Our Thanksgiving was so quiet this year..no political head banging

[Peacetrain]

Not that we do a lot of it, but we cover the political spectrum.. It was almost like no one wanted to even mention politics.. they just wanted quiet family time. (well as quiet as 12 people can get) and just be.. I guess that is how my husband and I felt afterward.. people just wanted to be in the moment and not deal with the craziness that has been inflicted on us for the last 3 years.

I am taking this as a good sign. That even those of us who are the furthest to the right in our family, want peace. They want consistency. I am beginning to think everyone is up their eyebrows with the constant confrontations. There will always be those who go to every Trump rally no matter where it is because he reflects their fears and hatreds.. but most of us just want peace.

[guillaumeb]

1. Congratulations.

The problem is not just public behavior, it is the private behavior of voting for racism and fear over tolerance and inclusion.

[Peacetrain]

3. You are so right about the fear and racism

and how this President feeds it.. My hope is that even those prone to being fed that poison are sick of it. I am not so pollyanna that I think the damage that has been done to us as a country is going to go away magically if the Democrats take office ..but I am starting to have hope that sane people are lifting the scales from their eyes as they say.

It was a different feel this year.

[Joinfortmill]

2. A good sign, I hope.

[Peacetrain]

4. I am hoping that is so

[MineralMan]

5. Yes, I think that is definitely a good sign.

In my family, before my parents got into their 90s, we had those huge holiday gatherings. The rule was always, "No politics. No religion. No conflicts." It was a hard and fast rule, so such arguments never occurred. The extended family was able to relate to each other on multiple levels, but without rancor.

We all know and knew where each of us was on the political or religious spectrum. But we were still family, so we talked about family related things. There were always new cousins, nieces, nephews, and grand or great-grand children to talk about, along with old times and other such things.

The rule was established early, and never needed to be restated. We all just got along, because, well, it was a family gathering.

Now, with my parents in a nursing home, the first generation of that family is no longer able to participate and the rest of the family has moved to locations all over the country. Such gatherings no longer occur. It's too bad.

[Peacetrain]

8. You are right.. we are lucky to still gather..

My Mom is in assisted living, My brother and I and our families still gather every year.. we keep growing.. and it was almost a rebuke of Trump Jr.'s call to upset people who disagree with you on politics.. I found it very hopeful. You are right, when you start talking old family history it just gets people beaming.. Your parents had a good rule.. You are a lucky man MM

[lunatica]

6. I think something more is coming out of so many peaceful Thanksgiving

dinners this year. Maybe it’s not just to keep the peace which in itself is pretty admirable and telling. That was just the pre-dinner promise everyone made before attending.

There’s something unexpected that may have come out BECAUSE of the peaceful dinners. People may have realized just how much they’ve missed peace in their families. A takeaway may be some priorities have actually been readjusted within the members, even if on a subconscious level. The attendees are still feeling the harmonious warmth of the encounter.

Maybe this Thanksgiving has left many people thankful for a change.

[Peacetrain]

7. From your lips to God's ears

[maxsolomon]

9. It's not a good sign. It's a cold war.

Being averse to confrontation is human nature. It's what bullies like Trump twist to their advantage.

I'm guilty of it myself. I can't do shit to change their closed, ignorant minds, and they have no actual facts that could alter my informed opinions.

[handmade34]

10. ours as well...

although it helps when there are only the 2 of us...