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.




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