Is it wrong to maintain a friendship with someone who holds views abhorrent to most of society?
I have a friend who is very racist. He often refers to "ethnics" as people he shouldn't really have to mix with and that he sees as beneath him. He is also very anti-gay. He once said that he didn't think gay people should be allowed in politics as they only vote more rights for themselves.
His beliefs seem to go beyond the levels of mild xenophobia and homophobia found in most of society. I find them offensive and am embarrassed lest anyone overhears him ranting while I am with him. But for all that, he is a friendly, pleasant young man whose company I enjoy. On the one hand, I feel as though I may be able to challenge his beliefs and perhaps get him to see the issues in another light. On the other hand, I feel that his beliefs are so ingrained that he may never regard them as wrong, and that by associating with him, others may believe I share his views or at least don't deem them to be a problem.
I'm not asking for guidance here. I have no intention of ending the friendship. But I am interested to know what other people think about this situation and others like it. What if I were to be friends with a vocal Nazi? Or an active terrorist? If you do not feel that the current situation is wrong, is there anything that he could be or could do that would cross the line?
Total Votes
% of Voters
Female Votes
Male Votes
% of Female Votes
% of Male Votes
Average Age
Answer
9
10.0%
6
3
13.0%
13.0%
41.5
It is wrong to maintain this friendship and that would be true of certain other situations as well.
28
31.1%
19
9
41.3%
39.1%
33.0
It is not wrong to maintain this friendship, but there are other situations where it would be.
13
14.4%
9
4
19.6%
17.4%
32.2
It is not wrong to maintain this friendship and there are no situations where it would be.
I had a lot of trouble with the options here...any suggestions? Perhaps I should just take them out and make this essay?
Also, I know I ask extra questions in the explanation and I want to leave those in place as they are all examples of what I am trying to get at. But does that make this confusing?
good survey question
