I’m sure the more conservative members of my extended family will be angry and complaining about the world or how much money other people have or whatever.
And I’ll probably be in my usual spot, in the other room with the kids, playing video games or watching dumb funny videos.
Most of them since we don’t do thanksgiving where I’m from
Avoiding most family this year, spending it with those I’m close with instead.
I’m skipping Thanksgiving because my whole family has become brainwashed magats.
Even the ones I thought could never be that fuckin stupid.
A sister that is a traditional conservative and brother that is a centrist liberal, they argue in talking points and both of their solutions are usually unrealistic garbage. It’s a big family though so most just leave the room when they get going.
You mean the people I was forced to experience my childhood and early adulthood with? Not seeing them at all.
They got themselves kicked to the curb long ago. Mom died 13 years ago, which greatly improved my life. Dad died this past May and I didn’t even go to the funeral. Middle brother came out as an Oathbreaker, keeper or whatever those idiots call themselves. Oldest brother has always been a narcissistic asshat and I haven’t spoken to him in almost a decade.
Nuclear war between nations is a terrible thing that should never happen.
Nuclear war on toxic relationships is the best thing ever.
Got to hang out with the hard-r racist uncle, my ‘pretends she a smart bible reader that hasn’t fallen for 4 different(in name) pyramid scams’ military sister, and my mentally disabled but violently aggressive brother that may have figured out that the cops will go easy on him every time.
These people wonder why I dread family gatherings and can’t function socially.
Be yourself, accept your family into your heart, and try to help them.
Show your racist uncle that whatever he dislikes about other races is also true for the supposed superior race, and that the things that make certain races seem inferior could be explained in other ways, like cultural issues (like racism).
Help your sister find passages in the Bible that speak to pyramid schemes, scams, gullibility, and remind her that her focus should not be on whatver these schemes are but on her Jesus and her salvation, and thank her for her service.
As much as you may hate dealing with people like this, I kinda think it’s the only way to help people. You have to build relationships with people that you dont agree with, search for good values in people and try to salvage them, pull them out of their tail spin.
My very imperfect father, whom I love and respect, has been a Trump supporter for a very long time and so any time a conversation can turn political, it does, and we all have to hear about the Democrat boogiemans and Trump the savior. As soon as it turns that way, even if I agree with his points or whatver, I just “oh shit here we go again” and what happens is, everyone in the room starts laughing because we all feel the same way. After a few of these I think he gets it, and I’ll talk with him about his ideas around Democrats and Trump, but in a curious way, and I’ll agree where we agree, and I’ll challenge him where I disagree. Sometimes we have to agree to disagree, I learn more about his perspective and we carry on.
Everyone on Earth is flawed and all we have is each other. I am so thankful for the people in my life that invested in me and I want to do the same for others.
Thank you for reading my TED talk.
I’m happy if the day ends with no violence or screaming where we pretend to be normal, and that’s not expected. It depends on if my brother is agitated that day and what shit that kicks off. I’m dipping the first elevated voice.
I feel you, but if you are only there when things are good, what’s the point?
All of them. They are literally neonazis but with black and white switched. They would say “black lives matter” while beating up a black Jewish person. I hate my family.
I have no problem discussing politics, but under no circumstances will I ever willingly break bread with someone who voted for Trump. You want to talk about education reform? Economic policy? Foreign policy? No problem. But if you were dumb or hateful enough to vote for that shitstain, you’re dead to me. I don’t truck with Nazi scum.
Your comment really highlights the shit state of political discourse and general culture in this country.
Discussing actual policies comes across like a leftist circle jerk because the people have decided that “fuck everything and everybody” is a valid political platform.
Not ‘fuck everything and everybody’. Just fuck everybody who decided that they wanted to vote for a man who is a serial rapist, a traitor, a convicted felon, a misogynist, a pedophile, an imbecile, and a con man. There are tens of millions of people who decided to vote for him, and I say fuck literally every single one of those people. Awful human beings, the lot of them.
Edit: upon reflection, I believe that I may have misunderstood the point you were making.
I meant that “fuck everything” is the platform of the dozens of people who voted for the rapist traitorous con man to dismantle the functional parts of our government.
What about Harris voters, who also support genocide?
I totally get not wanting to break bread with Nazis. But to sit with Harris supporters and not Trumpers projects more concern with vibes than actual policies and outcomes. You’re just showing a preference for blue Nazis over red ones at that point.
Your “whataboutism” would mean a whole lot more if Trump wasn’t even more into genocide than Harris and Biden. So your entire “vibes” retort is complete bullshit, and if you don’t know it, then you aren’t paying attention. If you do know it, then you’re lying to yourself and everybody around you.
LoL. It’s wild that you wrote this thinking you were making a good point. You really think you’re not also fascists, while arguing there’s acceptable degrees of genocide support?
This sort of bad-faith whataboutism is exactly what the Republicans and the oligarchs want: keep everyone left of Dick Cheney infighting so they never win again. And it’s working super well, especially here on Lemmy.
I’m actually arguing against infighting in this instance. I personally believe both Trump and Harris voters should be ashamed of what they’ve supported.
But I don’t see why they shouldn’t get along with each other. Seems they have a lot of common ground. Their policies are so similar, the Harris campaign had a lot of trouble differentiating her platform, and had to resort to weak attacks like ‘Trump is WEIRD!’
Both camps support mass deportations, increased fossil fuel extraction, support for genocide in Israel, escalating tensions with China & Russia, increased police budgets, etc. Both full-throated support for a flavor of capitalist fascism. They certainly have more in common with each other than anyone on the left. And they both support the rapists & genocidal criminals in their party of preference. Doesn’t seem the Trumpers nor Harris supporters are in any position to be acting too smug to associate with the other.
I’m actually arguing against infighting in this instance.
proceeds to continue infighting
Mmm-hmm.
No, I get what you’re saying, but your false equivalency just isn’t working because you’re conveniently ignoring the absolutely dire parts of Trump’s policies.
“No, the sandwiches are the same!”
“…one of them is sauerkraut and toadstool with arsenic sauce, and the other is bologna and ketchup…?”
“But they both have BREAD!”
Look, I’m not interested in re-litigating this. You got what you wanted, Harris lost. Trump is predictably doing awful things because Harris lost. This is the world you chose. Now what?
Can you please point out the significant policy differences to me? I don’t see them. Neither did much of the electorate.
Look, I’m not interested in re-litigating this. You got what you wanted, Harris lost. Trump is predictably doing awful things because Harris lost. This is the world you chose. Now what?
There’s so many differences!! I just can’t name one.
My parents called tonight and asked if they could come on Thursday, I am NOT looking forward to seeing my hyper-christian Maga supporting white-Nationalist parents, and neither are my very sensible, LQTBQ+ supporting children and their partners, and spouses. Tomorrow, I have to call and tell them that any nonsense, or statements like the ones that were made at the last event we were at will be met by asking them to leave. Yay.
Report back soldier when its over!
What are the chances that they will actually be respectful do you think. Might there be a case for simply not inviting them?
I think it’s kind of like a last chance situation. One last chance to be civil and behave. If they mess up they are never invoted again. But I might be wrong.
deleted by creator
What did they say last time, spill the tea!
Thankfully not thanksgiving, but Christmas it will be my father… That whole side of the family really. Even my super religious grandmother chimes in with “the immigrants bring in disease!”
For a group of people that can love their family, they’re all filled with so much hate for “others.” :/
Ain’t no love like Christian love
This is the 3rd year I will be completely alone.
You can come to my house if you want
We’re having lasagna
Jim
I also choose this guys Jim
Here’s my poor man’s gold 🏅
Thank you kind stranger
Probably my girlfriend’s mother. Her family lives in a remote part of Y’allistan kinda country. According to my gf they used to be quite moderate and intelligent but since moving (for better land to run their family business) her mom has become very isolated and feeds off nothing but Fox/OANN and whatever shit YouTube recommends. She’s become such an abortion hating, trans hating, gay hating person in only the last three or four years that even my girlfriend says she barely recognizes her sometimes.
This is my first Thanksgiving with her family after 2 years together, and depending on how it goes it might be close to the last, we’re not sure.
If you haven’t already seen it, watch The Brainwashing of My Dad. It is a short documentary about this kind of experience that’s worth the quick watch
The best way to handle it is to laugh about it. She makes some remark about trans or gays, just laugh or smile as if it was a joke or as if she is drunk and stupid. :)
It feels much better for the soul. Don’t fight her. She will have those opinions either way.
Each person has their own development journey. You don’t blame a kid for throwing up on the floor. Just relax and accept whatever happens.
If you do this, you will grow as a person and realize there is another way to handle conflict that feels quite good. :)
Another way to handle it is the stoic stare. You just look at her quietly when she says things without saying anything. Just keep eye contact for an uncomfortable amount of time to make a point, making the others around the table notice the bad vibes and get uncomfortable. Personally I think this is harder to pull off in a setting with many people, so I prefer the first one.
Except, she is not a child. She is a grown person who votes and supports opinions that will get vulnerable people killed. This are both very childish ways of handling conflict.
stares blankly at you for an uncomfortable long time without speaking
Oog - my little brother.
He’s a walking stereotype of a tech libertarian (which is to say, a shallow, bigoted, reactionary, right-wing IT guy who for some inexplicablec reason seems to think that all that’s necessary to count as “libertarian” is to rail against “the woke mob.”)
The first time I heard the term “mansplaining,” I knew exactly what it meant, because it’s his customary mode of communication. I already know that by about the third time I hear him say, " Well, what you have to understand is that…" I’m going to have to leave the room.
He likely won’t bring up politics directly - not surprisingly, he’s generally ignorant of both the philosophical side of it and the practical side of it. Instead, he’ll bloviate about whatever the right-wing/tech media bubble is bloviating about, so essentially political issues without the complication of political context.
It’s invariably awful, and it’s always a matter not of if but merely of when I’m going to have to leave the room because the only alternative is going to be a messy verbal explosion. And I presume it’s going to be worse than ever this year, since he’ll undoubtedly want to mansplain the mindless dogma he’s been fed about Trump and Musk and Ukraine and tariffs and immigrants and trans athletes and so on…
