Don't Unfriend Me

I’ve noticed a new trend on Facebook lately of people telling me to unfriend them if I don’t believe in their causes or if I don’t agree with their position on a particular subject. It goes something like this –

That seems pretty narrow minded to me. I would like to offer up a different perspective. Here it is:

If you believe a woman has a right to an abortion under any circumstances, I won’t unfriend you.

If you believe abortion is wrong under any circumstances, I won’t unfriend you.

If you’re against gay marriage, I won’t unfriend you.

If you’re totally supportive of the LGBTQ community, I won’t unfriend you.

If you think Donald Trump is the greatest president ever, I won’t unfriend you.

If you think Donald Trump is the worst president ever, I won’t unfriend you.

Coke or Pepsi, more taste or less filling, Ginger or Mary Ann, boxers or briefs… I respect your opinion.

That is not say that I’m okay with whatever you might believe. If I think you are wrong I may tell you. And I will be glad to explain my position, if asked. I will not try to change your mind, but will try to understand where you’re coming from and what may have lead to you feeling the way you do.

It basically comes down to respect. And tolerance. If we all would work a little harder at those two things, I think we would all be better off. Now, in the interests of full disclosure, I have unfriended someone on Facebook. Only one that I can recall, and it wasn’t because of her political position or views on social issues. She’s just mean. If I lack tolerance for anything – it’s mean people. Don’t have time for that. Otherwise, I truly enjoy diversity of opinions.

So maybe stop putting up those “unfriend me” posts. They won’t work on me. Of course you have the right to unfriend me any time. It could be for a lot of reasons. I may seem insensitive at times (I’m working on that), or boring, or too caught up in my own interests. But I promise it won’t be because I’m mean. And I hope you don't. I take my friends seriously.

Roger O'Dea     5/18/2019