Politics changes hearts and minds. Not in a good way. The more partisan the politics, the worse the obvious damage.
Politics brainwashes people. It drives reasoned thought right out of the human brain. Being too political doesn't do good things to your emotions, either. I try to warn people of this danger, whether they want to hear it or not. They usually don't want to.
A mind damaged by politics can lead the victim to say things like "If you don't support my politician you support this other politician". Maybe they'll substitute political parties for individual politicians. It's a logical error either way. It requires ignoring the fact that there are almost always more than two choices. Don't let anyone force you into a false choice. You don't have to choose between cyanide and arsenic; anyone who tells you otherwise is not looking out for your best interests. They are trying to manipulate you by limiting the options you can see. Look past them.
Some people really don't want to hear it, but their favorite politician is not God. I know this truth hurts some feelings, but it needs to be said anyway. All humans have flaws; politicians have the most dangerous human flaw of all-- they seek the power to govern other people. Good people don't do this. If a good person starts trying to govern others, they cease to be a good person. I would never encourage anyone I liked or respected to seek political office. In fact, I have tried to talk people out of it. I don't want to see their goodness destroyed.
I have no respect for political parties or politicians; liberty is my only concern. There is no respect for liberty in a mind possessed by political thinking. Regardless of any misguided accusations, I am not a Democrat or Republican. I'm the opposite.
Once someone becomes politically partisan, they've joined a team. They'll usually support their chosen team in spite of all evidence they should bail out. The more obvious the evidence becomes to outsiders, the more they'll dig in to support their team. When someone points out this strange behavior to you, it isn't a sign they support the other team. Only a person blinded by politics could imagine it is.
Again, reality isn't a forced choice between Team Blue and Team Red. If you believe it is, you've been brainwashed. I want you to heal from the damage.
