Boyfriend wants me to switch my party colours

Dear Pastor,

I am 25 years old and I have a male friend. We have been together for three years, but we are having problems.

I do not support the party that he loves and he is insisting that I come his way, because I should not be supporting one party while he is supporting the other. From I was growing up, my parents supported one political party. We all went to the public meetings. We admired our leader, and that particular party helped to send us to school.

Now, my boyfriend wants us to leave that particular party and support the one that he loves. Sometimes I hear him say derogatory things about the leader of my party. I told him that he ought to stop saying those things about my party, especially when he is around me. But he continues to say what he feels like saying, and he cannot prove anything that he says.

Another thing is that I do not like to wear his party colours to declare that I am one of the supporters. I told him that I would visit one of the party conferences, but I did not go. That caused a big problem between us. I told him I have a right to change my mind for good reasons. I would not have had a good education today had it not been for my member of parliament. So please tell me what to do.

I always work for my party. But I will not work in this coming election for his party, because I don't support that side.

Initial Withheld.

Dear Writer,

Please tell your boyfriend to back off. He knows that it is wrong for him to be trying to persuade you to leave the party you have supported from you were very young.

You are loyal to that party and it has helped you from you were a child. Your partner should respect you and not try to force you to change. I have known political parties that have helped young people, and when I say help, I mean from the time they were on their mother's breasts. Some of these young people look upon the members of parliament as their fathers and mothers. So this young man has no right to be abusing you and saying unkind things about your party leader.

If your boyfriend were a smart man, he could have operated in a different way and wooed you to his side. But you would not budge, because he is trying to bully you, and those days are done. So tell him to back off.

Pastor