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Thanksgiving and Politics

Do you discuss politics at the TG table

  • Total voters
    45
  • Poll closed .
TurtleDude said:
well I judged the post based on what was in the post-not the history of the poster-hence our disagreement. In our family, it depends who shows up. One brother is a hard core Hillary fan boy, the other is in the middle (he voted for McCain and Romney and Clinton-his wife is a interesting case of a self loathing debutante) and then there is me and my wife. One nephew is a gunsmith he's far right, another is a Green Beret Major-even more right, but one of the brother's in law is the son of two UAW activists. its interesting.
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This.

The blend we have at our table covers many ranges, from the far right gay to way, way left straight hairdresser. Good times.
 
TurtleDude said:
well I judged the post based on what was in the post-not the history of the poster-hence our disagreement. In our family, it depends who shows up. One brother is a hard core Hillary fan boy, the other is in the middle (he voted for McCain and Romney and Clinton-his wife is a interesting case of a self loathing debutante) and then there is me and my wife. One nephew is a gunsmith he's far right, another is a Green Beret Major-even more right, but one of the brother's in law is the son of two UAW activists. its interesting.
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We've also got a family that is somewhat 50/50. Before holiday meals we tend to break into groups and if there is any political talk it is mostly kept in the respective group before the meal. While at the table politics is pretty much off limits and we all respect that. We've never really had an atmosphere as some others have described, such as Calamity. I was actually being sincere when I told him that he should look in the mirror as being part of the cause of the dysfunction he describes. I can see him being so obsessive and opinionated that he could easily grate on the nerves of his own family. If I was in a room with some far lefties spouting liberal BS I would just roll my eyes and keep my mouth shut.
 
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Thanksgiving is a time for family and being thankful for what we have. So no, we do not discuss politics at Thanksgiving. Besides I know my family well enough to know where they stand on politics.
 
calamity said:
This.

The blend we have at our table covers many ranges, from the far right gay to way, way left straight hairdresser. Good times.
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that sounds interesting. One sister in law (the self hating debutante) inherited $$$$, and is the daughter of a man (long gone) who lived for hunting and fishing and supporting GOP politicians. She used to love PETA and has sympathies for the Eco-terrorists and ALF. Another guy, the son of UAW activists is sort of a libertarian, his sons include a Special forces Major with 5 years of different combat tours. One nephew builds guns and drones, his sister is a lesbian ski patrol officer who in the summer leads mainly women only canoe and hiking trips out west. She packs a 44 but she hates politics. another niece is an actress Chicago and LA-her politics-no idea and one of her brothers is headed for corporate law while another is studying business and wants to sell trucks.
 
Moderate Right said:
We've also got a family that is somewhat 50/50. Before holiday meals we tend to break into groups and if there is any political talk it is mostly kept in the respective group before the meal. While at the table politics is pretty much off limits and we all respect that. We've never really had an atmosphere as some others have described, such as Calamity. I was actually being sincere when I told him that he should look in the mirror as being part of the cause of the dysfunction he describes. I can see him being so obsessive and opinionated that he could easily grate on the nerves of his own family. If I was in a room with some far lefties spouting liberal BS I would just roll my eyes and keep my mouth shut.
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My favorite is a newlywed couple, a cousin, on the wife's side. She is a twenty-something hippie pot head. He is a thirty-something professional who earns his living giving financial seminars for a large corporation focused on cutting medical costs in major hospitals. He's about as far Right as they come fiscally, and she hugs trees that she wants other people to pay to maintain. Watching them interact is always interesting.

They moved to Washington state though. So, I doubt I will be seeing them again anytime soon.
 
calamity said:
If you have a family like mine, both biological and through marriage, you talk politics. And, almost no one agrees. But, these days, the old standard disagreements go viral. Feelings get hurt. People threaten to leave. Future visits are sworn off. Good stuff, especially when the booze flows.

So, how do these holidays play out on your end?
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Red --> Yes, those things happen, but we talk about much besides politics and whatever hurt feelings happen don't stay hurt for long.
Blue --> No, those things do not happen.
Pink --> I don't know what you mean by the "pink" statement.

On T-giving day and the day after, we do all sorts of things besides talk about politics.
  • Play indoor and outdoor games
  • Go to the movies
  • Cook food and trade recipes, and, of course, eat
  • Catch-up on what everyone's doing
  • Make noteworthy announcements (engagements, pregnancies, career choices, etc.)
  • Formulate/coordinate Christmas and New Year's Eve plans
  • Make sure none of us has conflicting plans for holiday season use of the family's properties
  • Drop "heavy" hints about what we want (and/or don't want) as Christmas gifts
  • Reminisce and rib one another about all sorts of stuff that nobody else on the planet would dare or know to dare broach
  • My siblings, first cousins and I tell stories about one another that we hadn't before told our kids, parents and/or significant others.
  • Momma and her generation dish out juicy, insightful, informative and/or instructional details about their pasts.
  • All of us "old folks" scrutinize our kids' significant others and pass judgment on them.
  • Some folks go shopping and some of us have cocktails while the others are shopping and others still find a quiet place to collect thoughts or just chill.
  • Share shareable scuttlebutt about this and that luminary or firm with which we have close connections
  • Provide care packages to the young folks who'll return to college/school after T-giving
With all that sort of family stuff going on, politics, though they come up, are hardly the primary conversation topic. Besides, most of us are pretty well informed about a lot of things that matter to public policy -- which really is what we discuss more so than politics -- so there's not a lot of gross disagreement. We certainly don't sit around and spew "talking points" as do TV pundits and politicians for we have no "axe to grind" or political stake in the resolution of any point of discussion/policy in which we engage. Plus, the one thing we all share is character; consequently the Dems, Reps and Indies among us all agree that Trump and people like him, profligate liars, have got to go.
 
I don’t argue at Thanksgiving. I just nod my head when any political conversation starts to go sideways. I’m with the people I love and care about for a celebration. Why would I allow politics to ruin that for me or anyone else.
 
My family seems to do an ok job at debating politics without taking it too personal.
 
oil spill.jpg

This is what I'll be talking about this Thanksgiving.
 
Thanksgiving is not for talking about politics.

Thanksgiving is for talking about the family's closet full of skeletons and see which ones to give a good airing.
 
calamity said:
If you have a family like mine, both biological and through marriage, you talk politics. And, almost no one agrees. But, these days, the old standard disagreements go viral. Feelings get hurt. People threaten to leave. Future visits are sworn off. Good stuff, especially when the booze flows.

So, how do these holidays play out on your end?
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Much nicer than yours. Passinate dissagreements but we are all family. We love and forgive the other

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk
 
Roadvirus said:
Thanksgiving is not for talking about politics.

Thanksgiving is for talking about the family's closet full of skeletons and see which ones to give a good airing.
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T-Day at Trump's should should be a doozie! :)
 
Roadvirus said:
Thanksgiving is not for talking about politics.

Thanksgiving is for talking about the family's closet full of skeletons and see which ones to give a good airing.
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Your family must not drink like we mine does. Everything comes out.its not a bad thing. One thing we all agree is on is that we love each other

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk
 
Hari Seldon said:
I thought football was being boycotted by some? Taking a knee still a problem?
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In football, the only time taking a knee is a bad thing is when the ball is in your hands. If I'm watching on television, I can care less what entertainment the stadium has for its guests.

Fox and CBS purchase the rights to broadcast the game. I watch commercials to see the game for free. I can care less about the non-football antics at the stadium.

It's kinda fun to see the winners of the National Punt, Pass and Kick winners honored. Thats fun.
 
Does Trump even celebrate Thanksgiving. Kinda hard to see ol' Fred carving up a turkey.
 
Xelor said:
Red --> Yes, those things happen, but we talk about much besides politics and whatever hurt feelings happen don't stay hurt for long.
Blue --> No, those things do not happen.
Pink --> I don't know what you mean by the "pink" statement.

On T-giving day and the day after, we do all sorts of things besides talk about politics.
  • Play indoor and outdoor games
  • Go to the movies
  • Cook food and trade recipes, and, of course, eat
  • Catch-up on what everyone's doing
  • Make noteworthy announcements (engagements, pregnancies, career choices, etc.)
  • Formulate/coordinate Christmas and New Year's Eve plans
  • Make sure none of us has conflicting plans for holiday season use of the family's properties
  • Drop "heavy" hints about what we want (and/or don't want) as Christmas gifts
  • Reminisce and rib one another about all sorts of stuff that nobody else on the planet would dare or know to dare broach
  • My siblings, first cousins and I tell stories about one another that we hadn't before told our kids, parents and/or significant others.
  • Momma and her generation dish out juicy, insightful, informative and/or instructional details about their pasts.
  • All of us "old folks" scrutinize our kids' significant others and pass judgment on them.
  • Some folks go shopping and some of us have cocktails while the others are shopping and others still find a quiet place to collect thoughts or just chill.
  • Share shareable scuttlebutt about this and that luminary or firm with which we have close connections
  • Provide care packages to the young folks who'll return to college/school after T-giving
With all that sort of family stuff going on, politics, though they come up, are hardly the primary conversation topic. Besides, most of us are pretty well informed about a lot of things that matter to public policy -- which really is what we discuss more so than politics -- so there's not a lot of gross disagreement. We certainly don't sit around and spew "talking points" as do TV pundits and politicians for we have no "axe to grind" or political stake in the resolution of any point of discussion/policy in which we engage. Plus, the one thing we all share is character; consequently the Dems, Reps and Indies among us all agree that Trump and people like him, profligate liars, have got to go.
Click to expand...

My favorite TG’s are the ones when new people arrive either for the meal or those who visit shortly after. Relatives on the marriage side who I never saw before, relatives on mine who I haven’t seen in years, new spouses or girlfriends, babies, close friends who moved away...those are the best.
 
calamity said:
If you have a family like mine, both biological and through marriage, you talk politics. And, almost no one agrees. But, these days, the old standard disagreements go viral. Feelings get hurt. People threaten to leave. Future visits are sworn off. Good stuff, especially when the booze flows.

So, how do these holidays play out on your end?
Click to expand...

If it comes up, yes. Though a vast majority of my family are amicable when it comes to politics. I would say that the most extreme of us was my step sister, just a few years ago. But now she is mostly center-right, white the majority of my family tent to be just a variation of that, being either center-left, or center-right.
 
Lol...we’re hosting this year. So, my wife gives me a bowl of soup for dinner last night. I said, “What’s this?” She said, “the same thing you’re getting tomorrow.”

I look in the fridge, and it’s stuffed full. A big twenty-pound turkey is eating up space in the bottom. All sorts of goodies up top. She sees me scoping it out. “Touch any of that and die,” she says.
 
I have a good and decent family who loves each other and when we get together we have a nice time and we all get along just fine. Can't imagine having a family filled with drama and hatred over politics, especially on a day to give thanks.
 
We did our Thanksgiving last Sunday...We talked about the politics re Amazon HQ2 and we talked about Seattle politics but we did not talk at all about national politics or the last election. It was easier than the last couple of years have been.
 
Blue Dog said:
I don’t argue at Thanksgiving. I just nod my head when any political conversation starts to go sideways. I’m with the people I love and care about for a celebration. Why would I allow politics to ruin that for me or anyone else.
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Never allow yourself to become a choice in any relationship. The moment you do is when you have reduced your loved one's affections to a daily biological question: Should I take a dump here or wait till I get home?
-- Shannon L. Alder​


I get what you're saying, and insofar as that's what works in your family, that's just fine by me.

For myself and mine, however, we are amongst people whom we love and care about and nothing about politics is going to remotely ruin that for any of us.

I suppose it's possible non-relatives may reckon in some regard our political repartee ruinous. But you know what? Those folks don't have to return for next year's T-giving, or any other celebration my family hosts. And it's probably just as well that they don't for thin-skinned folks really have no place in our clan, for when we're all together, nobody's tippy-toeing on eggshells. We all do enough, too much sometimes, of that "in the world;" there's no way we're going to do that with one another. Not having to is a key benefit of being around family.

Quite simply, in my family, there's nobody who doesn't know they're loved, no matter what any of us may say about "whatever," most especially about politics and public policy.


An acquaintance merely enjoys your company, a fair-weather companion flatters when all is well, a true friend has your best interests at heart and the pluck to tell you what you need to hear.
-- E.A. Bucchianeri, Brushstrokes of a Gadfly​
 
RileyCoyote said:
I have a good and decent family who loves each other and when we get together we have a nice time and we all get along just fine. Can't imagine having a family filled with drama and hatred over politics, especially on a day to give thanks.
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We call that "having a good time." Of course, those not brought up in it are a bit taken aback by it the first couple years. But, those of us who grew up arguing about LBJ, Nixon, Carter and Reagan are all in.

Why the hell do you think I joined a political/religious debating site? That **** is in my blood.
 
Hawkeye10 said:
We did our Thanksgiving last Sunday...We talked about the politics re Amazon HQ2 and we talked about Seattle politics but we did not talk at all about national politics or the last election. It was easier than the last couple of years have been.
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TG 2016 was very enlightening. It was the first time I really understood what all the other people on the opposite side of the table felt like for the last 8 years, especially on TG 2008, when we all almost came to fisticuffs. j/k
 
Some people always find a way to introduce politics into the conversation, no matter how much you try to avoid it.

However, I have an aunt who is a third degree ninja warrior black belt at turning the conversation into a discussion about animals (She's a member of PETA):roll:
 
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