Thanksgiving Day Dinner and Politics

[Pryderi]

Is anyone going home for the holiday, and will politics be discussed?

[carolinalady]

1. Yes--no politics or religion just hunting. After 20 years we finally

figured out how to keep peace.

[Mutley]

2. Yes. I don't know.

Politics was skirted around a bit last year, and it almost got ugly before the conversation even began, so it was dropped. I hope it doesn't come up this year. It's not a good thing to dicuss in my family.

[terip64]

3. My kids are coming home from college and we will talk politics

but we are all on the same page so it will be GREAT!!!!!!
They better be on the same page if they want any turkey! Just kidding of course!

[acmejack]

4. Yes and No

I have been told in no uncertain terms that they "support the President" & don't appreciate my bully-ragging them with facts. They all are more concerned with the Government taking "their money" and giving it to lazy people who "choose not to work". I wouldn't go at all but my Dad has been very ill and probably won't make it much longer.

[BobRossi]

5. Everyone at my house, no repukes allowed!

Virtually all of my family is on the same page politically, Shrub supporters not invited.

[livetohike]

6. Not going home but having guests here which include

a Republican and a Libertarian. However, one is a Dallas Cowboy fan and the other a Denver Bronco fan. Hopefully, the arguing over football will take precedence over politics. Since I am a Steelers fan, I will sit back and enjoy the game .

[CottonBear]

7. Maybe and No, never.

Mom is a republican who never wants to discuss politics. It's some sort of Southern lady attitude. She always changes the subject. My sister is 40 years old and has NEVER voted. I don't think she even thinks about politics at all.

Mr. CB and I are very liberal Democrats. If we go to see his family in Louisiana we attempt to avoid the topic of politics at all costs. They are very conservative white, Catholics voters who vote against abortion and gay marriage and don't like blacks. One of them said they "would vote for David Duke if he ran again."
(Duke used to live in the parish.)

*sigh* My (dead) father was very involved in TN politics and almost ran for Governor. He decided not to because he did not want to give up his surgical practice. He cared more about being a doctor than being a politician. (I wish Frist had made this choice.) Dad was a John Birch Society Republican.

Who knows what happened to me and Mr. CB? We are black sheep in our families.

[Clark2008]

17. Heh... I'm a Southern "lady" and so is my Mom.

We talk politics all the time. She's just using an excuse to beg off of facts.

My future mother-in-law is from California, but has lived in the South for years, now. She talks politics, too.

Just read your dad was in Tennessee politics. I'm in Tennessee. Who was your dad? You can IM if you want.

[CottonBear]

19. He was involved in lobbying for the AMA and campaigned for Rep. candidates

for state and federal offices. He would meet with Senator Howard Baker regularly. He also met Hubert Humphrey and many other politicians. He was very dedicated to the Republican party. He was "in politics" in a lobbying and fund-raising capacity.

He had Reagan stickers on his Porsche. I put an Anderson sticker on my Camaro just to mess with him! I did learn to love politics and keep up with current events because of him. Unfortunately, he died in 1981 when I was a high school senior.

Yeah, my mom doesn't want to talk politics. She's very polite!

[northzax]

24. at least he didn't have to see his beloved GOP

turn into wingnut theocracy central. being a republican in the south in 1979 was quite respectable, even contrary, but now?

[CottonBear]

26. I don't think there's anyway he would have supported the Frist/Schiavo

debacle. He was an economic conservative for sure but he was also a great orthopaedic surgeon. He would always stop and help accident victims despite of the possibility of malpractice suits. He was on the board of a major tauma hospital in our town. He never mentioned anything about abortion or evolution. There was never a conflict or even a discussion of theology vs science in our home or church. He never really discussed his politics with me. He wanted us to be well read,well educated and well spoken and make good choices in life.

[northzax]

27. sounds like a good man

for a republican (sorry, had to) I just think it must be so sad to have a group that one dedicated one's life to snatched away from the principles it always held. Imagine waking up in 30 years and realizing that the Democratic Party supported something abhorrent to you. It would be a shock to the system, I think. There are principled Republicans, I know many of them (I think I must know five of the ten or fifteen left) and it pains them to see what's happening, but loyalties die hard. More and more they question though.

and yes, there are unprincipled Democrats as well. Always question things, like he'd want you to, even if the answers become painful.

[CottonBear]

28. Thanks! He was a good person. We had lots of fun together.

He used to let me sip his (very good) scotch on the rocks in the evenings (I was a teenager!) and he taught me to drive stickshift in his Porsche! He was drafted into the 101st Airborne in 1963 when I was 6 weeks old. We all got shipped over to Germany because he refused to jump out of the airplane during airborne training! (The first night he got to the base, he had to operate on parachute accident victims. ) He loved to party, drive fast, SCUBA, travel and have a good time at our weekend lake house. I miss him every day!

[Skittles]

8. eating alone

no problem there

[DesertRat]

9. My boys are coming home from college

and other family members will be here. My side of the family are all Dems, but husband's side are right wingers...We've had some heated discussions in the past. So in the interest of peace and family harmony, I ban all political talk when we all get together!

[demnan]

10. Having Thanksgiving as usual with the family

and we're all Democrats. Hopefully we'll have a Rove indictment to celebrate. If so, I might break out the Rove pinata a month early!

[insane_cratic_gal]

11. My In laws are coming to my house

but they are both Dems, so I got lucky there.

Now on christmas, my parents are coming over. My mom always voted republican until 2000. She despises W.
My Dad voted for Ass hat twice. Of course, I made him sit down and watch Fahrenheit 9/11. We had a good conversation after, but watching him call Georgie an asshole was priceless.

[Gildor Inglorion]

12. Yes, going home...will discuss politics selectively

85% of my relatives are Democrats. The remaining 15% are sadly misled, but I love them too much to argue with them. Besides, you know what they say about trying to teach a pig to sing...

[ncgrits]

13. Yep. Going home for Thanksgiving and we'll all be at the table . . .

crowing in unison about the recent "misfortunes" that have "befallen" the * administration! My entire extended family is dyed-in-the-wool Democrat! I look forward to celebrating. I can't imagine having to bite my tongue while eating my turkey.

[begin_within]

14. Avoid discussion of politics at family gatherings. Do it later privately.

Why take the risk of messing up what could be a fun and happy day with disagreement or resentment over stuff that happens far away from the family?

[Clark2008]

15. Yes, of course, but my Mom and step-Dad are liberals

and my fiance's parents and sister are liberals, so no worries, here.

It will be a wonderful "Bush SUCKS" fest at both the parents' houses.



P.S. And we ALL live in a "red" state. How wonderful is that?

[Loonman]

16. I'm the only liberal in the family

I don't take any crap, either, so they know better than to provoke me.

[Midlodemocrat]

18. Going to NYC with my family

to hook up with my brothers and their families.

Yes, politics will be discussed, thoroughly. We are all liberals. I can't wait.

[Chicago1]

20. Thankfully my brother in TX and SIL

WON'T BE COMING for the holidays which couldn't make me happier.

He voted for dumb dumb and isn't to bright himself. So he's getting what he deserves.


START THE REVOLUTION.

[Pryderi]

34. My brother voted Democratic for the first time in '04. I was proud of him

[More Than A Feeling]

21. Yup, and I don't have to hear the stuff I heard at Christmas

My family talked like they expected me to jump over to the "winning side" after the election. Like Bush was supposed to be my favorite sports player or something. Ugh. I also get to face my Pentecostal cousin, with whom I can go on for hours. He's socially conservative as they come (has no problems with government helping poor people, though.) . Its all very well-mannered, though. I like him and I think he respects me.

[Missy Vixen]

22. We're not sure if dinner is served

at our house or at my husband's aunt's. My SIL is bringing what will probably end up becoming our new BIL within a year or so to meet the "fam," so I'll have to be on my best behavior.

Politics is always discussed. The aforementioned SIL is the only Republican in quite a large group. I'm thinking she'll feel very outnumbered this year.

Julie

[BewilderedCitizen]

23. Going to spend the holidays with my Repub In-Laws.

Judging from the past, I'll try to avoid political conversation, but my father-in-law will undoubtedly bring up some lies he heard on Faux and spew them like they are facts. Of course, I won't be able to let the lies go unopposed, and that will open the floodgate.

By the time the holidays are over, I'll have a knot the size of a grapefruit on my forehead from banging my head against the wall. They will think I'm still crazy, but of course they won't put forth any effort to verify any of the facts that I tell them.

It's so much easier to just let Faux do their thinking for them. Yep, I can hardly wait.

[Pryderi]

30. Just smile smugly and say you look forward to the '07 impeachment hearings

[donsu]

25. haven't done thanksgiving for over 30 yrs.

I side with the Indians

[faithnotgreed]

29. "very cool" does not sum up my response very well

so i will say
thank you donsu

[lapislzi]

31. Always

It's at my house this year...my friends are a loose affiliation of Greens, liberals, libertarians, and oddballs. The discussion is always spirited and iconoclastic, and nobody goes home mad.

[ernstbass]

32. We have already argued about the Va Gov's race

So no - I willnot join my repug family on thksgiving - why ruin a perfectly good day?

[GumboYaYa]

33. Not after last year....my wife will never let me near her parents

on Thanksgiving again.