Ask this one questions to the lefties at Thanksgiving dinner

[bwframe]

 

[jamil]

Oh, you are talking about RATIONAL political discussions? I've heard they exist...

Nah. It doesn't even have to be rational. It just needs to be honest. Non-judgemental would help. And anyway, to assume one's own participation in it would be rational is naive. You have biases like your grandparents. If you walk into it assuming they are the ones who need their worldview revised, it's not going to be productive.

 

[BluePig]

Thanksgiving was fight day in our family.
We would eat, then play cards and my grandfather would tell us how great the Democrats were and how the Republicans were destroying the country.
I learned from an early age the art of verbal jujitsu.
It was constant sparring and you had to be on your toes all the time and have your facts straight.
I truly miss my grandfather, but it is much better now.
We just go out and shoot guns now.

 

[Tombs]

Or keep politics out of family get-togethers completely.

Reminds me, we're at about that time of year for the media think-pieces on "how to deal with your racist republican uncle at thanksgiving"

I'm not going to associate with people who will vote for the government to come and shoot me because I don't agree with their views. I really think it'd be for the best if more people would learn to socially ostracize those types as well.

They aren't family if they want you dead.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Thanksgiving was fight day in our family.
We would eat, then play cards and my grandfather would tell us how great the Democrats were and how the Republicans were destroying the country.
I learned from an early age the art of verbal jujitsu.
It was constant sparring and you had to be on your toes all the time and have your facts straight.
I truly miss my grandfather, but it is much better now.
We just go out and shoot guns now.

And hopefully not at each other.

 

[churchmouse]

I'm not going to associate with people who will vote for the government to come and shoot me because I don't agree with their views. I really think it'd be for the best if more people would learn to socially ostracize those types as well.

They aren't family if they want you dead.

When my dads side of the family learned I had went out to think on my own and no longer a part of the Dem hive mind the Ostracized me. No loss really.

 

[Denny347]

Nah. It doesn't even have to be rational. It just needs to be honest. Non-judgemental would help. And anyway, to assume one's own participation in it would be rational is naive. You have biases like your grandparents. If you walk into it assuming they are the ones who need their worldview revised, it's not going to be productive.

Sure, we all have our biases, it's unavoidable. All we can do is recognize our own and work around them. I cannot help with other people's. My wife and I have always felt that our religious and political views are no one else's business, even family. In fact, my wife and I don't have the same political or religious views, same with our kids. We respect that each holds their own views and there is no need to debate them amongst ourselves. We do have some common ground that came about organically and we focus on that. I do find it interesting how some families make it known that you either believe XYZ or you are no longer considered part of the family.