In the colorful tapestry of modern family gatherings, it seems a new rule has emerged just in time for the holiday season: avoid holiday dinners with family members who have the audacity to vote Republican. While the Democrats are stirring the pot of societal division, one can’t help but wonder how we got here. In a society that prides itself on acceptance and understanding, we’ve been handed a baffling dichotomy—bring your children to a gathering filled with love and belonging, or keep them locked away for fear of encountering the dreaded ‘wrongthink’ embodied in an uncle who might just happen to wear a MAGA cap.
Imagine this: a cheerful Thanksgiving table covered in turkey, gravy, and an extra helping of tension, all stirred by political opinions that could rival the most sensational cable news debates. The scenario is all too familiar. A parent, worried about their child sitting next to Uncle Tom—who voted for “the other guy”—wrestles with a dilemma. On one hand, familial bonding and the potential sharing of food and laughter. On the other, an entirely fabricated fear that Uncle Tom might somehow warp their child’s delicate sensibilities about identity and self-expression. Meanwhile, our progressive friends seem to be declaring, “It’s us versus them!” while a thousand pies signal a different reality at the dining table.
It’s a baffling cultural phenomenon: the notion that one’s child is at risk of becoming the next outcast if they hear an opposing view at the Thanksgiving table. Sure, we wouldn’t want Junior to be traumatized by engaging in civil discourse with someone who, let’s face it, might not share the same Pinterest board of politically correct ideas. But isn’t it interesting how these same commentators wax poetic about community and acceptance, as long as it filters through a specific ideological lens? A family member’s differing political stance apparently eclipses years of shared memories, love, and holiday traditions as though they never existed.
And while some are skipping family dinners to avoid the uncomfortable question of who someone voted for, they don’t seem to bat an eye when it comes to gathering with strangers who might just relate their thoughts to historical monsters in a cringe-worthy social media TikTok. Let’s not forget those delightful incidents where a progressive darling floats the idea that ideological differences are akin to sharing a meal with Hitler. Who knew family gatherings could double as political battlegrounds, where equal opportunities for misunderstandings are a guaranteed certainty?
As the holidays approach, the media might suggest it’s wise to avoid that old-fashioned family love in favor of trendy echo chambers. Who needs the warmth of grandma’s cooking when you can find community among like-minded Instagram friends sharing their fervent disdain for Aunt Sue, who still believes in tax cuts? The irony, of course, is that in a time when unity should reign supreme, the clattering of forks cuts deeper than any divide ever could. In a world where families should come together, it’s distressing to see ideologues toying with the idea that love is conditional based on politics. Isn’t it time we called out this absurdity for what it is?
So this holiday season, let’s challenge ourselves to put down the defensiveness and embrace those family gatherings, tension and all. After all, what’s more American than debating politics over turkey? The real gift of the holidays is sitting around the table with a diverse cornucopia of opinions and realizing that love isn’t contingent upon alignment with every tweet or political slogan. With such absurdities in play, we’d do much better to raise our glasses to family—yes, even if they don’t think “equity” means a fair deal on dessert. In the grand scheme of things, there is nothing more progressive than getting along while disagreeing, a perfect recipe for both laughter and lively debate.
