You are under the illusion that it matters who one votes for. The choice is an illusion. It does not matter who your friends voted for, it only matters who the entire electorate voted for, of which your friends are but a fraction. Whatever they vote, they can only vote once, and thus have a negligible effect on life and death at the hands of the government. Just as one may contribute a fraction of a "murder" by polluting. Every year more than 2 million people die of pollution, and all of us pollute, no matter how much we try to recycle and reduce consumption. Are we all murderers, to an extent, because of our contribution to this grim toll? I would very much like my friends to vote like I do, just as I would like them to pollute as little as possible, but I don't blame them for the consequences of their choices, because they have so little effect on the actual outcome.
I separate between personal responsibility and collective responsibility. I don't hold a person accountable for the acts of the government, even if he voted for it (unless he participates in its activities, of course). I don't make politics personal.
Other than that, I think political activism can and should be taken very far, almost with no limit. For something important enough, I'm sure every decent person would sacrifice life (his own, and that of others). Those who set limits to political activism are usually those who are comfortable with the status quo.
Damian, I disagree with two parts of your comment, both of which add up to be the same (...and thus have negligible effect on life and death.., AND ...I don't hold a person responsible for the acts of ... even if he voted for it).While this is essentially true for a government whose platform was one thing but on attaining power does something else. The voter can be considered duped and essentially should not be held responsible.
But what if the governments platform pretty much open eg "When we get to power we will immediately round up all Arabs and send them to internment camps" and then they follow through. How then can you remove accountability from the voter? They support the government programs and their votes willingly endorsed the political goals.
Those who voted for George Bush's second term are as morally responsible for each death in Iraq as Bush and Cheney are. They are enablers and accessories. I would not hold them accountable for their votes in the first election.
I don't see thing that way. I would certainly think less of them for supporting such a terrible administration, or, in your first example, I would despise them for being racists, but I don't hold them accountable personally. Their personal contribution to the atrocities as mere voters are negligible.
