My in-laws and I share political views, so there is no chance of a heated discussion. I don't talk politics with my parents because it is pointless.
I don't talk politics with my family because most of them are r****ds and it is like trying to have a conversation with a 6 year old with ADD.
We'll occasionally talk a little politics, and since the members of my extended family are not stark raving assholes we manage to do it in a civil manner despite our various differences, but mostly we find more important things to talk about.
At Thanksgiving dinner in 1992, at the family compound in Southeast Houston, I raised my glass of wine and proposed a toast. "To the next President of the United States, Bill Clinton!" Everyone raised their glasses and toasted the newly elected President, except for my brother-in-law. There were at least a dozen relatives in attendance, many of them Republicans, who all toasted Bill with good humor... except him. Without saying a word, he became red in the face, got up and went to his car, and drove home, leaving my sister and my nephew there at the table. Everyone watched this with astonishment. Needless to say, I don't mention politics around him any longer. He really is an ass. Always has been. I have the satisfaction of knowing, with certainty, that my sister, a Reagan Republican, voted Democrat this time around. It gave me a warm glow, as he sat opposite me at the other end of the table, the family gobbling up my mother's superb cooking for yet another Thanksgiving. Hope everyone had a nice holiday. D&D. Did You Enjoy Your Turkey?
unfortunately, political/controversial discussions are brought up during every major holiday with the side of the fam that's here in houston. it's one of the reasons that i didn't attend this year (spent it with the "ex" and his family. YEAH! working out just fine). man... phock politics. it's more reality tv than anything else these days. /trying to think of a homo/republican/metallica/turn the "page" joke right now.
After a beat, a voice from the blackness: MAUDE Tell me a about yourself, Jeffrey. DUDE Well, not much to tell. A match is dragged across a headboard; the Dude is lighting himself a 'roach', which he holds in a roach clip. DUDE I uh, I was, uh, one of the authors of the Port Huron Statement.-- Uh the original Port Huron Statement. The Dude and Maude lie next to each other in bed. MAUDE Uh-huh. DUDE Not the compromised second draft. The Dude tokes on the roach. Uh, and then I, uh. . .ummm, ever hear of the Seattle Seven? MAUDE Mmnun. DUDE That was me...and uh, uh, six other guys. Uhh, And then uh. . .the music business briefly. MAUDE Oh? DUDE Yeah. Roadie for Metallica. MAUDE Oh. DUDE Speed of Sound Tour. MAUDE Mmm hmmm. DUDE Bunch of assholes. And then, uh, you know, a little of this, a little of that. The Dude tokes the roach again. Uh, my career's, slowed down a little lately. MAUDE What do you do for, for recreation? DUDE Oh, the usual. Bowl. Drive around. The occasional acid flashback. D&D. Go Bowling.
The only times politics came up this year was when my Mom started showing her ignorance about Kinky Friedman and when my Dad put on CSPAN and wouldn't let us watch football. I've been in New Jersey since Wednesday. Flying home to HTown today. I'm ready. Although...one good thing...I haven't smoked a cigarette since Wednesday morning (today is Sunday). Can I keep it up? Only time will tell...
Roughly two-thirds of my family are completely r****ded religious whackos. I do not talk about anything with them. The rest of the family is perfectly willing to have a debate/conversation. EDIT: This is just too perfect not to add to this thread. Tis the season for idiotic religious folks to unfairly persecute those who don't see things exactly as they do. Hooray for peace! http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061127/ap_on_re_us/anti_peace_sign
