I’m sure many more will follow, along with all the “how to talk climate doom with your Republican uncle” ones
How to avoid talking politics at Thanksgiving? Consider a ‘NO MAGA ALLOWED’ sign.
It’s almost Thanksgiving, that special day of the year when most Americans are forced to spend time with relatives they don’t like in return for large amounts of food they do like.
While the whole social/gastronomic experiment unfolds, one topic invariably pops up and transforms the day from “Well, this is annoying, but at least there’s pie” to “Oh God, I have to get out of here before I stab cousin Melvin with the wishbone.” That topic, of course, is politics.
It has never been a good subject to float during family gatherings. But in the age of former president and over-achieving criminal defendant Donald Trump, it has become more explosive than your drunk uncle adding “just a bit more oil” to the turkey fryer.
Tragically, politics are front-and-center in our national conversation, with a presidential election approaching and the U.S. Congress mirroring that Thanksgiving someone served Red Bull at the kids table.
So how do we avoid the topic that should be voted “Most Likely To Bring A Violent End To Your Holiday”?
Well, probably not hanging with unhinged leftists who love to kill the unborn, hate Jews, want Other People to pay high taxes, and love Big Government, among others, is a good idea. Or, just not bringing up politics. And, while some Republicans can get out of control, Modern Socialists will utterly lose their shit any time someone challenges them.
Anyhow, since this is the leftist USA Today, what are their ideas? Well, you saw the headline, right?
NO MAGA ALLOWED, or something along those lines
If you don’t like Donald Trump and hope he is sentenced to live under a bridge with a particularly ill-tempered troll named Gnarlfart the Gaseous, simply post a “prohibited” sign on your front door that shows the word “MAGA” with a large red slash through it.
Funny how liberals, who claim they are so tolerant, are simply unable to deal with anything beyond their little bubble.
Keep your ears peeled for red-flag words and be prepared to create a diversion. For example, if you hear a grandparent say the words “rigged election” or “COVID hoax” or “Biden crime family,” you should immediately set the tablecloth on fire. By the time it’s put out and everyone has settled down, the toxic subject will hopefully be forgotten and everyone can eat their sweet potatoes in peace.
The article even suggests that the little moonbats plan an escape route, or just call in sick.
Seriously, who’s most likely to bring up how evil Thanksgiving is? But, hey, you know what, let’s not discuss Trump or that other stuff. We can discuss Bidenomics and why your liberal friends showed up in a fossil fueled vehicle instead of an EV.
It’s things like this which tells us that the credentialed media are very heavily slanted to the left. Why do we never see such articles about how to handle it when some bubble-gum pink haired Gen Zer says something utterly stupid like “Lia Thomas is a real woman” or “Hamas are not terrorists, they’re just fighting oppression and seeking what is rightfully the Palestinians”?
If there’s a sign, “No MAGA Allowed,” you’re telling your relatives, which might include your own father and mother, stay the f(ornicate) out if they voted sensibly in 2016 and 2020.
From part of the referenced article our host did not quote:
Simply put, the author, Rex Huppke, is putting politics above family; he’s not the first liberal whacko to push that. The very lovely Amanda Marcotte has told us how her POSSLQ and she don’t like returning to the Lone Star State, from which they hail, for Thanksgiving or Christmas, because the rest of her family — she didn’t mention his — are sensible conservatives. She prefers her leftist friends in foul, fetid, fuming, foggy, filthy Philadelphia to her own family.
We’ll be having Thanksgiving at my younger sister’s house. Her husband and she are very much MAGA, while the older sister — older than her sister, but younger than me — is the black sheep of the family, voting for [shudder!] Democrats, but she’ll be there, too. We’re all still family.
Our Thanksgiving gathering is a friends and family affair. We are a rather small family and son’s co-workers are from a widespread area, so we congregate at one of three family homes and celebrate Thanksgiving. All are welcomed, we don’t use political or religious filters.If someone wants to get into ‘pronouns’; he, she, and it with proper English derivatives are acceptable. If a pink haired sister in law goes off, she will be met with simple ridicule.
Auntie M and I moderate and if things are getting out of hand, we simply try to redirect the discussion. Religion is seldom an issue, of course there are few heathens or Muslims in our circles. Sports doesn’t cause too many issues. Since there are some lefties, politics can be a powder keg. However, when asked to factually explain in detail whatever issue they want to lecture/rant about, the usual answer is crickets and a retreat to the bar.
This has worked well for years and the same guests return. All are welcomed.
Good luck and Gods speed with your gathering.
This sort of “holiday advice for leftists” isn’t really necessary because they require further suggestion regarding how to best shut down speech they don’t like, they’re already adept in that arena and the handbook is full of lots more instructions. Multiple variations of this exact nonsense have been the norm just prior to Thanksgiving for a couple of decades now and if you’ve seen one…
The majority of these editorials are really only written to provide the authors with a sense of leftist street cred and to claim the high ground in some sort of perceived propaganda war. Rest assured that every right-wing zealot family member invited into a leftist’s home for the annual holiday feast (all both of them) do not need a sign taped up to the front door to know that their opinions are unwelcome.
There is, of course, the conservative variation that naturally and sensibly advises against bringing up the subject entirely and if/when it does happen to just not throw fuel on the fire. And let’s face it, if your leftist relatives were greeted by a friendly note on your front door declaring that their politics were barred from discussion that would be their license to shout them into everyone’s face non-stop until the leftovers were packed up.
Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas Everyone!!
I’ve attended some 70 family Thanksgiving dinners without a foul word or disagreement (except concerning the awful Dallas Cowboys). It can be done.
This year we’ll have some 24 here, ages 8-71, Catholics, Mormons, Protestants, atheists, agnostics, aunts, uncles, cousins, children and grandchildren. Machinist, medical researcher, lawyer, students, salesman, retired, consultant, chemist, computer geek, veterinarian, railroader, broker, teacher, college administrator, politician… In all the years I’ve never heard a religious or political discussion. Most folks, at least in the past, avoided potentially tumultuous topics. A few years ago a cousin showed up with a pistol on his hip, and I advised him he was unwelcome unless he locked it up in his vehicle. He acquiesced.
Just enjoy your family, friends, feast and football.
The distinguished Mr Dowd wrote:
Wait, what? There are people in the Dowd family who disagree that the Cowgirls are awful?
Everybody hates the Cowboys, and everybody should hate the Cowboys. The only time I cheer for the Eagles is when they play Dallas.
No disagreement about Dallas, just foul words. The Jones family have a several thousand acre ranch in Rogersville, MO, close to my hometown.
The Eagles play the Chiefs tonight on Monday Night Football!
Relatives from the Philly area are in town this week and attending the game at Arrowhead in KC tonight. The Chiefs are favored by 2.5 points.