Anyone else having a political family feud?

[babsbunny]

My Son and I went 3 months without speaking, after arguing about Bush Vs. Kerry, and at my other Son's birthday party, my EX was singing the praises of "W" and a shouting match broke out! I think the whole world may be doing the same.

[SteppingRazor]

1. Over a year ago, my dad told me to "F*** Off" at the dinner table...

When I went up to visit my parents. He had NEVER said anything like that to me before. He apologized later and we resolved to never speak of politics again.

[tridim]

6. My Dad called my unamerican when I was visiting three years ago

He also apologized and suggested we don't talk about politics. I agreed, but I only after I made him admit that I won the argument (which I always did BTW, arguing with Bushbots is so easy). Who knows if they still support Bush.. I can't ask them because of their rule.

[jackster]

2. my son and bf came to blows...

right before the election, my son (the repub) ending up with a broken hand and my bf (the dem) ending up with a bloody lip. We tread on shaky ground now and if the dicussion even hints of turning toward politics, I try to stop it as soon as possible. Lately that's been difficult as my son has now decided to volunteer for Iraq!

Also, some members of my N Fla family are Bushites - we just stay away from politics altogether! Thank God my Mother is still a yellow dog dem!

[lildreamer316]

53. Sorry

because I know that must be tearing you apart that he will be going over there. Best wishes.

[Tigress DEM]

69. Can you ask him to just talk to some Iraq vets that changed their minds?

Some of those guys that have been there and done that might be able to tell him the truth in a way he will understand.

Like, "As your mom, I respect whatever decision you make, still I want it to be an informed decision. So why don't you ask guys who have been there and no longer support the war as well as those who still think we should be there? Just so you can say you've really listed to both sides."

Also you could try asking him to get some sperm stockpiled in a sperm bank before he goes because the vets who came home from the gulf war have permanent damage to their systems that damages their sperm somehow and they are having a much higher rate of deformities among their children they've had after serving.

Combos of Depleted Uranium and the drug cocktails they gave the guys to protect them from the nerve gases seem to be the common denominators.

It's one thing to give his own life, but he should protect his unborn child, children if at all possible.

You could maybe put a post shout out to vets that have posted here before. Some of them have really good stories and examples.

[Gildor Inglorion]

3. No...but I'm afraid it's only a matter of time

80% of my family are very progressive Democrats, but a few have gone over to the dark side. Politics are NEVER discussed at family gatherings. Sadly, it's even worse when your own flesh and blood are misled, confused, deceived, wilfully ignorant...whatever the cause, I don't like it.;(

[DURHAM D]

4. At Christmas my brother-in-law (who is a moran from Ark.)

screamed at me that all Dems should be shot. We were not even having a political discussion at the time - it came out of nowhere. No one else was around. I told his wife (my sister)about it and she said she was worried about his mental state. Later she told me that he denies the whole thing.

Which, of course, leaves her worried about his mental state.

[BOSSHOG]

11. Interesting. In a similar instance

I was at my favorite watering hole about a year ago with my fellow old farts and we were lying to each other and drinking beer and having a good old time. Out of the blue this young lad (young to us) sitting at the bar all by himself starting going off about fucking liberals and how liberals were ruining our country. I thank the young man because that was the first time I (a flaming liberal) ever played the VET Card. I slapped my retiree ID card on the bar and told him of my time in a combat zone and how I had serious reservations about Iraq and I knew I had the freedom to express those reservations. I asked him to share his military exploits with us. He said he hadn't been in the military, got up and left. Only in America. What's with these out of nowhere outbursts?

[SonofMass]

55. I don't know if I'd call Arkansas a 'mental' state!

[Momgonepostal]

56. So is he pro-life?

I love when people who say they are "pro-life" threaten to kill people whose views don't mirror their own.

[Tigress DEM]

70. No, just Pro Birth.. barefoot, pregnant, rinse, repeat; barefoot, preg...

ya' know I just couldn't resist.


:rofl:

[FreedomAngel82]

72. I would worry too

On my mom's birthday her side came up for her birthday and my Mom, cousin (the one I mentioned below) and I went to the store to get my mom's cake and on the way back we passed this house that has people my age there and they had a Kerry/Edwards sign out and she made the sign like a gun and went "bang." Ugh. I was really disappointed and told her I was shocked at that. Then there was this woman at my church who told my brother (right before a service even!) that anybody in her neighborhood who voted for Kerry would get shot. I wanted to scream and ask her if she was going to shoot me because I was voting for Kerry (I even had a Kerry/Edwards pin on my purse) and this was a family friend. When she told my brother that (he too voted for Kerry/Edwards) I could tell by his actions he was really uncomfy. :(

[Tigress DEM]

82. Those are called terroristic threats by the legal definition in the law.

"..anybody in her neighborhood who voted for Kerry would get shot."

If she knows this to be true, either A she has plans to shoot some Kerry supporters or B knows who will.

People who do say those kind of things should have legal action taken against them... especially in this day and age so rife with terrorism and such...

I just want to make a report officer, get it on record in case something happens, you'll have a lead to investigate. She's probably just blowing off steam, but she sounded so convinced that it would happen and she said it in Church! As if she didn't fear any kind of authority at all when talking about outright murder... Do normal people DO that, officer? I mean, I'd feel very uncomfortable even making a bad joke like that in a Church. What does it mean if a person doesn't have the least inhibition about discussing cold blooded murder in a Church?

[BOSSHOG]

5. Just about all of my inlaws are republicans and they think

they are conservative. All but my wonderful mother in law and my wife and me, the flaming liberals of the family. My brothers in law don't even bring up politics with me. I scorched their asses one too many times discussing the likes of bush and his band of criminals.

As an aside note, none of my brothers in law served in the military. My wife and I did and my dearly departed father in law did. He was a life long democrat who "wouldn't waste his time spitting on a republican."

No feud here!

[SonofMass]

35. Unfortunately, not everyone is as open minded as you are!

[BOSSHOG]

38. I'm extremely open minded

The truth indicates bush and his kind lied about WMD (amongst other things) and we went to war based on lies. Our kids are dying based on lies. An open mind would understand that; not a blind lemming. I'm so open minded I'm standing at the ready for you to set me straight about george bush's lies and how they have shaped my thoughts about what is wrong with his policies.

Please sonofmass school me. Open my eyes to where I went wrong. Please motherfucker, tell this veteran where he went wrong in developing his intense opposition to the foreign policy of the bush administration. I'm standing by. Open my mind.

[SonofMass]

39. I'm just agreeing with you, sheesh....

[BOSSHOG]

44. Please

accept my apologies. Sometimes the written word can be misconstrued. I misconstrued and misunderstood your intent, I was wrong and I humbly apologize. And thankyou for agreeing.

[E-Z-B]

46. Same here

I didn't know if that was supposed to be sarcastic at first. I couldn't tell.

[Tigress DEM]

78. Thing is... we need EVERYONE to see the lies and abuse...

even when we get people into office willing to fix this crap, we need EVERYONE to have access to the factal information so they don't waste their time and ours continuing to fight us while we're out there cleaning up the mess.

Part of all of this is exposure. When I first heard a lot of these things I was skeptical too... which may make me better poised to argue points with people.

I don't let anyone totally off the hook, but at the same time this isn't about "being right" to me. With family it's because I care about them. I want them to know the truth and be able to make up their own minds because I respect their rights as Americans and because I know a lot of other ways they are loving and caring, so I believe if they knew, they would make better choices.

I don't think they will ever move over to the fully progressive side of the party... I am farther left than I was before, but I started in a solid middle place.... still it isn't about getting them to back me in my opinion, merely allowing me to freely speak it.

I don't know if all the best ideas or solutions are owned by the DEMS or Progressives. I do know that WE aren't comfortable destroying people in order to make sure corporate welfare is alive and well.

I do know that no talking points can make global warming go away.

I'm very nostalgic for the good old days when we ALL wanted what is best for America, but just had different ideas of how to get there.

TO Me the REAL ISSUE that CAN'T be IGNORED is that B*** and his band of thugs - HAVE TO GO. They are destroying this country and MUST BE Impeached.

All those honest Republicans who can swallow the truth and stand with me on that one issue are welcome as all get out. It is those people who can see to it that their party is never shammed again by such horrid beasts as this crew.

Those Republicans who truly believe in Christ and can be shown how un-Christ-like the things B*** and his thugs do behind closed doors are and are willing to depose him are also welcome.

The first step is to defeat this multi-headed hydra, but the Republican's that are otherwise decent people are like townspeople in an oldtime fairytale. Until the beast is defeated, they will sit there hypnotized and not recoginize it for what it truly is.

Don't drink that Kool-Aid Aunt Ethel! Don't do it!



Peace!

[Vickers]

My family is starting to question their W support

I am the only liberal in a family of RWers, but lately (within the last couple of months) their support of W and his idiots is not very strong. I think they are starting to see that gay marriage doesn't affect them as much as joblessness, wars, shitty economy, etc. etc.

[CitrusLib]

48. Reading this warms my heart.

I've yet to find anyone near me who voted for W and has the courage to vocalize any dissatisfaction with his performance. It's boggling my mind that his job ratings are at an all time low and I can't find a single person in my overwhelmingly red county who admits to being disappointed in the bastard.

[FreedomAngel82]

74. In my state I live in the more conservative area

my town can go either way though (1997-2001 we had a democratic mayor, 2001-2005 we had a republican who wasn't too bad and now we have an indie) and I used to see a lot of W stickers and those troop ribbons. Now I hardly do. I see them occassionaly of course. Around the election I saw more Kerry/Edwards signs and anti-Bush stickers. In the suburbs area I saw more Bush stuff but downtown I saw maybe three Bush signs at the most. The Bush headquarters here got sprayed by paint and the local Kerry headquarters got egged on the ground. Heh.

[Tigress DEM]

68. The rank and file Republicans aren't really bad people...

My best friend is Repub and over the years many others as well, but the main thing is that we each have our beliefs and that's cool, but I am not so "liberal" with allowing "facts" to be like silly putty.

I spend a lot of time pulling the facts through a long string of events over time... because as we dump over every bin of lies eventually people hear about things.

ie: tonight I was talking about Iran and my fears of some type of Nuclear issue there.

I started back with 9/11 - originally I thought the whole theory about it being aided and abetted by our government in the beginning was very far out on a limb.... but now when I'm seeing several things going on with Iran, I feel I know something awful is coming...

Because:

A) Iran was supposedly the next target - due date June 05 has passed and reports about their "Nuclear" capabilities were floating around until they got debunked. Imminent became, uh, it would take them 10+ years to be ready...

B) Now that Haliburton (Vice President Dick Cheney's company) is helping them with weapons, the estimate has been pared down to 5 1/2 years. (And you're giving aid and expertise to the enemey because...?)

C) And the ENERGY Bill has a rider that loosens up the EXPORT RESTRICTIONS on WEAPONS GRADE Uranium.... I couldn't understand why that would be done at all and then I realized, that way a shipment could get hijacked going out of our country and "accidentally" wind up in Iran's hands and then they would be the threat Bushco wanted them to be.... so we could have another war or incident to take our minds off of all the crap he's piling up on us here at home...

LIKE Making US Citizens SIGN a form in order to have a FREEDOM MARCH in Washington DC.

[FreedomAngel82]

73. I know how you feel

I'm the odd ball too. I'm so extremely liberal it's crazy. I'm like the black sheep I guess. But my Mom and brother are not Bush supporters. Earlier this April my town had a mayoral race and both of the canidates came around to our house to meet us and I got to meet my now mayor (he's an indie who's a Jimmy Carter type and pretty cool) and my Mom told him that she's no longer a republican after being one for years. I told her she could change parties and how but she hasn't yet. :shrug: But what matters is how you vote and you don't have to vote by party luckily.

[naturalselection]

7. Ya, my sister and her husband

are devout Bush supporters.

Here is a story.
My family and I were spending a week at my folks house this summer. My sister and her son were there as well. The timing of our trip was when Bush announced Roberts for SCOTUS. Anyway, I came downstairs and my mom had Bush on TV. My sister was there watching and I made the comment "Do we have to watch this idiot?"
My mom smiled and said "No", and she turned it. Both my parents voted for Bush and have since admitted to me that they made a mistake. I am very proud of my parents.
However, my sister said she would vote for Bush again, his wife if she ran, his mom (OMFG).
I said, "Would you vote for Bubba Jr.(Jeb) too?" My parents fell over laughing, my sister left the room.
Anyway, my wife said to let it go. She does not want me to dissolve family relationships over politics.
But I love to egg my sister on.

[nickinSTL]

8. for once, no

My family is mostly progressive, except my dad, who's...well, libertarian might be a kind way to put it. He seems to be against ALL government :eyes:

We've discussed that in the past, but...

Overall, it seems that since he hates whoever is in power, we can discuss politics as long as the Republicans are in office.

Of course, if the Dems get the Presidency back in '08, I expect politics will be off-limits again.

[zbdent]

9. I've chronicled some of my brother's freepishness in the past

Right now, it seems as if there's a truce.

But all it will take is the next election. Thankfully, that should buy me a couple of years.

My sister and Brother-in-law seemed to go freepish for a while there (BIL is a hunter, they live in the Arkansas section of Pennsylvania with their two kids), but he confided in me in October that he was voting for Kerry - under Bush, the work had dried up.

Long before his "conversion", while I still had my misgivings about where their political choices lay, I anonymously sent them a gift card to a local grocery chain - while they were down on their luck.

[danalytical]

10. Same here

My father and I got into a few heated discussions the other night. Evolution, ACLU, and prayer in schools. Need I say more.

I also have gotten into arguments with my brother in law about Iraq, Social Security, etc etc etc. My father I was able to convince on SS, and I think I have him pinned on Iraq, but my brother in law is an all around stubborn W cheerleader. They are bother Evangelicals and are extremely reWlican.

[GreenPartyVoter]

12. Our family has to instate a no politics/no religion rule every so often

[KarenS]

13. My Daughter & Son-in-law and I went round after round

before the "Election" about Bush, the lies & John Kerry.

In the end Daughter opted not to vote & SiL voted for Kerry.

It was bad, but I would not quit giving them grief about their Bumper Sticker sloganism beliefs,,,,,

Finally, they are coming around on issue after issue.

I told my Daughter that there was no way that I raised a "Repulican"!!!

[More Than A Feeling]

14. My dad called me radical because I don't pay attention to the MSM

Of course, considering his politics, it's a pot/kettle scenario (though I don't consider the truth radical)

[Hobarticus]

15. My sister and her husband sent me the National Review

after they visited for my wedding.

Didn't say anything to me, until they sent me the gift card. I'd received a few issues by that time. The gift card said, "We saw your magazine rack full of liberal mags, thought we'd set you straight".

I told her I thought it was the most arrogant and rude thing anyone had ever done in my home. We aren't that close, I rarely hear from her, and I was really offended.

[tanyev]

59. I would have been tempted to torch each issue as it arrived

and sent them an envelope full of ashes.

[Debs]

81. Give them a gift subscription to the Nation magazine

And tell them you thought it they were old enough to allow a bit of reality into their lives.

[Tigress DEM]

83. Sounds like a cool idea!

I mean, they opened the door... if they can dish it out they should be able to take it too.

Hey, let's both read the opposing view point and discuss things like grown ups and see what we think afterward.

[SoCalifer]

16. What family?

My stance for the constitution, national honor with respect to the international community, and against corruption and a war of aggression have estranged me from my family after excessive ridicule and talk behind my back -- and in front of my nieces and nephews.

I haven't spoken to any one of them for two years now, and quite frankly, as far as I am concerned, I never will. I no longer have a family.



.

[GOPFighter]

19. I hear ya'

Before the election my family started forwarding the RW emails that were making the rounds. They knew I was a Dem and many of the emails were highly insulting. I finally started responding with rebuttals and telling them how insulting their emails were to a liberal Democrat. Haven't head from them since. I doubt I ever will again.

[sepia_steel]

49. My uncle the evangelical

kept forwarding emails to me involving the likes of Pat Buchanan, James Dobson, Pat Robertson... and things that "obviously" prove that the war was fulfilling Biblical prophesy, so it MUST be right (same shit I hear from idiot at work, who picks and chooses the rules from his chosen faith as best suits him at the moment since he's having premarital sex and being a cocky bastard in general)

finally I told him that I didn't agree with the war and that I am not a Republican and I never would be. Haven't heard form him in over a year, which is sad. But, whatever. I wrote to him serveral times and he didn't write back anymore. God's love, indeed.

Fuck all these hypocritical bastages.

[FreedomAngel82]

76. Funny thing with that

is that Jesus Christ himself said the end of the world will happen like a thief in the night: in other words WE DON'T KNOW. I get so tired of all the "the end of the world is coming!" nonsense. :eyes: You really do lose crediability when you use that line and the signs every time there is a war. I'm sure people thought that since WWI and/or the Civil War.

[Tigress DEM]

86. Worse than that.. groups that want to "hurry it along"

Sure! Bring on Armagedon, then Christ will come and we will have 1000 years of peace. :sarcasm:


:hide: :yoiks: :nuke:

[Tigress DEM]

85. Ask them if that makes Bush the Anti-Christ or just the John the Baptist

counterpart preparing the way? It's all about the lies.

If B*** were standing in God's TRUTH he wouldn't be tripping over his lies everywhere, he wouldn't be party to these back door policies that are very un-Christian in their persecution of the poor and those who speak the truth would be honored in his house, not sent away or fired or worse.

[Uncle Joe]

25. You have one here. n/t

[SoCalifer]

26. Thanks Uncle Joe and GOPFighter...

:grouphug:



By the way, may I ask what "n/t" stands for? I can never figure that one out.. :)





.

[Uncle Joe]

28. n/t means no text or message, it took me a while too.

[SoCalifer]

29. Thanks

:dem:








.

[FreedomAngel82]

75. I'm sorry

:hug:

[Tigress DEM]

84. Those who stand with you for truth and justice are your chosen family now.

Too bad it had to go down like that. Maybe some day things will change, but just take care of yourself for now and if you have any sort of higher power - leave the rest up to that higher power to handle.

I gave up on my folks for other issues a long time ago and it took two years before they turned around and it wasn't what I did really. My last phone call was, "If you are going to believe lies about me when I have gone out and shown you hard copy documentation that I am telling you the truth, then I don't want to have you in my life under those terms."

My father taught me at a young age to be truthful and it really hurt me that he doubted me. It was really stupid shit. Their insurance agent had wrongly assigned 7 speeding tickets to his account and he thought they were mine. I took him the print out of my driving record and showed him it was clean. I did find out years later that you can put your tickets "on the shelf" but that only allows 1 per year and I wasn't that old. I drove at home from 16 to 18 years of age.

They preferred to think of it as my youthful shennigans instead of my father being to embarrassed? to confront the insurance company with the mistake. And my sister was swearing up and down that she had been with me when those tickets were incurred.

Things changed and before they died we were on better terms. My sister and me go up and down, but we're all we have now. So maybe someday... if not, just pick the best people you can and enjoy the luxury of being able to choose. I still have some really solid friends from the period of time I was on my own.

[kerry-is-my-prez]

17. Yep. My brother hung up on me & my parents have gotten po'd also.

Although they are not as strident in their defense of BushCo anymore. I think they are realizing that i might be right about a lot of things.

[yy4me]

18. As a guest in my sisters house,

the rule is, no talk of politics(they're Repubs), religion, or golf.)
They live down south, we're from NE. Get along well and the rules are made to keep peace in the family. The minute politics comes up on TV or wherever, everything goes quiet. On another side of the family, we have retired career Army. He keeps e-mailing us pro army, pro bush stuff. Delete. Too bad I can't block sender on anything that is pro-Bush.

[stevans_41902]

21. All of my family is liberal (that i know of) except for one of my cousins

who married into a rich Repub family. I dont see him that often, so there has been no heated political discussions between us. Right now I am living with my boyfriend and his best friend. The friend is a HUGE RW nut job who is always making comments about liberals & how they are hypocritiacal liars, etc. My bf didn't want me starting anything with him (religion and politics are something that are off limits in his family) but my bf was out of town last week on a business trip and I decided i was sick of taking his comments so we got into a 5 hour argument/discussion of politics. Of course it was easy winning every argument b/c all he uses are Sean Hannity talking points, but really frustrating when he says fu**ed up stuff like "liberals are hypocrits because they say they want to promote tolerance but do not want to allow prayer in school." On of our largest disagreements is the fact that he thinks morning after pill/abortion should be illegal even in the case of rape & incest. Most of my other friends are liberal, so hes pretty much on his own when we discuss politics as a group, thankfully.

[eridani]

62. Tell him the truth--prayer IS TOO allowed in school

Students may pray silently anytime they wish to, and there will always be prayer in school as long as there are final exams. Why should teachers be allowed to tell anyone how to pray? Then quote him the Gospel about how Jesus told people to pray in their closets and not in public.

[FreedomAngel82]

77. Dealing with prayer

you can tell him that you can say prayer in school. Say it before school starts (my school had that allowed), say it before a test, say it in a moment of silence, say it before lunch, say it after school. Nobody said you can't say a prayer. You can't lead a prayer. That's the difference. I also wanted to say when I was in high school there was a Christian organization (club) and they met every morning at 7am est before the flag and held hands in a circle and said a silent prayer together (or low I don't know). This was fine because it was before school began (it began at 7:30am est) and anybody was invited.

[CrispyQ]

20. Last summer

my Mom exclaimed, "My God, what kind of a thing have I raised?" after finding out my liberal views. I told her she raised a compassionate, caring person who believes that you extend a helping hand when someone is down & that the whole community excels when everyone excels. She rolled her eyes in disgust.


I've had the pleasure of listening to her lament her vote for boosh & have had to bite my tongue to keep from saying "I told you so."

[FreedomAngel82]

79. Nice

I like moments like that. Has she ever apologized for what she said about you?

[Hong Kong Cavalier]

22. I've hung up on my brother a dozen times in the past two years

Every time he brings up the words "liberals" and "stupid" in a sentence, I hang up the phone.
It used to be that his wife would call me back in a day and we'd chat. She even did that once when he was being extrordinarily adveserial one day right before they were to go to our parents' house. She was concerned that I'd changed my mind.
Of course, she cheated on him and divorced him within four months of that time, but hey...
I've still told my brother that even though he needs his family more than ever right now, that does not give him the right to treat me like a doormat.
I'll continue to hang up on him. And if he keeps trying to antagonize me, I'll simply stop calling (or answering).

[tamtam]

23. I didn't speak to my husband for a week

after the election. My husband is a Republican but did not vote in this last election. He will not admit the real reason for not voting this time but we all know why. We really got into it after the last election. He tried to tell me there was voter fraud (from Democrats)in regards to the military. He said this because he knew deep down inside there was voter fraud in Ohio so he tried to use the "Democrats do it also" argument. I told him that was bull considering we never found out the exact percentage of military personnel that voted for Kerry. I've broken down so many of his arguments that he refused to vote in this last election. He tried to convert me but that didn't work. He is my husband and I love him but I will die a liberal.

We don't talk politics and Fox news is not allowed in my presence. This seems to work out pretty well for us.

[SaveAmerica]

24. I hope things get better for you guys. The first time I saw "The

Way We Were" years ago I said to myself 'why can't they just live together and get over their differences?, so many things can be overcome'. The second time was after the election and I just bawled like a baby at the end. All the emotion of conversations (using the term loosely) with friends and a couple family members over the election shed an entirely new light on the movie. I hope every person responsible for the spread of lies and hate, from politicians to right wing talk-show haters, realizes their role in the division in America.

[FreedomAngel82]

80. What I find really funny

about the "Democrats do it too" line is why wouldn't we make ourselves win? I mean duh.

[wli]

27. haven't talked to family since Bushler got (s)elected

Though there are other things involved.

[Ksec]

30. Brother and I havent spoke since 2004

I had a feud with him over the coward of crawford.

Hes become a holy roller Baptist down in Georgia and theyve fried his logic.

[AspenRose]

31. My husband & I

It has calmed down somewhat since the election; last year was very, very ugly.

This past weekend we went out to dinner with friends and he was the only conservative at the table. The subject of Novak's meltdown and Karl Rove being an evil idiot came up, and of course, he was strangely silent during the exchange.

When we got home he went into the "how could you do that" mode. I said simple; now you know how *I* felt when you and your Rush Limbaugh listening dad went on and on about Kerry's incompetence last October.

He let it drop.

He's actually reluctantly admitted that I've been right on quite a few things regarding Bunnypants. But he doesn't say that loudly.

P.S.: Like Tantam, I do not allow Rush, Sean, Fox, or any of that garbage within my earshot. He can watch or listen to it as much as he can stomach, as long as I'm not around. I listen to Air America all day while taking care of the baby. And THANK GOD my family of origin is Democrat. I run to them for solace when it gets unbearable ;-) Especially my younger brother.

[SonofMass]

32. I don't have a political family.

[Aesclepius]

33. Yes.

I haven't seen or spoken to some of my close relatives in almost 2 years expressly because of their staunch, idiotic, right-wing views. These are people who despite taking advantage of food stamps and stundent loans during some down years, vehemently lambast government-sponsored social programs and "frivolous" lawsuits. Invariably, every holiday would involve a political argument that, upon the presentation of incontrovertible facts, would quickly morph into a discussion of Bill Clinton's wayward penis.

It's just not pleasant to be around people - family or not - who call Coulter's books "well-documented" and "accurate" and who rail against the apparently "librul" media we supposedly have in this country.

Polarized, divided families are just another putrid byproduct of this neo-fascist cancer that is devouring our Republic.

[Lindacooks]

43. I'm sorry that you have family like that. I do too.

Welcome to DU! You'll find lots of support here.

[KansDem]

34. About two-thirds of my family are freepers and they're heavy drinkers...

Drunk freepers do not make for a pretty sight!

[peace frog]

36. Family harmony is very important to me...

... so I find it best to eschew political discussions with my Bush-lovin' relatives. I love them but hate their politics (and they could say the same about me) so the subject is off limits for the duration of Junior's pResidency.

[Totally Committed]

37. I should sell tickets to my family gatherings.

In my huge family, there are Democrats, Republicans, and Greens. There are Catholics, RW Fundamentalist Christians, Jews, Unitarians, a Muslim, and couple of Atheists. There are Pro-Choice feminists, and Anti-Choice "Stepford wives". There are Italians, Israelis, a Syrian, Indonesians, Norwegians, Native Americans, an African-American, a Palestinian, and a couple of old biddies who can trace their ancestry back to the Mayflower. All but one is straight. There is everything from blonde curls with freckles, to Dredlocks.

When we are all together for a family dinner, things get noisy. There have been times of "not speaking". But, in the end, it's the love that smooths things out. That, and a candidate we could all agree upon. During the primaries, every voter in my family (except for my new Red State RW Fundamentalist in-laws) managed to vote for the same candidate last time out. Everyone from the Republicans to the Greens. So, we fought, but it wasn't about politics. Everyone voted their conscience in the GE, and we decided not to speak about it ever.

With the new in-laws, we get around the "W" fighting matches by observing one rule: Since the dinners are almost always at my house, speaking the name "Bush", or praise for anything to do with him is not allowed. But, when they are not trying to convert the rest of us, or they are talking about "baby killing" and the like, so it still gets noisy. Really noisy.

[AzDar]

40. My in-laws are Mormon, and apparently, the Church "suggested" that

they vote "a certain way" (retching noises).While they've never actually confirmed this, I know they voted for the Wee Cowboy. Anyhoo, every time they complain about gas prices,or the fact that my stepfather-in-law was recently laid off, I can't help but say "yeah, that idiot Bush is REALLY screwing things up, isn't he?". They just grimace...It's a cheap thrill, but a thrill nonetheless.

[Momgonepostal]

57. Just for the record, I'm Mormon and the church did not...

suggest to us, either overtly or covertly, who to vote for. I had a Kerry/Edwards sticker on my van that the family drove to church and no one ever said anything. The day they start telling us which candidates to vote for is the day I walk out the door.

[Maat]

64. I've found that it is individual church officials, ministers, pastors ..

rabbis, or whomever that went off on these tangents trying to persuade people to vote a certain way.

By and large.

But the Southern Baptists were openly slamming Kerry, and glowing about Bush, as a whole; that was pretty nauseating.

By the way, I used to have a whole lot of respect for my in-laws, who were like parents to me - then they become religious hardrighties; my husband is polite and does the interfacing. Since they all moved to Oklahoma three years ago, and since we remained out West, it is really not a problem.

Few polite pleasantries now and again, I say.

But there is a big wedge.

Husband and I are very progressive.

[tk2kewl]

41. I haven't spoken to my cousin since he called my wife un-American

and all she did was call bush a liar.

[Tracer]

42. My sister ...

... is an extremely close-mouthed person. She will NOT tolerate arguments about politics around the dinner table Ñ mostly because it's her husband who takes all the grief from everyone because of his regressive views. (They are quite well-to-do).

So, it's really hard to tell where she stands on anything.

But while visiting the other day, the topic of health care came up and I said that what this country needs is a national health care system.

Immediately, she blurted out "No, no! Can you imagine the WAIT we'd have to see a doctor?! Look how they complain in Canada and England!"

I pointed out that there is ALREADY quite a wait to see a doctor HERE in a non-emergency situation and that, for the most part, Canadians and Brits are more satisfied with actually HAVING health care, rather than here Ñ where so many people don't have it.

As usual, she clammed up and changed the subject.

P.S. She's really a loving and nice person, but has that wealthy "me first" attitude.

[cmd]

45. Oh, yeah

It breaks out at the most unexpected times. The sides are pretty solidly lined up. I'm just glad there are more on my side than on the other.

[CitrusLib]

47. My mom's side of the family are fundi Christians who think W is da bomb.

Last Thanksgiving I was cooped up with them at a family reunion shortly after the election. They played nice with me, but my aunts and uncles can be pretty petty with my mother. One of my cousins' husbands is an outright dickhead about politics. I don't communicate with them.

My ILs are Republicans, but we've called a truce and do not discuss politics at all. At least as much as we can help it.

I've managed to keep things pretty civil between myself and family members with polar opposite views, but it is a fatiguing effort.

[windbreeze]

51. I am sending....

A link to this thread to a friend of mine, who thinks he's all alone....WOW...is all I can say...hell, my family just closes their ears, when I get on a rant, they don't fight with me, I almost wish they would..then at least I'd know they ARE paying attention...
windbreeze

[CitrusLib]

54. It's easy to feel lonely.

If you're the lone representative of sanity and free thought in a close-knit clan, it can indeed wear on you. I feel for your friend.

BTW, I did the Clark photo. I met him twice in NH during the primary. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the guy. Clark '08!

Citrus

[praisethelowered]

50. Fox news has stolen my father from me. . . .

It breaks my heart really. He is getting older and I would like nothing more than to enjoy a good relationship with him.

But, over the years, I have seen him transform as the right wing media has distorted his views. He increasingly blurts out unwarranted negativity about "liberals". He has become really angry. There are so many topics I have to avoid that I feel like every conversation is entirely fake and self-conscious.

Discussing politics was interesting and even fun when I was a kid . . . but now that the right has there own set of "facts" (that they see right there on fox news so they must be true) even arguments have no common ground.

I am so sad about this. . . I don't even want his grandkids to be around him he's so negative.

I think as it becomes more and more obvious that the neo-cons are fascists the repubs have two choices

1. Admit they were conned
2. Throw up there hands and say "well, everybody lies and cheats"

My dad has chosen option 2 and so now he hates everyone - especially people who still "claim to" believe in honesty, hope, and democracy.

It is a bad time in America in terms of politics but on a personal level I bet the right wing distortions are tearing apart a lot of families like mine.

[CrispyQ]

61. Wow, you could be talking about my mother,

except it was years of Rush that contaminated her. And like your father, she too has gone with choice 2.

Yes, Mr. I'm-a-uniter-not-a-divider has created deep chasms between many families & friends.


ps - like your screen name! :hi:

[niceypoo]

65. My friends father is the same way

He started listening to Rush in the early 90s and we have watched him deteriorate since then. He went from happy go lucky to mad at the world. He paces back and forth all day long ranting and raging about "the liberals". Basically he repeats whatever he has heard on limbaugh that week. He really seethes hate and he has become quite racist. Its pretty scary seeing what this endless negative bombardment does to them. It ruins their life.

[VOX]

52. I'm lucky. My wife, mother-in-law and stepson are all diehard liberals...

I do have some cousins who are Republican, but even they've completely had it with *, and have been particularly critical of the right-wing's stance on stem-cell research.

Fortunately, there are no dittoheads in the brood.

[greblc]

58. I made my brothers swear they wouldn't vote for Bush...

one of them was golfing with my stepfather and the topic came up. He assumed he had raised at least one Republican and was shocked to find out all 3 of us voted for Kerry. He is an intelligent man and a Vietnam Vet. He whole heartedly hates liberals for undermining Vietnam by protesting. I think he has been holding this grudge for 40 years.

Nearly all of the men ( and one woman) in my family have served in the Military. It's a tough crowd to voice a liberal opinion in.

[AuntPatsy]

60. My husband and I, he is getting desperate and more angry..

it only proves to me that even he can no longer find any real ammuniation to counter the truth I give to him in small doses mind you, his anger is very telling to me..

Pretty sad, he wants so much to believe in this administration, he really does.

[caligirl]

63. Repug in laws vs diabetic child. we hate Bush and I won't let repugs

in my home. They are unwelcome until they support my son's medical best interests. Meaning if they voted for the idiot they aren't welcome here.

[niceypoo]

66. My sisters husband is very conservative repub

but he is pretty civil about it. He doesnt listen to limbaugh, but wont watch much MSM either. He does listen to NPR to and from work each day. My sister says he is pissed off at Bush for starting the Iraq war which he sees as lie based and he gets mad when he sees him on TV. He refuses to allow himself to be victimised by the false BS the right clings to. He has always been diehard conservative. He was president of the local county young repubs as a teenager. Some times him and I throw little barbs at each other. He got my daughter a teddy bear that sang "Jesus loves me". She was making it sing and he looked at me and said "Vote republican". I looked back and said "God favors the rich". He was a little taken aback by that but he got what I was saying and laughed about it.

[Tigress DEM]

67. I don't speak too much at family gatherings, and when I do...

I do my best to stay in the "things we can agree on" zone - - -

ie: "No one likes being lied to and bushco has lied repeatedly and that is fact, you look at his words one day he says one thing, you look at his words on another and he says something completely different."

ie: "All I want is the TRUTH to be reported in the media and there are facts even in government reports that dispute a lot of the propoganda in the press and it is still ignored... As Americans we are charged with making informed decisions, but we are being told WHAT to think and Believe, not being allowed to look at the facts and make our own decisions"

Then I start rattling off as many pertinent facts as I think people can take and I listen to their side as well. I also spend a lot of time saying that I respect a lot of Republicans and I don't believe that if they knew all the facts that they would support the pResident either.

I even went to a town hall meeting with a Republican here in MN, Jim Ramstad. Now if what he said is true... then he is someone who isn't operating with blinders on.. and he has voted against his party line on several issues. Ramsted is most outraged on this "emminent domain" deal where the government can choose to like your house more than you do and sell it to the highest bidder.

So I would tell a relative, as long as I believe you are thinking for yourself and not just mouthing talking points it's good to be able to have a reasonable debate about the issues.

In the beginning I was scared and my father in law got the old "oh, don't bring these things up, you just get yourself all upset..." from his wife (who I love dearly, but can be the wrong kind of peacemaker at times...) but my Republican relatives had no such qualmish feelings... so I eventually had to speak up, and learn to stop occassionally when things get too heated because family is family and sometimes you just have to do your work there as who you are to them and leave the politics at the door.

With my kid, I was throwing facts about the war in Iraq at him left and right and he was still going to enlist. It wasn't until I prayed to God that , "OK, he can go, but YOU better take care of him, because if he comes home in a box, YOU got some 'splainin' to do God and I'm serious, I'll probably have to kick YOUR ass..." all of the sudden the Army had a few obstacles he couldn't overcome.

It's ironic. Bush is hiding out from a mom who lost her son and I just wrote a letter giving him a hard time... now I guess I shouldn't have done that. After all if GOD Himself doesn't want to deal with a pissed off mother of a murdered child... how can I expect Bush to do better?

[FreedomAngel82]

71. No

We don't talk politics in my family. I get my dad to watch the "Daily Show" though so he gets some truth since he doesn't really watch much news. My mom, brother and I voted for Kerry while my Dad did Bush. :shrug: My grandma asked my dad why I was voting for Kerry and he said "kids are always going up against the government". Heh. I wanted to ask my grandma if she voted for Clinton in 1996. :eyes: My grandparents voted for Kerry though and I was happy about that (they're the old-school republicans). My cousin said she only didn't vote for Kerry cause he was pro-choice. :eyes: Maybe I can buy F911 before I go visit my grandmother and can show it to my cousin. She's pretty open-minded and she is cool with gay people and things like that.