carry on the super great friendship and not bring up this subject at all (my inclination), or do you snap back "Don't offend me, darling? It's getting to be a bit much?" I have politely told her some months ago that politically we are are opposite ends of the spectrum and perhaps we should never discuss this topic. Seemed good at the time...now, whenever some BIG story is in the news, the e-mails start again. I just delete them w/o reading. Her religiousity serves her well 99% of the time in that she's an ultra caring, sweet, giving, helpful, A1 moralistic person w/integrity, education, etc. It just this *thing*.

[jasonf]

Posted: 6/11/09 at 1:23pm

You can take the high road: send her an email politely telling her that your viewpoints are different and at best you will ignore the emails, at worst you are willing to put aside your differences for the friendship but the emails are putting a strain on your tolerance level.

Or, you can take the low road, and start filling her inbox with your own political views and see what she does :)

I would opt for choice A...

[Q]

Posted: 6/11/09 at 1:25pm

I like the 'don't read, just delete' approach.

[clever name]

Posted: 6/11/09 at 1:27pm

I have that problem,too. I just delete it. I suppose if you wanted, you could send them emails, too. But I'm not interested in discussing politics with her so I just ignore them.

Posted: 6/11/09 at 2:14pm

1) Hit reply all. 2) Tell her what you think. 3) Cross her off the Christmas card list.

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 6/11/09 at 2:19pm

I've sent angry emails to family members if they send me a chain email...so this would never be tolerated in my inbox.

[Calvin]

Posted: 6/11/09 at 2:25pm

My mom had this problem when she went to her ??th (I won't tell, mom!) high school reunion and reconnected with an old friend, who started forwarding her a lot of religious right crap. She simply told her that she would enjoy continuing to correspond with her but that she would prefer to be off her distribution list. And the friend complied.

[clever name]

Posted: 6/11/09 at 3:27pm

I HATE CHAIN MAIL!!!!

[ZONEACE]

Posted: 6/11/09 at 3:29pm

This is why I dont have friends with differeny political viewpoints than me.

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 6/11/09 at 3:49pm

I've never had anyone forwarding me mail of the religious right yet. If they did I would just ask them to stop.

I do get forwarded chain emails and chain jokes and chain animal pictures and Isend them an email saying "I only like personal emails so please do not forward these other chain emails to me." You could try that. It's worked for me pretty well, though some can't resist sending the odd chain email even after I've asked them not to because they think it's so cute or funny.

Otherwise, with the religious stuff it must be like getting stuck on the subway with the guy who comes on and wants to rave at full voice about religion. They seem often to be somewhat mad since they have no concept of time and place. Updated On: 6/11/09 at 03:49 PM

[StockardFan]

Posted: 6/11/09 at 4:05pm

I'd probably just delete it without opening, but I don't see the harm in politely asking her to take you off her list, like Calvin's mom did.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 6/12/09 at 7:32am

Assuming your friend is not my cousin, the polite "Hey, do you mind?" e-mail shouldn't be taken as offense.

My cousin, on the other hand, started World War 3, when I asked her to please remove me from the distribution list, since I love hearing about her, and last I checked she was not a dog in a funny dress and wig.