Define “friend”.
At this point in my life, my established friendships go back 25 years, 30 years, or even more. With some of them I’ve been through hell and back. It would take some serious misconduct on their part for me to even consider ending that friendship, and vice versa.
That said, these people are my friends for a reason. We share the same values.
While LN did initially raise some eyebrows, it didn’t take more than reminding everyone of the presumption of innocence as a pillar of human rights to get them back on track and start a healthy discussion about the actual facts of the matter.
As far as casual acquaintances or “friends” on social media go, I try to choose my battles wisely. Sometimes you just have to let people go, because they will believe what they want to believe, no matter what. And in those cases, it’s not really a loss, because you can’t trust them to not turn their witch hunt mentality against yourself at some point in the future.
If I don’t find common ground with someone on basic human rights, I don’t see a point in discussing matters any further, because nothing good will ever result from that kind of discussion. That energy is better invested in people with a genuine desire to seek the truth.
“Do not argue with every one, nor practise upon the man in the street: for there are some people with whom any argument is bound to degenerate. For against any one who is ready to try all means in order to seem not to be beaten, it is indeed fair to try all means of bringing about one's conclusion: but it is not good form. Wherefore the best rule is, not lightly to engage with casual acquaintances, or bad argument is sure to result.”
– Aristotle (Topics, Book VIII)
http://classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/topics.8.viii.html
I find it perfectly adequate to back out of unpromising discussions, and no one did it with more style than Bertrand Russell in his response to a fascist’s provocation:
“I feel obliged to say that the emotional universes we inhabit are so distinct, and in deepest ways opposed, that nothing fruitful or sincere could ever emerge from association between us. I should like you to understand the intensity of this conviction on my part. It is not out of any attempt to be rude that I say this but because of all that I value in human experience and human achievement.”
https://www.brainpickings.org/2016/10/06/bertrand-russell-oswald-mosley/
Be kind to everyone, but be careful whom you call your friend. The rule I live by. Had to learn it the hard way in my 20’s.