Dealing with political family members

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lcalise

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Well, I guess this falls both under family and politics. My husband and I are both very conservative (fiscal & social) and his youngest uncle is a NY-style academic liberal. Usually, there isn’t much to do about politics during the holidays, but this year has presented a dilemma…

While on facebook over the summer, my husband and I (both active duty Navy) were the subject of his “status” message, where he smugly hailed Obama’s lead in the polls because now my husband and I “might live to see 30.” I took offense for several reasons and wrote him a message explaining why it bothered me and asked him not to use us in the manner. The next day he “removed” us as friends on facebook…

Fast forward to a couple weeks before the election. In a response to a political poem sent by one of his brothers, he bemoaned my husband and a couple of his brothers for not believing in “social responsibility.” However, it took it a step to far by saying that we “clearly” did not share the Catholic values of such people as St. Francis & Mother Theresa, along with some more sanctimonious, condescending, judgmental drek. My husband and I collectively came up with a response that pointed out the errors of his assumptions and that whole abortion thing…

NOW that his candidate has won, I am DREADING Christmas because, in his smug arrogance, I think he will gloat. How can we defend our positions (especially since abortion closely touched my family), but at the same time avoid detracting from the holiday/ upsetting DH’s yellow-dog democrat Grandma? Advice? Experience?
 
AVOID the discussion at all costs. Change the subject or if unavoidable try and focus on some topic on which you can find common ground. If he continues to be confrontational and (rudely) brings this up anyway, remind him that the reason you and your husband have dedicated your lives to serving the country is so each and every American can express his or her political will freely at the polls–whether or not that political opinion jibes with his own.

p.s. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO ALL OF US!!!
 
I’m in complete agreement with Island Oak.

God bless you!

Ruthie
 
I agree with Island. The only thing I would add is if he will just not let it drop, get up and leave the room, take the high ground. Even your yellow dog democratic grandmother will observe that he’s being unbearably rude. He has freedom of speech, but you have the freedom not to listen to it.
 
In our family the response to people who won’t let up is to say, “How 'bout them Dawgs [Georgia Bulldogs, NCAA bawl]?” That indicates that it’s time to change the subject.
 
Appleby said:
In our family the response to people who won’t let up is to say, “How 'bout them Dawgs [Georgia Bulldogs, NCAA bawl]?” That indicates that it’s time to change the subject.
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That’s even better than my suggestion of leaving the room. Of course, we say “Gig 'em Aggies”😃
 
My nephew says “Hook 'em horns” which just starts a whole new disagreement 😃
 
My family is very conservative and I’m very liberal. We just try not to talk about it, and we get along just fine. Isn’t there a lot more stuff to talk about?
 
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