this post was submitted on 22 Jan 2025
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I’ve had several conversations/arguments recently with my brother making clear my system of values and my hatred for the wealthy. He is nearly diametrically opposed on all accounts and often makes light of their actions. He goes so far as to say that poor people and people in need of social services should have to figure things out for themselves. He often defends Elon Musk and champions him for being self made.

He is getting married in a foreign country soon and I have been able to put aside our differences and have been planning on going

…up until yesterday that is. I asked him of his thoughts on Musk’s seig heil maneuver and he sent a right wing meme of democratic leaders caught mid wave, saying that “they did it first”. He continued to be avoidant and didn’t respond to me calling it a strawman.

In this moment it feels necessary to cancel my plans to send a message that this is not ok. Am I the (or an) asshole for not going to his wedding because of this?

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[–] [email protected] 11 points 57 minutes ago

You're not the asshole. Your brother is the asshole for being a right winger.

Cheeto Hitler's new term is gonna prompt a lot of people to perform a much needed purge of chuds in their social circle.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 17 minutes ago* (last edited 17 minutes ago)

99.9% of these posts boil down to "should I do what I want with my own life?"

Yes, you should do what you want with your own life.

[–] Corkyskog 4 points 47 minutes ago

I think you need to look at this differently. Look at it in the light of the event itself.

Will you enjoy going to the wedding? Will you enjoy your free time wherever this is before/after the wedding? Can you see yourself regretting not going? Will there be other like minded people to mingle with?

If the answer to those questions are no, then don't go. But if the answers are yes, just go and enjoy yourself.

Your making this more complicated than it needs to be... you're not the one marrying your brother.

[–] [email protected] 27 points 2 hours ago* (last edited 1 hour ago) (1 children)

Nah, don't go if you don't want to. Family are just randomly assinged people you share the same genes with. If you don't like them you don't have to force yourself to like them in order to appease random strangers online.

If he truly is your family and loves you, like all the "nonono he family you cant do this to FAMILY" posters are saying, he will understand and not hate you. If he does, fuck him.

[–] [email protected] -5 points 54 minutes ago (1 children)

No offence but this is advice of a traumatized child. This is not how families should be and if this is yours, you need genuine therapy, definetly not giving others advice on family. Op do not listen to this

[–] [email protected] 3 points 21 minutes ago

No offense, but this is advice from someone that's not related to a rabbid wolverine with a toothache and a chemical imbalance. Some relatives are fucking nightmares, and no amount of tolerance is gonna change that. Walking away is sometimes the best for your mental health. Can confirm. My psycho sister disowning the whole family was the greatest gift she ever gave us.

OP, unless you're in therapy and Shezzgrad is your licensed professional help, then ignore their advice.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 hour ago

As much as political differences matter, you will not change his mind by not going - but your relationships will get much, much more bitter, and it will be hard to rectify. Many people went through this mistake, and it costed them a lot.

Honor his wedding while keeping to your values. This event has nothing to do with them.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 2 hours ago

LOL. Elon is self made? Where did he get that from?

Did he conveniently forget mommy and daddy are rich from their emerald mine?

Self made means you don’t come from wealth and don’t have a support system to make you even more rich.

Your brother is a moron.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 hour ago* (last edited 1 hour ago)

I have recently nuked relationships over different values. It hurt but I know in my heart it was the right thing to do. I dont want to be the type of person that has a person like that in my life and covers for them.

Consider if this person is worth sacrificing your personal values and morals for.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 hours ago* (last edited 1 hour ago)

As with all things, this can be solved by some healthy passive-aggressions:

I'd go, drink heavily, find a random corner of vaguely like minded individuals and strike up a hearty politics convo with them. Don't mention your brothers views, or even assume everyone you're talking with agrees with you.

When your brother and his bride come around to ask how everyone is doing, smile blankly and nod politlely, and wait for him to leave.

Then resume the conversation.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

You are a drama queen and would probably make a scene at his wedding anyway. Don’t go.

[–] [email protected] 29 points 6 hours ago

People cut out family members for much less. I feel we are at a crucial turning point, and all we have left is letting the people we have a connection to know, that these stances are radical and not normal and that having them will have consequences. In your case not having a sibling at their wedding.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 5 hours ago* (last edited 5 hours ago)

NTA. A fascist is no longer family. You don't even need the context for this, the red line is so brightly painted there that you'd have to be dead not to notice it.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 6 hours ago

I think a lot of people would cut contact with their family at times like this due to the ways in which these kinds of beliefs often intersect with massive amounts of interpersonal abuse and broadly dysfunctional and unhappy relationships. I think this is most especially true of people who are queer, neurodivergent, disabled, or a member of some other minority, who are easily going to be subject by that abuse from their family more and more, especially as they may be more dependent on them and as they're more noticeably going to see that abuse well up as a result of those narratives. You know, people who get to see the "ugly sides" of their family.

I would say that if you're not actively dependent on your family, and you're not part of an actively hated minority which they will more easily discard, disrespect, and abuse, then that makes it easier to cut them out of your life, but that's also definitely a time at which you will counterintuitively be in the best position to sway them, since you're at your most secure.

So I would say that this is, in some part, a decision which you should probably make in reflection of your current material circumstances, the current state of your life. This also isn't a decision which you need to make right now, really, to cut him out of your life or decide to blow this particular one up. You said he's already married, and that your other two brothers aren't going, so one more probably won't hurt things that much even if you invent an excuse.

I'm like 90% sure if I showed my dad the picture of elon musk hitting the five knuckle shuffle live on stage in 4k 60fps three times in a row, he'd probably flee to the "my heart goes out to you" comment, right before trying to find some sort of talking point he could throw down the hopper in order to justify this shit, which is really to say nothing of the fact that he basically just fundamentally agrees with elon's actions on basically every level if he was to actually sit down and think about it for long enough. There's some people which cannot be helped, because they will repeatedly choose not to be. There isn't exactly a correct answer, here, I think the major thing is that if it goes sideways because of your decisions, you shouldn't beat yourself up or crash out over it, or become overly callous.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 7 hours ago

Didn't read the post body. NTA.

[–] [email protected] 65 points 9 hours ago (1 children)

I cut my sister out of my life and didn’t go to her wedding for similar reasons. I don’t regret it one bit and it has helped my mental health tremendously. However, I didn’t do it to “teach her a lesson,” or “prove anything,” I did it so I could live with myself, and stay true to my values. We all only have limited time and energy on this planet, so think about the way you spend them and what’s most important to you. For me, my biological family is toxic. My chosen family is awesome.

[–] [email protected] 27 points 9 hours ago (2 children)

I relate to this very strongly. And maybe it’s not an AITAH type question — I think of it as doing something for myself more than anything else. Sure I might lose relationships with family members but what will I gain emotionally and mentally? And will that outweigh the familial loss in the long run? .. Lots to think about

[–] [email protected] 0 points 21 minutes ago

Really? How hard is it to not talk politics.

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[–] [email protected] 20 points 8 hours ago* (last edited 8 hours ago)

For what it's worth: something I haven't seen come up (so while this is a pragmatic perspective, don't pretend I'm dismissing the importance of your relationship and your values! I'm only adding this for variety and discussion)

People can change. Many won't, but some do. [vid: former white supremacists describing their process of leaving] Whether you think your brother is willing or able to change is your call, and whether it's worth the emotional and mental strain is your call. You aren't obliged, but it's worth considering.

People who have left these ideologies, from what I've heard, often come back to two main points - they had someone in their life who cared about them, but was also unwilling to tolerate their bullshit, and they had to want to leave it by themselves. Honestly, I see parallels with people recovering from serious drug addictions and cults like QAnon.

But, again, this isn't easy and there's no guarantee of them changing, so do not feel obliged to even try. Your health is more important, and there are plenty of other ways you can help change the world.

[–] [email protected] 29 points 8 hours ago

Do you care if others see you as an asshole? Remove morality and other social obligations from it, if you don't like someone, you don't like someone. If spending time with this person upsets you, don't. Hell, even if you force yourself to go there's a chance he'll get under your skin and you'll end up causing a problem.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 7 hours ago (2 children)

To me this seems like a no-brainer. Don't go.

Why would you go to an assholes wedding? I'm currently planning a wedding and if I invited someone that didn't like me, I'd honestly rather they not come.

So. I'm not sure why you think you'd be considered an asshole. You're two different people that aren't friends and don't see eye to eye. Why would you go to his wedding?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 hours ago* (last edited 2 hours ago)

Maybe they are friends but have different political and social values. That happens.

If supporting fascists in taking over the USA is a deal-breaker to you, thats totally understandable though. But remember it is the easy way out, convincing them would be the right thing but much harder.

[–] [email protected] -3 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

Because it is their brother's wedding and there's a chance he won't be a fascist in the future but he'll always be family?

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

Family means nothing. Spend your time with people you love and who love you. Don't spend time around nazi-apologists.

[–] [email protected] -5 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

That'sa sad perspective to have on family.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

I think blind allegiance to family is a much more sad perspective

[–] [email protected] -2 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

That's really sad. Family should be a source of love and support even when you are in a bad place. Im sorry if that hasn't been the case for you.

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[–] [email protected] 100 points 10 hours ago (3 children)

Depends on how strongly you value your relationship with your brother. He may be a fuckwaffle, but he is your fuckwaffle. It's big of you setting your differences aside. If you don't go, and he means a lot to you outside of his political views, then you might regret not going. If you don't really care for him and political ideology is more important then dont go. I think not going is kind of crossing the Rubicon, but I don't know the situation part from your details

[–] [email protected] 42 points 10 hours ago

I think you're the most correct person here.

OP, it's your life and relationships. Of course people on the internet will tell you to pull the trigger on the nuclear option, because they don't experience any of the fallout of you making a hardline decision.

I'm not saying go to the wedding. I'm just saying consider how it might affect your relationship with him and the rest of your immediate family and decide if that's going to be a better situation overall, before acting.

[–] [email protected] 29 points 9 hours ago

Very level headed answer. We like to stand on principle here, but if OP doesn't go that's pretty much the end of their relationship, we're talking decades to repair. If that's what OP wants that's what OP wants, but in this case it might be better to take the high ground and say "I think your political views are horrendous, but you're still my brother". Get a few drinks then duck out after the speeches.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 7 hours ago

I agree. Don't think about it like going to the wedding or not. Decide if you want to cut ties with your brother and possibly other parts of your family. Maybe also people that don't share his political opinions but still side with him in terms of the wedding. Chances are high that not going will permanently damage your relationship to your brother and possibly other family members that side with him. If you value your ideals higher than your family, that's perfectly okay. But from perspective you aren't forced to do that.

[–] [email protected] 47 points 10 hours ago

If your brother defending a nazi salute at a nazi inauguration isn't reason enough for you to sit out his wedding, what on earth would be?

[–] [email protected] 16 points 8 hours ago

you'll never be an asshole for not dealing with nazi apologists homie

[–] [email protected] 14 points 8 hours ago

I wouldn't go to a Nazi wedding either.

[–] [email protected] 33 points 11 hours ago (2 children)

"If 10 people sit on a table with a Nazi, there are 11 Nazis on that table".

You are not the asshole.

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[–] [email protected] 20 points 10 hours ago (4 children)

Perhaps I should clarify things even further:

They are actually already married and I was at their first wedding. It was done at the courthouse during the pandemic so they could initiate her greencard application. This upcoming wedding is more of a celebration for the families.

I have two other brothers who are not going for unrelated reasons.

Not that these facts necessarily change anything, I felt they’re worth bearing in mind.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 hours ago

That changes nothing. You need to decode whether you want your brother in your life and how much if the family ypu would want cutting off.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 hours ago

I think that does change things.

I was previously inclined towards something like, "He's your brother, and I would try and say to him that while you disagree with him as fully as it's possible to, you will still be there because he's your brother, and that still means something to you" or similar. Something that might get him to understand that this isn't easy for you.

However, if you were already at his actual wedding, and this is just a party in another country, nah - tbh, I think it'd be fair to give it a miss even if he wasn't being a Nazi apologist.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 8 hours ago

Yeah, you went to the wedding already. You did your part. Asking you to go to another country for something that's already done just screams "give me attention" more than a wedding already does. That should be enough on its own.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 8 hours ago (1 children)

I think you should go and sarcastically call his wife a DEI hire/wife the whole time lol

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