My Friends and the "Other" Party

A majority of my friends (not my relatives) belong to the "other" political party. I have a gripe with them and with casual acquaintances who don't, as a rule, have a clue about my political views. Why do people, who have a perfect right to be passionate about their views, feel they have to convert me to their side. I have always felt that my friends have a right to disagree with me and, as a result, need not keep telling me to see the light and how to think. I take care not to bludgeon them with all the neat nasty things I could say about their candidate. Everyday life is more pleasant when we steer clear of religion and politics unless we are very sure of the company we are keeping. I feel the same way about bumper stickers. Consider this: when driving down the highway you see a sticker ahead of you that is exhorting you to vote for Joe Blow, the guy you despise. Are you going to seek out that driver as a new friend? Probably not. Bumper stickers stand between the displayer and about fifty percent of the strangers on the road, many of whom might have become good and valuable friends - aside from their politics. A more mundane reason exists for not pasting them on. When the election is over- whoever wins - the sticker comes off - or comes off with difficulty. Some times it never comes off. I saw a Ross Perot sticker the other day. Before I became heir to this profound bit of wisdom I had actually scratched the chrome on my bumper trying to get rid of a no longer relevant sticker.