How many friendships have you had to end

as a result of their "gun fever"?

I've had to cut ties with dozens of people.
Some of them were mere acquaintances, so no big loss.

Last night I said goodbye and good luck to a close friend of 20 years. He'd marched with me against the Iraq war. A highly intelligent man, who seems to have traveled a path from libertarianism to full on gun nuttery. I should also mention that along with the ramped up gun advocacy, I observed increasing signs of racism, fascism and religious intolerance. It breaks my heart, this is not the person I once knew.

I am not silent when I disengage these folks. I tell them exactly why I can no longer be their friend. I think its important to stand up to them so they know there are consequences to their stubborn insistence that more guns are the only possible answer. Usually they are angry and spiteful, and oddly, seem to feel misunderstood.

Is it just me, or does anyone else feel like this is a national madness that is spreading? How did it infect these seemingly reasonable people? Will it infect me or my family?

And one other thing. Its been insinuated here that I've insulated myself from people with differing opinions. That's completely untrue, and I apologize for not being clearer in my original post. I was, and am still pretty heartbroken, as well as concerned, sorry I wasn't more articulate. Respectful, thoughtful discussion of these difficult subjects is the only way to resolve them.