It is bitter to lose a friend to evil, before one loses him to death...

The title of this note comes from Mary Renault's The Praise Singer.

The novel, which is a good one, covers the politics of ancient Athens, somewhat prior to the start of the Persian Wars.

One of the circumstances it relates – the assassination of Hipparchos (brother of ruler of Athens) by the lovers Harmodios and Aristogeiton over what were (essentially) personal reasons.

This story was later re-written as being the killing the reigning tyrant by a pair of democrats seeking liberty is one of the earliest known examples of conscious, self justified distortion history for political ends (see Thucydides). 

The mention of conscious distortion is poignant, for me at any rate, of feelings I have at the moment.

You see, I find the conscious distortion objectionable, because regardless of the virtue of a political position, historical truth is more important: to disregard is to me evil. That is a small thing, and I only mention it as an example.

Similar actions by people I have known for sometime, people that might be allies to my political goals – albeit on considerably to right of my own positions.

For one example, how should I think of someone who can take joy in 'our' mob closing down a rally by 'their' side (specifically the cancellation of a Trump rally in Vancouver).  Dismissing principals of in the interest of some greater politics: there is the kind of speech that makes a point that this just isn't acceptable.
In another instance, what do one say to a person whose response to criticism of the current president's failures leading up to 2014 elections, is to embrace expediency and the Führerprinzip: what we've got is pretty good and should only be defended.

I could point out how privileged some people are, to live in regions and situations where they have support, and perhaps even majority political status.

Or I could raise the practical issues: consider the reverse situation. I wonder if they could bring themselves to extend such feelings to the person who refused to provide road side service because they disapproved Sanders for President stickers on the care.

I'd like to write off the behavior of these people I have known for some time as political naivete, but I cannot.

I feel I have lost them to evil, an evil which I see more around me.  And I feel ashamed.