crib sheet for those fun mealtime "discussions"

[rkt]

A holiday guide to arguing with your right-wing relatives
Explaining voter fraud, Benghazi and the fiscal cliff to Fox-watching family members
BY ALEX PAREENETOPICS: 2012 ELECTIONS, BENGHAZI ATTACK, POLITICS, THANKSGIVING, POLITICS NEWS

Comments

[celtic_thistle]

Unfortunately, old white Americans spend a lot of their time being lied to by conservatives on TV, the radio and the Internet, and while that is not their fault, it can be hard to talk about politics with people who believe an elaborate series of fictions and distortions.

I see the author has met the American side of my family.

I already had to smack my parents down over Obamacare--my mom insists people at Wal Mart don't get enough hours/benefits because Wal Mart can't afford "healthcare being shoved down their throats." I was like NO THEY'VE ALWAYS DONE THAT, THEY'RE JUST GREEDY FUCKS AND PEOPLE AREN'T GOING TO TAKE IT ANY MORE.
Raaaage. Fortunately my mom is not normally antagonistic. My dad trolls the fuck out of me and my husband about Obama and we literally ignore him and keep talking about something else. Idk if any of it'll come up tonight. I hope not.

[seishin]

SECONDED.

[lanwut]

I found an excellent tactic that doesn't involve trying to say something and being shouted down by my conservative family. I call it leaving. I wish them all a good night and just leave. That was before I was out to them and before I'd had some good talks with them about why these things hurt me so personally.

Now? I'd probably announce to them all that I'm sick and fucking tired of their hurtful bullshit and thank them for the lovely, life-affirming night. Then leave. My mother would be hurt, sure, and it would be incredibly petty and immature, but fuck if it wouldn't be satisfying.

This year, though, I found out that my rude as fuck inlaws and step siblings who would kick their son out if he was gay aren't coming by this years because they're massive assholes. So hopefully it'll be okay? Maybe?

[freeze_i_say]

((hugs))

Leaving is the healthiest option available tbh - they're not gonna change and your sanity / blood pressure / heart doesn't need any more toxic shit. I get up and leave when my dad starts being "difficult" too bb.

[lanwut]

Thanks <3

[chasingtides]

My family and I live hundreds of miles from one another. If we see each other over a holiday, we are actually seeing each other. It almost makes me want to live nearby so I could walk out.

[corinn]

So glad Thanksgiving is just me and my mom whose politics are now nearly identical to mine, and maybe a Harry Potter movie.

Also glad I was too young to pay attention/give a damn about political discussions at holidays when I was a kid. I'm betting there was tension with conservative father and grandfather, two closeted-but-openly-liberal relatives, and left-of-center-but-mostly-silent-except-to-play-moderator Mom. I wonder if part of why my closeted relatives spent so much time watching children's movies with us kids or watching us play video games was to avoid hanging out with Dad and Grampa. Sounds legit.

[lemonsalt]

If you guys need more help about the deficit Madddow is here for you: http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2012/11/21/15343715-your-helpful-thanksgiving-charts-about-the-deficit?lite (with charts!)

[bnmc2005]

Saw this . It was great! "How to deal with your giant uncle... "