Two Friends Poles Apart Politically

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Friends have something in common. It is seldom one thing. It’s more: same primary school, neighbourhood, religion, sports or dating brothers or sisters. It can also be politics.

Can the friendship survive if two people have differing views about the world today and the world tomorrow? Friendship is in the headlines this week because former president Donald Trump has endorsed Dr. Oz as a candidate for the U.S. Senate.

I don’t know him medically. I know him from his regular appearance on the Oprah Winfrey show. Her views are well-known and she endorsed Barack Obama very early when he was running for president. Obviously, Dr. Oz is a Republican if Trump is endorsing him.

Before we go too far, is Oprah and Dr. Oz friends as in friends, or was it just a business relationship? If they were friends friends, does this mean they had to be on the same wave length politically?

It depends on the individual. It is critical for me. I cannot hang out with people with different political views from mine because politics determine how much tax I pay; who doesn’t pay tax; women’s rights; who votes for television stars like Trump and Oz; and who is handled with cotton wool gloves by the police, while they kill other suspects on sight.

I disengaged from two friends some years ago.  The provincial government we worked for was downsizing. We did not like what it brought to the table, so the union called a strike. 

I was on the picket line five days a week. The two friends walked passed me and went through the glass doors of the building. We didn’t get everything from the labour dispute negotiation, but we had substantial gains. My two friends did not say no, we don’t want the benefits because we crossed the picket line.

They harvested where they did not plant.

By: Nonqaba waka Msimang.

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