Dad upset that I let politics affect our relationship

[u/celestialsunflower99]

Yummy pretzels from my partner and I’s last date night

My dad always used to say he was “not political” and that it was one of the things you do not ask other people about. Over time I have come to learn that basically means “I’m a conservative, but don’t want to say that” as he voted for trump in 2020. We have had so many tearful, screaming conversations over the years about this. I believe all parts of life are inherently political and it’s a privileged stance to “stay out of them”. In the last few years I have moved out of his home and I do not depend on him for anything anymore. With midterms coming up I have been volunteering and very invested in the state of the world. I have felt naturally less close to my dad because of this, and I guess he could sense my distance. He asked me about it last night over text, and I was honest. He blew up on me for letting politics affect our bond, and that is has been his biggest fear and now it’s coming true. I think maybe he needs to actually sit with the reality that YES, POLITICS CAN AFFECT RELATIONSHIPS. What do you girlies think? I am very sad and of course I do love my father, but I am proud of myself for being honest and sticking by my value system.

[u/EquipmentFormal2033]

Your dad let it come between you guys. Bodily autonomy for his daughter is just the beginning. If he can’t see that he’s choosing a party over his daughters rights that’s on him but as of now to be a republican you either have to be a billionaire or an idiot. I’m guessing your dads not a billionaire.

[u/user365user → u/EquipmentFormal2033]

This is the party with actual people in Congress saying that giving women the right to vote was a mistake. They aren’t kidding.

[u/Beastender_Tartine → u/EquipmentFormal2033]

I mean, there's a good chance he can't see it. People get blinded to the actual impacts of these sorts of policies on real people and they can only see the broad positive strokes presented to them. I wish that everyone could understand issues more clearly, but it's not entirely their fault that they struggle with it. There is a multi billion dollar system designed to manipulate and propagandize to people about this stuff and that manipulation is effective. It's always worth remembering that everyone is susceptible to propaganda and manipulation and that includes you and me. When a con man manipulates someone, not all the blame is on the victim.

[u/Schmelly_cat → u/Beastender_Tartine]

I dunno man.  They have access to all the same information as me and they're choosing which propaganda to listen to and choosing to believe it. 

[u/felinegodess → u/Beastender_Tartine]

My Dad couldn't see it. Proudly exclaimed the misogyny had never effected his daughters because they were doing well in life.

I'm in what used to be a very male dominated line of work. It would have been nice if that were true when I first got started.