Unfortunately my tact is not very good. Never has been.

and I think you did the right thing. I returned a gift to a neighbor at Christmas. Last Spring, they cut down a stand of mature, healthy pines on the edge of their yard. I stopped talking to them then. I don't know what they thought a gift, which they left on my porch, would do. I thought about what to do overnight. I didn't want them to think I accepted it, so I left it at the end of their drive.
Was the decision hard to make? Yes. Did my choice show the courage of my convictions? Yes. It was a bridge I'm glad I burned.
In your case, maybe your friend will understand you better and think about their position.

I kind of have stayed away from this thread for the past couple of hours (there be trolls under the bridge). I normally would not do this but sometimes it's just not worth it. Instead of engaging I will just ignore them.

Thanks again for sharing your story & may your evening be happy & joyous.

it’s called accountability to your peers. It’s not an easy spot to be in, but I think it’s one of the ways we can use our power effectively. But it’s also important to let them know we care about them personally. I can’t tell you how many friends that are now MAGAt I’ve had to walk away from, even though I care about them deeply.

Just curious.

Interesting.

... something to ponder. Hyper-Capitalists/Fascists do not sit well with you, little room for ambiguity.

I would have donated it to a cause that would make the far right’s head explode, like an abortion clinic or your local Democratic Party office.

I'd love a good Amazon alternative... haven;t really found one. Walmart has a big shopping site, but it's no better really. The majority of stuff I get on Amazon I simply can't get locally.... or if I can, the selection is extremely limited and the price WAY higher.

Curious what other folks are doing.

Normally store brands. But I do use https://www.wayfair.com/ quite a bit.

a lot of people go to Amazon and buy "whatever" automatically......And Amazon has conditioned people to do just that.

Here's something you and everyone should consider trying!

I go to Amazon to find the exact thing, brand, model number, etc that I am looking for. Then I take that info of the item and go to google it. It comes up with many other sources, and often at less cost than Amazon, and with free shipping also.

An example, I needed a step ladder. I went to Amazon and found the best brand, found the model. Then I went on Google.
A.N.D. W.O.W I found that the MANUFACTURER of that ladder was selling that exactly same ladder for 75 bucks, with free shipping.
Amazon's price was 125 bucks.......

I can't tell you how many times I've done this these past few years..........Try it!!!!!!!!!

For electronics I have switched to Best Buy. With getting a login account they offer free shipping and prices are better or same as Amazon.

My Amazon Prime was going to renew today, 1/16 = I cancelled it. Will use that $139 for charities.

forget that they are pretty unusual in the aspect of being as political we DU people are. The majority of people don't think much about politics in their daily life. If at all. Where they shop is a non-issue. Who they associate with is a non-issue. Politics is something they have to endure once every 4 years for a couple weeks. They're flip voters. They don't party line vote. If they vote.

I think your friend is like that. I have plenty in my life who couldn't for $100 give me any details about the last election other than they heard Trump won.

Independent sure, but apolitical for the most part. I often envy them their detachment from politics. Since the election results, apart from coming here, I've been emulating them to an extent. No MSNBC, no Sunday shows, no reading political stories in the newspaper. I get the appeal.

I feel the same way. I'm looking for other sources to buy products.

For a friend this month and have been trying to decide who or where to buy from. Any one have any gift ideas for middle age female?

She says she is done.

Lots of unique handmade gifts and customizing available for many.

a nice smelling candle
and
from Lush: a perfume called chelsea morning

my daughter wears it, i loved the way it smelled and she got me a bottle for xmas.
sometimes i just open the bottle and smell it, it's so good!
https://www.lush.com/us/en_us/p/chelsea-morning-perfume

She is a person who has everything hard to decided.

I’m aware of the Democratic, Republican Libertarian, Conservative, Green, Tea, Socialist and Communist Parties running candidates in past elections and what they profess but never the “Independent Party”. Perhaps he meant that he’s unaffiliated with any party, which to me shows that he either has no core political values or is too afraid to express them in public.

From the FL Sec of State:

https://dos.fl.gov/elections/candidates-committees/political-parties/

You're right though, when most people here say Independent they really mean no party affiliation (NPA).

I am registered unaffiliated because in my gossipy small town red town, it is nobody’s business how I am registered.

Constructive way you chose to virtually, throw it in his face.
How rude.
If a friend , probably not a friend anymore, gives you something, you say thank you, a real friend doesn't act like that.
Don't use politics to be that way.

If I lost a friend over that, then so be it. I am what I am. I can't say nothing more.

'I am what I am' should include hope. You can change for the better. Hopelessness about others is a dead end. When others here suggest that you rethink what you did, they do it from hope.

You yourself can hope he forgives you for being ungrateful for his giving spirit, and simply say you're sorry you hurt his feelings.

You can undo this and keep a friend, a human being, no matter what you think of "independents."

If you're willing to treat others as you yourself would like to be treated, now is a good time to do that.

Giving someone a "gift" from a company that supports, enables, defends and funds fascism is pretty "in your face".

Didn't the Jews "thank" Hitler for the free train ride?

I can overlook quite a bit, but I can't overlook people that don't understand, or comprehend what, or who we are up against.

In today's America, using Amazon is funding fascism.

If we continue to ignore that, we get what we deserve.

Amazon and Bezos are not fascists, and using Amazon isn't "funding fascism."

Words mean things and I've hear "Fascism" used to describe way too many people and things. It'll have no meaning when you need it to actually point out a fascist.

Fascism is a far-right, authoritarian, and ultranationalist political ideology and movement, characterized by a dictatorial leader, centralized autocracy, militarism, forcible suppression of opposition, belief in a natural social hierarchy, subordination of individual interests for the perceived good of the nation or race, and strong regimentation of society and the economy. Opposed to anarchism, democracy, pluralism, egalitarianism, liberalism, socialism, and Marxism.

Fascism rejects the view that violence is inherently negative or pointless but rather views imperialism, political violence, and war as means to national rejuvenation. Fascists often advocate for the establishment of a totalitarian one-party state, and for a dirigiste economy (a market economy in which the state plays a strong directive role through economic interventionist policies)

The hyperbole and thought distortion in this thread (and many others lately) is off the charts. As someone stated up thread. The vast majority of people in this country don’t spend their waking hours obsessing over politics. If things are going good, they like those in office. If things aren’t, they dislike them. For them, Inflation = Bad = Biden Bad. Destroying friendships is a good way to forever limit any influence people have ever had, or will ever have to change those folks minds, long term.

Donnie Dipshit is, and Musk, Bezos, Zuckerberg and the corporations that are funding him are helping him.

I guess we should just wait until the Immigrant Camps are full before we do something.

If only there was something the world could have done to stop Hitler...

Excuse me for trying to get out in front of what's coming. I'd rather not wait.

If I am wrong, and we don't devolve into a fascist police state, all I've lost is wasted time on X, Facebook and some stuff I can buy local without using Amazon.

If I am right.....

But thinking that it COULD is definitely thinking outside the box.

It's going to take an effort similar to the Civil Rights Act, or somewhere between that level of resistence and Gettysburg.

We are "invisible" to them. They could care less about the 76 million that didn't vote for Donnie Dipshit, they are going to "govern" as if we don't exist. What scares me the most, is that if you caught them in an honest moment, they would much prefer we didn't exist.

That's not hyperbole, because I have seen it firsthand.

John Kasich won the governorship in Ohio by 50.8% of the vote. He also had a Retrumplican majority state legislature. He "governed" as if he won with 98% of the vote. They passed gerrymandered maps, legislation, and put sychophants into positions of power that oversaw elections. Today, they could win 44% of the state-wide vote in Ohio, and control 70% of the states political power.

I saw that with my own eyes. It was downplayed, as we were told; "surely moderate Ohio state Retrumplicans wouldn't allow such an undemocratic power grab." Guess what, when push came to shove, there were no moderate Ohio Retrumplicans.

Maybe you forget, but they didn't even acknowledge the 81 million people that voted for President Biden. A violent coup had to be put down, but they spent the entire 4 years of Biden's presidency arguing that he was illegitimate. In others words, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE 81 MILLION AMERICANS were also illegitimate.

Look at what they've done in North Carolina, Texas, Tennessee and in EVERY STATE they have a trifecta.

I am tired of people telling me we aren't devolving into fascism, when I am watching it takes shape with my own eyes.

We had better wake up quick, but at a minimum could we at least be honest about who, and what these people are?

I consider this more rude!

seems like a dick move.

My God! He's upset because Amazon might lose a little money, but OK if innocent American people get rounded up into immigrant concentration camps?

He doesn't want to hurt Amazon, but is OK with miscarrying women bleeding out on the table?

He doesn't want to hurt Amazon, but is OK with a violent coup?

Some "friend" you've got there.

This is why I have cut all ties with people that voted for Donnie Dipshit.

Seems like I don't fit the mold for some here.

Maybe I should just kee my mouth shut & live like a hermit.

Yea for me!

The missus still shops at Sam's Club occasionally. But she's always careful to let me know what her purchases were so I don't eat/use them. Haven't for 25+ years. Sam Walton was "Buy American" to a fault. His heirs were the exact opposite. Amazon is worse.

Unfortunately my husbands likes to watch movies and shows on prime and he won’t let me cancel. But I get even by not ordering products from them.

business so where I live you can rarely find what you want anymore. For the dumbest small thing you've got a choice, either click on Amazon and buy it in 10 seconds or spend half a day driving around the countryside searching. It's frustrating. Same has happened with pharmacies where I live. You've got a choice - Walgreens or Walgreens. The small businesses are gone.

Lots of US Mom and Pop stores on ebay and mercari, you can even filter us sellers in your search.

are Republicans? Do we have to ask them before be buy anything?

or give it to someone else to use since it's just giving away money to Amazon if it isn't used.

Otherwise I don't use Amazon but at that point Amazon had the money. So I mostly use it for out of print or university press books. I just want to use the darn thing up. It was large so I didn't want to give it away but I don't want "them" to have even a nickel of free money.

Before that I was often given smaller Amazon gift cards from work or even as a present from people who don't understand that I boycott them. They think everyone uses them! Well everyone doesn't. But I gave those away, too.

But I think donating to a shelter or animal rescue or something is probably the best option. Often those organizations do probably need to order from Amazon.

To those who ask where people buy things if not from Amazon, what are these things you can't buy in person or order from somewhere else? Amazon has become insidious that way.

I understand your point, reason why I don't have accounts on facebook or twitter, but as I said, the money had been spent already so to not hurt your friend's feelings maybe what you should have done is pick a gift form Amazon and have him get it for you, because you don't have an Amazon account, that would have been the same as him buying the gift for you at a store.

Anyway...just a thought.

And will count more and more going forward.

A hard moment for you but damn I’m proud of ya!

Unity is a principle. Unity isn't uniformity.
Unity allows for win-win difference without putting that difference in some negative win-lose position.

Republicans used to govern with the principle of unity in mind. No longer.
Just because Republicans no longer practice unity, but instead, division, doesn't mean that any Democrat should be like them.

That doesn't mean that we help them. Not until they unite to work again for what works for the American people, coming up with win-win differences about how that's done.

William769 has principles and stood by them.

There is no win-win with MAGATs. (Not saying his friend is a MAGAT). I would never be friendkly with a MAGAT. Their belief "system" is antithetical to all that is kind and good.

The hosts need to hang up on them.

I've noticed when life-long repugs see their candidate as a failure, a lot of them become "Independents". Hilarious.

to facilitate the movement of the things they sell or make.

Who didn't relay much more open disdain for dems than reps.

to boycott vis a vie purchases. I suspect if we all knew the names of everyone owning or heading companies in this country, we'd find a lot we'd like to boycott (even enterprises like local utilities or trade workers - I don't even think about how my local plumber votes when my bathroom is flooding). I do know republicans (here in TX) who will only buy Hunts products because Heinz is owned by a democrat. I guess I'm still in the camp that if it's easy to avoid (like choosing an independent coffee shop over Starbucks I'll probably do it, but who knows how the Indy shop owner votes).

I'm trying to think about what I would've done in your situation. On election day, in anger and disgust, I may well have ripped it up in front of his face rather than gift it to a charity. Hard to say, and hindsight doesn't really help. I'm sorry I have no answers for you, just wanted to commiserate, and I think these decisions are going to get more difficult as the next 4 years come in to focus.

many of us use Amazon for a lot of nonfood purchases because we are home-bound by difficult circumstances. I can't even shop for groceries unless I'm alone because my autistic son is too impatient. Previously, I was home-bound because I couldn't leave a very elderly MIL with dementia at home alone.

I wish I could make it better for you.

You aren't hurting Bezos.

I'm glad I did.

What does he say to that?

Amazon already has his money.

I would have just said thanks, and exchanged the card for cash, or a card from a different company.

(Google “gift card exchange”)

I feel good about dropping my PayPal account because of Thiel being the cofounder. Silly to some but gratifying to me.

also don't shop Walmart.

Spending every day of your life making sure you don’t buy something from a company with owners or leadership possibly having different political views? In this case, you don’t even know how your friend voted. Instead of just saying thank you for the gift, but I just don’t shop on Amazon, you had to tell him why. He’s so non political that you invite him for coffee and never talk politics.

Do you really have time to investigate every owner of a company whose products you use?

I give you credit for not telling your friend to stay away from now on. Wonder how he feels about continuing a friendship with you? $100 is a lot of money for a neighbor’s gift.

I’m really starting to believe that all of these posts like this…. are embellished at the minimum.

Your GodDamn right I'll investigate these fucking companies!

And if you really believe this post has been embellished, feel free to just keep moving along.

I never realized Amazon targeted gay men. That’s horrible. This should be talked about by the media. The Democratic Party better start talking about this, too. They can name names and really make a difference.

That’s different than returning your friend’s gifts because of politics.

There are just so many threads lately, disowning relatives, ending friendships over politics. You didn’t end a friendship. That’s refreshing.

Referring to companies in General going back the past 25 years. Yes, it's still happening to this day. I guess my point is I will investigate any company for any reason up to and including political affiliation. Because we all know how much the republican party just love the
Gays.

Of every company you deal with? Do you know who owns your local grocery store? Who delivers their food? When your purchase anything from anywhere, Wayfair or somewhere else, you take the time to investigate their politics? The owner of Wayfair is a billionaire. He has donated to both parties. Hedging his bet. Is that ok? What about a door dash delivery driver? The pilot of the plane you’re boarding to go on vacation. The owner of the car dealership you use. It goes on and on and on.

The interesting thing about the Amazon hatred is - if you have any kind of investment in a 401k or other fund, it’s more than likely that you’re invested in Amazon.

Everyone knows what the GOP is all about. But when you have a long term friend having his Christmas gift returned because of politics, who has won? You? Or the people who relish your angst.

I't pretty easy to figure out. If you can't do it then thats on you. I also suspect a ulterioor motive here. With that being said, I bid you a good evening.

I think it’s incredibly unproductive for Democratic voters to alienate friends and family and neighbors. I’m trying to see the good in giving a Christmas gift back in an angry way. Plus I think most posts like this OP are embellished at best. Alienating friends and family just isn’t healthy.

Have a nice evening.

They are a no-effort gesture that does nothing to acknowledge what a person wants or needs. I HATE Amazon and will never pay a dime to that online monopoly.

Why are gift cards bad? The retailer gets their money in advance, but there is an 8% chance the card holder will never use it. Think about how many gift cards are still unclaimed in a drawer. That is why retailers push these things everywhere because they make out well with those odds.

Second of all, it’s an impersonal gift. Assuming everyone wants to shop at monopolistic Amazon or any other pre-determined retailer or service limits the actual gift opportunity. I hate online shopping and avoid it as much as possible. I Instead try to support local retailers— even the big box stores have employees they support, pay local rent and taxes.

Why don’t people just give each other cash instead? Then they can use that money for anything they want and there’s absolute 100% free choice. It’s the most reusable item ever invented and certainly does not go to waste or sit in a drawer unclaimed. NO ONE will ever have a political or ethical dilema.

Finally, while some are given electronically, most are made of NON-recyclable plastic and are generally treated as single-use items. They may seem small, but when you consider the billions of these that are generated each year, that is a lot of NEEDLESS WASTE when you could just give cash Instead or give the gift of experiences, like take the friend out and pay for their lunch. Or go to some show together. The receiver will cherish the gift of you treating for a holiday coffee and a catching up session far more than a Starbucks card.

Telling your friend you don’t want to support fascists billionaire tech bros is noble and shows you have values. Living your values, especially when it is uncomfortable is courageous. Friends, and people on this forum thinking your approach was rude will get over it and you may have planted a seed in them, too. Societal norms are a hard thing to shift or shake off.

Reduce, reuse, reTHINK.
I have had to wean my friends off of giving me any gift because I have way too much stuff as it is. There is something in our culture that makes us feel obligated to give each other gifts all the time and most of the time the recipient doesn’t even like it that much. (we have all been there as well having to do the fake excitement over something that we know we don’t need or like.)

However, cash or a free lunch, I will gladly accept if they feel they must! I love giving them, too!

never think beyond the tips of their noses. This lack of critical thinking results in selfishness, zero empathy and little desire to understand of the other, we call it MAGA world .

But, I ahve had Amazon Prime since literally the first week it existed, and jsut cancelled it. We are going to try and use Amazon for as little as we can, and hope to be able to axe it within a few months.

Most I've known have been conservatives, at least, or as you said closeted republicans. They generally make fun of liberals and progressives.

Amazon already has the money at this point so at least make them supply the goods.

as the term independent is usually employed. People who consider themselves Independents in Florida are generally listed on their voter registration cards as NPA which stands for no party affiliation. I'm not saying he's not a member of the Independent Party of Florida, but apolitical people don't understand the difference. He may be unaffiliated with any party according to his voter registration card, or he may have joined the Independent Party thinking that it actually meant he's not affiliated with any party, or he knows what the Independent Party is and knowingly joined it. That said, I'm in a very red part of Florida and I have quite a few friends who are former Republicans and are now NPAs and have nothing but disdain and disgust for Trump and everyone associated with him.

Does that make sense?

Being in S.W. Florida, I've yet to find a Independent with a kind word for a Democrat.

but you just don't know... there have been so many articles written about the Independent Party here and how people who are clueless have joined it thinking that they are not affiliating with any particular party, lol.

I'm in West Central Florida, in a very, very red county, and all the independents that I know here are fiscally conservative and socially liberal. And there are a lot of them. We even have one woman in her 70s in our dog walking group who packs a gun in her fanny pack wherever she goes, including walks in our gated golf course community, and she is very liberal when it comes to social issues. She's a registered Republican and Trump supporter. Go figure. I myself registered as an independent (which was the term used for no party affiliation in Virginia at the time) when I was finally old enough to vote, and I didn't change my party affiliation to Democrat until Trump took office. I have never been anything but a bleeding heart liberal. It's funny how the Independents in your neck of the woods are completely different from my Independents.

While I appreciate that you stood up for what you believe in, I hope you at least were kind enough to thank him for caring to give you such a generous gift, and I hope that you will at least give him the benefit of the doubt and not just assume he's a rabid, closeted maggot. I myself would have donated the card to a family in need.

When the person that gave one, was keenly aware I would not shop there.

I don't shop Amazon either.

...of being able to avoid uncomfortable social situations just to hide our integrity.

What is wrong, is just wrong, and we must let people know that now with so much at stake.

But I'd probably take the amazon card if it came from a friend.

from, of all places Starbucks which to me has horrible coffee.
Thank goodness the gift cards come from well-meaning but short relationship-type people who I never see again and have never had coffee with.
Every now and then I clean out my purses and throw them in a pile and at times have used it for a piece of stale bagel or whatever preserved food Starbucks might have in their shiny showcases. But I only do that if I am desperate and the card is somewhere I can find it.

We all have to stand for something.
Not spending money at businesses that you don't support is very important.
Just like when people are on strike, withholding their labor, we can do the
same with our money. Without sales any company will either change or fail.

Years from now when we are picking up the pieces the great Amazon gift card stand of Christmas 2024 will be looked back on as the turning point.

While I understand the sentiment behind this gesture, I'm kind of lukewarm about it, especially after hearing his response.

I'm sure every one of us know (or used to know) at least one person who would vote with the strict purpose of angering a liberal/someone they hate, etc. I've seen many R's who fit this bill.

With that being the case, anything that would create the desire for someone to vote in such a fashion is something we should collectively avoid. If he offered you this card without any politics behind it, I could EASILY see why returning it with said reasons would anger him.

I haven't cut R's out of my life. But I'm not actively engaging them either. If engagement happens, I remain open minded with them as long as they offer me the same.

I have personally had encounters with R's where through thoughtful discussion, they have changed their tune a little bit. It's not often. But every little bit helps.

Hopefully other people can have similar results.

Just something to think about.

... just said, "I don't use Amazon." Personally, I do use it - as a last resort. It seems, to me, a lot of stuff I buy in stores is getting harder to find. The latest is a certain light bulb I like... CVS and the grocery store have stopped selling them... but I found them on Amazon. Also, I have a friend and a family member selling their books on Amazon. They are both progressive politically. Buying their books there, and reviewing them favorably, helps them. If Amazon were under better leadership, I would visit them more often. Same with PayPal and Wall-Mart. The latter visited once in the last 15 years, for an "exclusive" only available at the store. Hopefully, you and your friend can revisit this topic and continue your friendship... keeping the "door open" can sometimes let some new light shine through.

is that "They already have toe money, and I can't take that back. I may as well get the merchandise so they have that much less product to make money from."

And in any case I may not have to worry about it again. The (liberal) friend who gave me a couple has switched to prepaid VISA cards.

As others have stated, probably best to use the card even if donated.

Find a way to use the money to help someone.

that they could not support OUT LOUD to the rest of us.

However, Amazon already made their $100 when the "Independent" bought the gift card, so if you'd used it, you wouldn't be giving them anything more.

Still, kudos to you for returning it. That was a nice statement of principle.

A gift is an offering of love and I would accept someone’s kindheartedness almost unconditionally. I humbly suggest it was wrong to refuse your friend’s gift to demonstrate your hatred for Amazon.

Furthermore, I would call him and apologize for putting politics ahead of friendships. Jeff Bezos is feeling no pain from refusing the gift, nor is your friend convinced Amazon is a corporate evil.

Life is too short, be virtuous and don’t appear to be a virtue signaler—which clearly you are overflowing with the will to work and support your beliefs.

But you said it yourself—it was a knee-jerk reaction and not your best. Trust me, I’ve done it too.

Many times.

If true, that is really sad. Too ashamed of your party to admit you're a republican, but vote that way nonetheless.

Feels like you are connecting dots to further justify your actions.

Your really good friend (Your words) was gracious, generous, thoughtful, and now has absolutely unnecessarily hurt feelings for his efforts.

To be clear, you effectively told off a really good friend in a passive aggressive way because he didn’t give you the kind of gift that meets your high standards of economic moral superiority, or you have an unconscious bias that he isn’t an affirmed Democrat and you are suspicious of some closeted tendencies that you disagree with, so he too should be punished, like bezos.

Maybe you could have instead used it to buy him something when the time was right to reciprocate a gift. It was his money after all.

Even throwing it the trash unbeknownst to him and saying thank you for being so thoughtful would have been a better solution than throwing it in his face IMO.

But you do you.

owned more of Amazon. He owns 8.8% of Amazon. Interesting.

it's about being able to look in the mirror every morning ...

I was an independent - meaning I wasn't enrolled in any party - for over 35 years. Always I voted for Democratic candidates, but I only participated in general elections.

By 2008 I finally came to the realization that skipping the primaries wasn't helpful. I really wanted to vote for Hillary Clinton for President, but it seemed that Obama would probably beat her in the primary and he'd become the Democratic nominee. So in the Spring of 2008 I bit the bullet and enrolled in the Democratic Party. I was able to vote for Hillary in the primary, and for Obama in the general election.

I believe a lot of baby-boomers remained independent, and we all have our oddball reasons. However I have known more liberal-leaning and D-voting independents than anything else. Maybe it's because of where I've lived: in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

I respect your reasons for not wanting to use the Amazon gift card, but it's unfortunate that you had to lose a friend over it.