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Post by workingclassdog on Mar 27, 2024 16:29:54 GMT
This isn't a post about red and blue or discussing certain political people, this is more on navigating family and close friends. My mom, sister and I pretty much align together. I'm probably the most conservative of the bunch. But not really 'that' conservative. As I have gotten older I think the less conservative I have become. ANYWAYS, that wasn't the point. haha.. I just got a letter from a family member who I have stayed in touch with for years. She is my dad's cousin. Since it seemed like my dad was always mad at some family member, be it me, her, his brother and so forth. Her and I have always maintained mostly a friendship via email, meeting a few times. I haven't talked to her recently and she sent me a nice email yesterday and then after updating about family I totally got the vibe of Trump in it. Asking about the homelessness in Denver and the illegals and so forth. I answered politely and said yes it is an issue and that I even volunteered a few weeks ago to make meals for the ones that have come from Venezuela and left it at that. Got a new email this morning, of course, turning political and how Biden/Obama ruined the country. Now usually I just stay quite because as most of you know, there is no talking as adults when Trump is involved. (at least in my experience).. This was my polite answer and I wasn't going to just stay silent. I stay silent on FB because that just always turns ugly. Unfortunately if I took a poll of my family members, I think the majority is pro-Trump. The few of us that are not have our tight little circle and stick together. It's so weird. I hate it so much. I think I like the old days when it was the thing not to talk politics and religion. "Well I don't dive deep into politics as I feel that as Americans we are free to choose who we want for President. I feel differently about Trump. Not a fan of Biden either. So I feel kinda stuck in the middle. I have always been Independent. I like choosing the person, not the party. Trump has divided the country so much that I can't vote for someone like that. Now that he is selling these gold tennis shoes and Bibles, I just can't imagine having him as the President. I am respectful in that we have different views and I hope that wouldn't come between our friendship. That is why we all have the option to choose who we feel is the best. I just am not finding anyone at the moment.  And just FYI, my husband likes Trump too. We don't talk about politics. lol" |
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3boysnme
Full Member
Posts: 405
Aug 1, 2023 13:28:26 GMT
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Post by 3boysnme on Mar 27, 2024 16:51:32 GMT
Yeah, it's hard when you have a family member who has gone off the deep end. That is what I consider anyone who still supports and will vote for the orange one. In 2016, I was a bit curious about him, but after watching the debate, I quickly realized that he is the absolute worse person to be voted in as POTUS and I was right. I have almost always voted conservative. I still consider myself conservative, but the conservative party is no longer. I don't know what they are. It's like watching a silly sitcom where the plot is to be as foolish as you can be. I am aligning more with liberals now.
My exh and I were both conservatives when we married back in 1988. Had three sons, and raised them to chose whichever political belief they feel best for them. One son is firmly in the Democratic camp. One is in the "I hate politics" and one is more conservative, but not quite a trump lover. My ex met up with a woman after our divorce, who is a wackadoodle. Very strange person. She is very much in the trump camp. And I've noticed that my ex had definitely shoved his head up trumps arse and drank the Kool aide. I really didn't recognize him anymore the last few years. We used to talk all the time after our divorce. But not as much since trump happened. He passed away a year ago.
I have several friends who voted for him and will probably vote for him again. We don't discuss politics. If they get a bit trump happy on FB, I just scroll on by. And I used to post heavily against trump, but now I only post of happy things! Puppies, kittens, etc. I keep my political thoughts close to my vest these days. Trumpers be cray-cray!
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Post by Merge on Mar 27, 2024 16:54:21 GMT
I find it impossible to spend time with family members who believe that my daughters and I are second class citizens, that my gay daughter should have to keep her relationships out of public sight, or that our neighbors and my students’ families are subhuman. Why would I want to?
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huskergal
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,429 
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Post by huskergal on Mar 27, 2024 17:03:06 GMT
I am thankful that none of my immediate family is a Trump supporter.
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Post by allison1954 on Mar 27, 2024 17:13:32 GMT
I would not have bothered replying.
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Post by iamkristinl16 on Mar 27, 2024 17:24:12 GMT
I have a lot of family members who are Republicans/Trump supporters. Luckily the immediate family are all Democrats and I only see the extended family on major holidays. But it can be difficult to avoid any landmine conversations, because they always seem to bring things up.
It's difficult even with people who aren't family. I recently met a group of people that walk on the trails by the dog park. I met up with them on Saturday and two of the people started talking about the Russian concert attack and then one started talking about 9/11 conspiracies. I tried to politely shut down the conversation and walked away to talk to someone else, but it was frustrating.
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twinsmomfla99
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,117
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Post by twinsmomfla99 on Mar 27, 2024 17:31:14 GMT
I skipped my aunt’s 90th birthday (she is my aunt by marriage and my uncle passed last year) party because I just wasn’t prepared to deal with the ultimaga relatives I knew would be there. I am pretty certain I would be the most liberal person at the party, and while there are some “reasonable republicans” in the mix, I’m sure they will all hold their noses and vote for trump. Unfortunately, I will be attending a funeral for my 52 YO cousin on my mom’s side Tuesday. I will be driving Mom because she can’t drive that far. I am dreading running into my Q-anon cousin who spouts the most vile things about Biden and Harris. He spreads ridiculous conspiracy theories (he really believes Biden is not acting as POTUS right now and that a shadow government is in control). I won’t be surprised if he owns a pair of those stupid gold shoes (or at least owns the promise of gold shoes since I don’t think they have been manufactured yet), and he will more than likely buy one of the bibles. He proudly posts on FB all the stupid trump stuff he buys. “Trumpty Bear” with the flag you pull out of its ass was his profile pic for a long time. I routinely snooze him bc I just can’t with him. I think the best thing you can do with someone like that is to just not engage, but it’s really hard when they just keep coming back at you even when you try to redirect the conversation. I’ll have to suck it up for the funeral, but I draw the line at social gatherings. ETA for those who have never seen the glorious Trumpty Bear: gettrumpybear.com/ETA: I stand corrected. The glad gets pulled out of his back. Here is the original nauseating commercial from 2017. m.youtube.com/watch?v=i9qv8RSreIM |
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Post by crazy4scraps on Mar 27, 2024 17:42:23 GMT
I find it impossible to spend time with family members who believe that my daughters and I are second class citizens citizens, that my gay daughter should have to keep her relationships out of public sight, or that our neighbors and my students’ families are subhuman. Why would I want to? This is where I sit too. I have a teenage DD and some extended relatives that are LGBTQ. DD has friends that are LGBTQ and I care a great deal about those kids too. DH has some Trumpy friends that I choose not to associate with which isn’t too difficult, but my one sibling is too which is hard, especially when she starts breaking out with the ridiculous conspiracy theories. I’m sorry, but after 1/6, what more do you really need? If someone still chooses to follow him after that, I really can’t help them. It’s one thing to be a conservative but that is something else entirely. |
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Post by workingclassdog on Mar 27, 2024 18:35:18 GMT
I would not have bothered replying. And typically I don't. But sometimes I get sick and tired of being quiet about it. It's like why do I have to go underground to speak my thoughts. Or stand up... I am not a political person and can't debate it thoughtfully. So when I do say something I try to keep it calm and 'nice'. |
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Post by workingclassdog on Mar 27, 2024 18:37:17 GMT
Well I got a pretty good response from her... at least it is a civil conversation.
"I hate to listen to Trump because he is always bragging."
So although she supports him, she doesn't like to listen to him.. haha. WHY vote for him if you even feel this way.
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Tearisci
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,237
Nov 6, 2018 16:34:30 GMT
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Post by Tearisci on Mar 27, 2024 19:09:14 GMT
One of my sisters and her family are pretty conservative. We NEVER EVER discuss politics and if a convo veers off that way, it gets corrected right away.
DS is gay and they accept him and his husband without question. They also have 2 daughters that are in their mid 20s and I just want to scream how can you stand to see their (and your) rights go away? I actually would love to talk to them about it but I'll keep to the rule that we don't discuss anything political.
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Post by Zee on Mar 27, 2024 19:20:47 GMT
My family has a long tradition of being more liberal Democrats (you know, Irish hero Kennedy lol) and that's how I was raised. We all have That One Uncle though... He's too smart to be an actual Trump supporter, but he's definitely the conservative Black Sheep of the family.
I also have one cousin who has fallen down the Conspiracy Theory path and has basically removed himself from the family for the most part, which is sad because I miss him.
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Post by epeanymous on Mar 27, 2024 19:29:47 GMT
I find it impossible to spend time with family members who believe that my daughters and I are second class citizens citizens, that my gay daughter should have to keep her relationships out of public sight, or that our neighbors and my students’ families are subhuman. Why would I want to? I do think that is the difference, isn't it? It's one thing to think that markets better price health care and government intervention warps service. It's another thing to think that you or your loved ones shouldn't be able to have the same rights and opportunities that they do. How are you supposed to bridge that? |
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Post by epeanymous on Mar 27, 2024 19:31:57 GMT
I also have one cousin who has fallen down the Conspiracy Theory path and has basically removed himself from the family for the most part, which is sad because I miss him. There is a branch of my family that I've only met a few times, and one of them posted on a mutual cousin's social media thread, so I clicked to look at him. He turns out to be a complete QAnon person who is also a Christian theocrat. I'm glad I don't already have a relationship with him, because, hoo boy. |
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Post by Merge on Mar 27, 2024 20:12:45 GMT
I find it impossible to spend time with family members who believe that my daughters and I are second class citizens citizens, that my gay daughter should have to keep her relationships out of public sight, or that our neighbors and my students’ families are subhuman. Why would I want to? I do think that is the difference, isn't it? It's one thing to think that markets better price health care and government intervention warps service. It's another thing to think that you or your loved ones shouldn't be able to have the same rights and opportunities that they do. How are you supposed to bridge that? I don't know. My sister, whose views are much more moderate, gets mad at me periodically because I won't visit the extended side of our mom's family. But it's so much more than politics even - we have a family history of sexual abuse being covered up, girls/women being not believed and even condemned for speaking out about it, and religious orthodoxy that walked a fine line with mental abuse for a long time. No one involved with that has ever acknowledged or apologized for any of it - in fact, the party line is that it's all just water under the bridge and better forgotten. In 2016 when I expressed my disappointment and anger on social media about the election results, one aunt and an older cousin took it upon themselves to tell me how disappointed my parents would have been to see me become a godless liberal. So it's political, but it's a lot more than that. I'm lucky, I guess, that I live a long way from all of them and we had learned to live without a lot of family around long before Trump. Not seeing any of them doesn't bother me at all. My kids don't know any of them and have nothing to miss. DH's extended family is lovely and we see them reasonably often, and we have a small circle of friends who are like family here in Houston. It's enough. Blood can't be the only basis for a relationship that is toxic in every other way. |
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Post by crazy4scraps on Mar 27, 2024 20:29:27 GMT
I find it impossible to spend time with family members who believe that my daughters and I are second class citizens citizens, that my gay daughter should have to keep her relationships out of public sight, or that our neighbors and my students’ families are subhuman. Why would I want to? I do think that is the difference, isn't it? It's one thing to think that markets better price health care and government intervention warps service. It's another thing to think that you or your loved ones shouldn't be able to have the same rights and opportunities that they do. How are you supposed to bridge that? Exactly. And I really can’t understand how DH’s friends (two really vocal dudes in particular that have three teenage daughters each!) can vote for people who want to roll back rights that will directly impact their kids’ lives for decades? Don’t they care that their own kids are viewed as second class citizens? |
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Post by Merge on Mar 27, 2024 20:34:04 GMT
I do think that is the difference, isn't it? It's one thing to think that markets better price health care and government intervention warps service. It's another thing to think that you or your loved ones shouldn't be able to have the same rights and opportunities that they do. How are you supposed to bridge that? Exactly. And I really can’t understand how DH’s friends (two really vocal dudes in particular that have three teenage daughters each!) can vote for people who want to roll back rights that will directly impact their kids’ lives for decades? Don’t they care that their own kids are viewed as second class citizens? My experience with people like that around here is that they truly believe they are "good" people and would never need to end a pregnancy for any reason. We've had several women who ran up against the new laws when their pregnancy went wrong and said in interviews that were previously pro-life Republican voters who never believed something like that could happen to them. Only "bad" women would want or need to end a pregnancy. It makes me sad that people are so myopic and judgmental. |
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Post by dewryce on Mar 27, 2024 20:34:19 GMT
I find it impossible to spend time with family members who believe that my daughters and I are second class citizens citizens, that my gay daughter should have to keep her relationships out of public sight, or that our neighbors and my students’ families are subhuman. Why would I want to? I do think that is the difference, isn't it? It's one thing to think that markets better price health care and government intervention warps service. It's another thing to think that you or your loved ones shouldn't be able to have the same rights and opportunities that they do. How are you supposed to bridge that? Yes, exactly this. How do they say it? “It isn't a difference in politics but a difference in morals.” Our only issue with immediate family is my SIL’s husband. He doesn’t join us often even for holidays (and is in fact skipping the huge family Disney trip because of how they’re degrading American families or some such nonsense) so it’s usually not an issue. When he does deign to spend time with us he’s pretty anti-social and it’s a big enough group we never have to spend much time with him, and he’s learned to keep the garbage from coming out, so we are polite. In the extended family there are a few I suspect lean that direction but don’t voice any MAGAlike support or spew any hatred at anything close to hatred at any point and have never addressed it on social media. We aren’t close with them, but do spend time with them. There is one I know shares those values so our relationship is like with my SIL’s husband. |
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Post by epeanymous on Mar 27, 2024 21:05:29 GMT
I do think that is the difference, isn't it? It's one thing to think that markets better price health care and government intervention warps service. It's another thing to think that you or your loved ones shouldn't be able to have the same rights and opportunities that they do. How are you supposed to bridge that? Exactly. And I really can’t understand how DH’s friends (two really vocal dudes in particular that have three teenage daughters each!) can vote for people who want to roll back rights that will directly impact their kids’ lives for decades? Don’t they care that their own kids are viewed as second class citizens? Maybe the like the degree of control they think that will give them over their daughters. |
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Post by crazy4scraps on Mar 27, 2024 21:17:41 GMT
Exactly. And I really can’t understand how DH’s friends (two really vocal dudes in particular that have three teenage daughters each!) can vote for people who want to roll back rights that will directly impact their kids’ lives for decades? Don’t they care that their own kids are viewed as second class citizens? Maybe the like the degree of control they think that will give them over their daughters. Key word there being *think*. Because that worked so well prior to Roe v. Wade. 🙄 Not to mention all of the women facing crisis situations even with wanted pregnancies in those abysmal red states. |
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Post by sideways on Mar 27, 2024 21:18:30 GMT
I have a sibling that is a qanon whackjob. Believes every crazy conspiracy.
We don’t talk much. They’re pretty much estranged from everyone by their own choice.
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And just FYI, my husband likes Trump too. We don't talk about politics. lol"
