Why, when I started studying the facts, did my Liberal "friends" start calling me a racist, anti American,etc.?

When I was younger, 18-24, I thought I was a Liberal because that is what everyone around me said I was. When I stopped watching TV and started studying more, started a small business, had a couple kids, got married, etc. my views changed and now, those same people who were once my "friends," call me a hypocrite, bigot, racist, "punk @$$ white boy." If Libs are so generous and caring, why do they flip out like that?