When and where is it NOT Appropriate to discuss politics?

[mopaul]

i love to discuss politics, with my own liberal kind. but i don't enjoy discussing it with bush heads or born agains. politics and religion often pop up at parties, but caution should be used of course.

if you go to a concert, and it's one of your favorite singers, and she starts spouting off about how she loves george bush, you'd be offended. but if she called bush a warpig fascist dictator, you'd probably applaud. is it appropriate to discuss politics at a concert? especially when you have the microphone?

a lot of people think they are on crossfire or something, but if they can be civil and friendly, it helps, but it's hard.

the main place i guess is the workplace, where you really need to use caution. maybe your boss is a rushie dittohead and you HAVE to listen to rush 3 hours a day, 5 days a week....(shudder)

my dad loves to discuss politics, a die hard democrat, but when my brother the born again bushie republican whacko is there, it gets crazy. he and my dad have gotten into some real good screaming matches, but mo don't play. i like to shut it all down with some jokes or flat out insults. i hate confrontational people like my brother, bless his ass.

[rfranklin]

1. It is not appropriate to discuss politics while having intercourse...

though comments about Dick and Bush are okay.

[Speed8098]

2. It's Always Appropriate

It doesn't matter where I am, I do not hesitate to talk politics.

s it appropriate to discuss politics at a concert? especially when you have the microphone?

It is MOST appropriate when you have the microphone.

I often hear people say that rock and rollers should not voice their political opinions on stage.

HELLLLOOOO, rock and roll was born from political dissent. Doesn't anyone remember the late 60's, early 70's??

The anti-war music was extremely moving and thought provoking.
Remember Country Joe & the Fish, Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell, and a ton of other musicians that put Viet Nam in the forefront with their music?

In this election, it's important to be vocal about politics. Too many people are not informed of all of the bullshit this administration is responsible for.

Sing it loud and sing it clear, Bush Must Go!

[mopaul]

5. in my case

i work in nightclubs, and i think i'd be fired if i discussed politics on the microphone between songs. but famous entertainers can get away with it, in front of the right crowd.

linda ronstdat recently ran into a crowd that had a few bushies in it who booed. the incident got way overblown, but bruce springstien would have no problem. nor would barbara streisand.

[Guava Jelly]

3. when taking a crap

:)

[harper]

4. I'm pretty careful discussing politics at work

And it's not just that I don't want to talk to ditto heads. I think the workplace should be neutral ground. We're all stuck there...its a stressful situation...and constant political arguments can make for a bad situation.

Everyone at my workplace knows I'm a democrat and support Kerry. I know who the Bush supporters are, but we have an unspoken agreement to leave politics out of the lunch table discussion.

[davsand]

6. I HAVE to be careful at work.

I work in local government (County level) and we must refrain from "politicking" in the office. I can't fund-raise at work nor am I allowed to do political work in my office.

Frankly, I think that is a good thing since it keeps the pressure off people to vote for and (more importantly) contribute to any particular candidate. The taxpayers are not paying me, or any official, to use that time to campaign.

Does the subject of politics come up? Sure it does--but it is more a matter of expressing opinions about current events and less about WHO will you vote for. Most of my staff is held over from the GOP dynasty that was controlling the office before so it probably is better that I NOT talk to them about politics anyway...

Laura

[AP]

7. NOWHERE! Politics is the most important part of civic life. Wherever two

or more people congregate, people should be able to talk about politics (civilly).

In fact, people should feel they have an OBLIGATION to talk about politics.

[RhodaGrits]

8. The two most interesting topics are politics and religion and

somehow those two have become taboo in favor of personal revelations and gossip. I would much rather hear someone's opinions on Iraq over their morning bowel habits and whether so and so is fooling around.

[skygazer]

9. This is something I've pondered a lot

I love discussing politics with friends and relatives. I welcome political discourse with Bush heads and born agains because I like to knock their points down and its generally pretty easy. I almost never get into acrimonious debate with them - I'm good at keeping it civil but effective.

I don't object to performers' using a stage to vent their political views. If I had that much influence and audience, I would do the same - I would feel it a duty to inform the public. Virtually every entertainer that I would pay to see is a hardcore liberal anyway so I don't really risk being offended - not that I'm really offended by anyone having an honest opinion.

I agree you have to be careful in the workplace. Everyone has to be there and it can get uncomfortable if there's a lot of heavy political talk. My job is union so there's not too many Bush backers there (I don't know of any) but we still don't get into it at work. Except when we go out the front door and the ugly little man with the "Register to vote Republican Here" sign is parked out there. Then we talk loudly and proudly!

[UTUSN]

10. Bars, Workplace, Community Situations

And I detest "debating," arguing, and hassling. When opinions are SO strongly opposed, the opposing philosophic kernels at the bottom of it all just MUST be a basic CONTEMPT for the other. I mean, my basic view is that the CORE of Repukes is a greedy scoundrelism, and that the core of wingnuts is THUGism. How can we discuss?

P.S., GREAT graphic: