Editorial: Talk Turkey Over Trump

 

By

 Natalia Giacomozzi

 http://www.theonlinebeacon.com/editorial-talk-turkey-over-trump/

With coronavirus cases breaking records each day, Thanksgiving will look very different this year. That should give you pause; already 240,000 Americans will not celebrate this holiday with loved ones.

For those of us fortunate to enjoy the holidays with loved ones, we need to confront the elephant in the room: chances are you may have some relatives who invited outgoing President Donald Trump along with their MAGA hat.

They are not alone—70 million others voted for him.

So, how will this Thanksgiving be any different than the previous three Thanksgivings?
Trump is the first incumbent to lose a second term at the White House since George H.W. Bush. Judging by the videos of pro-Trump voters chanting “Stop the Count” in Michigan and “Count the Votes” in Arizona, this is a fact that many of his supporters refuse to accept.
President-elect Joe Biden has consistently emphasized that he doesn’t see red states or blue states– he sees the United States. Is it possibly for families to put politics aside and unite once again?

As far back as 2017, psychologist Vaile Wright at the American Psychological Association told Vox Media that families should not avoid discussing politics.
Rather, she suggests several ways to help mend open wounds. One way is to “avoid all verbal attacks and judgment.” If your past discussions have not changed anyone’s mind, do not expect it now.

Try to show empathy, as difficult as that may be. Acknowledge your cousin’s perspective through a nod, give a chuckle to Grandma’s conspiracy theory, or brush off the comment that “people are snowflakes.” That may be more than what you think they deserve, but taking the high ground may well be the first step towards reconciliation.
After all, Thanksgiving is not the only time families get together.

Come winter break, the inroads we may have made at Thanksgiving could make our winter holiday season with family that much more pleasant, regardless of what is happening at the White House.

And a bridge built over the troubled waters we’ve experienced the last four years will not be finished overnight. All of us– Biden supporters, Trump fans, progressives, conservatives, independents—have to lend a hand.

Or, in these times, bump elbows.




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

That Uplifting Tweet You Just Shared? A Russian Troll Sent It

Image
Here’s what Russia’s 2020 disinformation operations look like, according to two experts on social media and propaganda. By   DARREN LINVILL   &   PATRICK WARREN Internet trolls don’t troll. Not the professionals at least. Professional trolls don’t go on social media to antagonize liberals or belittle conservatives. They are not narrow minded, drunk or angry. They don’t lack basic English language skills. They certainly aren’t  “somebody sitting on their bed that weighs 400 pounds,”  as the president once put it. Your stereotypical trolls do exist on social media, but the amateurs aren’t a threat to Western democracy. Professional trolls, on the other hand, are the tip of the spear in the new digital, ideological battleground. To combat the threat they pose, we must first understand them — and take them seriously. MORE: https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/russia-troll-2020-election-interference-twitter-916482/ Posted by Jamie B.
Read more

The Nightmare Scenario That Keeps Election Lawyers Up At Night -- And Could Hand Trump A Second Term

Image
The Nightmare Scenario That Keeps Election Lawyers Up At Night -- And Could Hand Trump A Second Term   (Photo: Photos: Getty Images) Americans will almost certainly go to bed on Nov. 3 without knowing who won the presidential election. Since millions of people will vote by mail, constraints on time and resources will slow ballot counting into potentially a weeks-long process. Voting patterns suggest it’s likely that President  Donald Trump  could end Election Day in the lead in certain key states, only to be overtaken by Democratic opponent  Joe Biden  when more votes are tallied.  This could create a nightmare scenario during the three months stretching from Election Day to the Jan. 20 inauguration: a battle on the state and congressional level over who is the legitimate winner. This could include Congress reconvening on Jan. 6, presided over by Vice President  Mike Pence , with no consensus over its potential role in choosing the next president. This is arguably the most likely of th
Read more

Philosophical Question #14 – Lifestyle Choices

Image
Here is an interesting question in my list of philosophical questions: 1.) Should governments have penalties for those who live unhealthy lifestyles? A list of unhealthy lifestyles would include things like smoking, drinking, illegal drugs, prostitution, and other “vice” type activities. I guess the “government penalties” would be referring to monetary punishments, withholding medical treatments (insurance companies would love that), possibly imposing/regulating very high (exorbitant) prices on things considered unhealthy in order to cut down on their use, and other possibilities. 2.) Or, would you say that living an unhealthy lifestyle, likely resulting in a LOT of eventual personal pain and suffering, should be punishment enough for unhealthy lifestyles? When people make bad choices in life, often in their youth where ignorance and immediate gratification takes them over,  3.) Should a society be obligated to help "fix" them, by way of tax money?   Is that part of
Read more