I'm dreading Easter Sunday...

[GoddessOfGuinness]

We're having a big family get-together, which will include my rabidly republican brother and sister.

With every new tragedy that occurs as a result of that schmuck occupying the White House, I find it more of a chore to remember that they're family. I'm angry with them for voting for him and supporting him. And I'm angrier still at the complacency they show as his lies are revealed.

They were SO anti-Clinton a few years back...reminding me that they didn't really care about his sex life either but HE LIED about it; and that made Clinton evil. I can't even discuss the current state of affairs with them, unless I'm willing to kiss-ass and join the "GodBlessAmurrika" Club.

I'll talk with my sister on the phone, and after she puts her 2 cents on our ~wonderful~ leader or the need for Jesus Christ in our schools, she'll tell me she loves me. I can't respond in kind. I do love her; but I resent the hell out of her political agenda...besides, she talks so much and interrupts constantly...it's impossible to get a word in edgewise.

My brother, on Thanksgiving, made a big deal out of Dumbyass going to Iraq to "serve turkey to the troops". I laughed and said he had to do something to make sure Hillary didn't upstage him. We were able to turn the subject away from politics; but not before he said in a rather threatening tone of voice that he'd "like to straighten me out on a few things". Not that he'd resort to violence; but I really loathe the way republicans take this sort of swaggering bully stance to attempt to silence those with differing views.

It makes me wonder if this is the way families began to be divided over political issues in the years leading up to the Civil War. It makes me terribly concerned for the future of our country.

Thanks for listening to my rant...

[BostonTeaParty04]

1. Maybe tell the sister you are working on forgiving her

for her ignorance. Her ignorance that has supported the murder of 10s of 1000s of Iraqis, among other things. Don't take my advice -- I am never a very big hit with my republican family.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

5. I'd love the opportunity

to use James Garner's line from "My Fellow Americans"...

When a woman tells him that she's sorry, but they didn't vote for him...they're republicans; Garner's character says, "Well don't feel bad...Admitting it is the first step to recovery."

[BostonTeaParty04]

12. You seem smart --

so they must be smart (deep down). Maybe something will make them turn the lights on. Maybe. Granted, I don't think there is any hope for MY republican family. And they seem smart.

Just keep practicing your Garner quote. Hope you can use it!

[Maat]

2. Sounds like you are in the same boat as many of us.

I used to be in the same spot too. Fortunately, about 1-1/2 years ago, the Bushies I used to have to hang around every family holiday moved to Oklahoma -- and my husband uses my law classes/bar review as a reason we absolutely can't travel back there. You would be surprised how relaxing our holidays are now.

[doni_georgia]

3. I share your pain

<<<We're having a big family get-together, which will include my rabidly republican brother and sister.

With every new tragedy that occurs as a result of that schmuck occupying the White House, I find it more of a chore to remember that they're family. I'm angry with them for voting for him and supporting him. And I'm angrier still at the complacency they show as his lies are revealed.>>>>

My parents, sister and brother are all Dito-heads, so I feel and share your pain. I come home from every family gathering wondering if the stork was drunk the day he dropped me off. Seriously, thank God my dad is the only conservative in his family, so at least I have aunts, uncles and cousins on that side of the family that I can talk to. My mom's family and all of my husband's family are HOPELESSLY conservative and racist. It sucks.

[UrbScotty]

4. Remind them that Jesus was a liberal!

He had something I call 'compassion.'

www.liberalslikechrist.org

[DODI]

9. My dad disowned me for saying Jesus was a liberal.

Seriously, two weeks ago I got a letter from him asking me never to contact him again. Gotta love those born agains.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

11. Sounds like your Dad

got sucked in by the false prophets...

I'm sorry he took leave of his senses. :hug:

[BostonTeaParty04]

13. That is TERRIBLE.

I had to say something. That is just terrible. He must be very, very fearful.

[DODI]

15. I challenged him on his faith

He sent an e-mail to many many people (including shrub) saying the gov't was taking God away from us. I replied that his faith must be weak if he thinks the gov't could take God away from him. He didn't like that. He has gotten very scary and paranoid since he found God, or at least thinks he found God.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

16. Is it possible

that he could be mentally ill? He sounds horribly irrational...

[DODI]

19. Here is the e-mail that started it:

"If you do not believe that the ACLU, the limosine liberal lefties and the left judiciary are not leading our country into intolerance, bigotry, conformism (to their ideas) and, ultimately, into some kind of slavery, then you are not paying attention. Once the liberals have dishonored the Founding Fathers, taken our freedoms, throughly restricted our liberty and fully removed God from us, do you think the Iraqis or any one else will be there to get it back for us? Don't count on it !! "

I would say mental illnes is a good possiblity. He sent this to the president for crying out loud!! His file is probably bigger than mine!

[GoddessOfGuinness]

20. "conformism (to their ideas)"

Methinks he has things backwards...

[NightTrain]

28. Is that you, Lori Geddes?

Just wondering....

[Maat]

29. Dodi ... I am so sorry that he is behaving so irrationally.

Hang in there! I know that you have support from your friends.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

10. That's a great site...

I'm going to visit before I leave on Sunday, for spiritual fortification... :yourock:

[DODI]

6. I am in the same boat.

The Easter of the Cuban kid (I can't remember his name) my husband and freeper sister got into a fight resulting in her storming off and leaving her family behind. My uncle stormed out shortly afterwords. I am staying in my own safe enclave of libs this Easter and avoiding the sister and uncle. I empathize with you completely -- good luck!

[stopbush]

7. Remind them about the TRUE meaning of Easter -

when the Easter bunny rises from the dead to bring gifts of candy to Jesus and Mel Gibson.

It's tough. Half of my immediate family are idiotically fundamentalist Xtians. If they weren't siblings, I'd have nothing to do with them. In fact, I have very little to do with them. I haven't visited in 3 years, never speak on the phone with them and only send Xmas and birthday cards. I have nothing in common with them.

My non-fundie sister is visiting right now, so I'm getting the horror stories about the others...like my other sister who home schooled her kids and is now terrified of sending them to an evil state college where they'll be corrupted. Jee-bus, what a mess!

[revree]

8. YOU ARE NOT ALONE!

I, too, have to face many a scared stupid family member, most of them groveling Mel GIbson lovers who now think he is Jesus reborn!

Here's my theory. Enjoy the weekend as a celebration of spring. After all, these idiots will pay for their ignorance someday. Hopefully we will all be living on an island by then, free of these mindless, thoughtless and oftentimes, heartless folk.

Family cannot be chosen. They don't have to be liked. Just smile at them and go about your business on earth!

Good luck and tell us how it went on Monday!

[AlCzervik]

14. In order to avoid "Holiday"

get togethers with my family i moved 3,000 miles away, works like a charm!!!!

[GoddessOfGuinness]

17. If I could manage it financially

I'd do it in a heartbeat...

I wish they'd just snap out of it, though....

[AlCzervik]

18. I hear you

on that, as i too have a "Major League Asshole" for a brother in law. He is so funking smarmy i feel like introducing his skull to the finer properties of a louisville slugger, but then he wins if i let him tee me off. I just went back east to visit and the one time i saw him i just nodded and then pretened not to hear him, he was getting pissed, slide that into my win column.

[Cursive_Knives512]

21. I live in a red zone, so

Most of my family is either Republican, or apathetic towards the government. One of my uncles, who listens to Rush on a regular basis, claims, "I may not agree with everything he says, but he's really smart." :eyes:

[GoddessOfGuinness]

24. Ohh yeah...He's a towering mental giant!

It's gonna be tough avoiding Rush jokes on Sunday...

[citizen snips]

22. I am lucky.

Because no relatives of mine are visiting my house this easter. :)

[GoddessOfGuinness]

25. Can you remember a time

when you didn't have political arguments with them?

[cally]

23. I've had major fights with my father and brother-in-law

A few years ago we all agreed to not discuss politics during family gatherings. We all break the rules, but someone stops us and diffuses the argument. I'm going to break the rules starting October. It's too early to really argue the issues. I'll save it for then.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

26. I just learned that my Republican brother and his family

will not be joining the rest of us for Easter. He says he's "too busy." Maybe he's on a conservative website at this moment, expressing relief at how he doesn't have to spend Easter with his liberal mother, brother, and sister. :shrug:

[NightTrain]

27. Sucks being the token progressive in a freeper family, doesn't it?

I had that problem myself. After my parents died, However, I quietly severed all ties with my relatives. haven't seen a one of them since my father's funeral six years ago. And I don't miss them in the least!

[Maat]

30. Thanks, you guys.

I made a decision a number of years ago to surround myself with the positive (since I'm a natural worry-wart anyway), and things have been much better. I'm taking the tip above and celebrating Easter as the beginning of Spring, and since the relatives moved far far away, our holidays are peaceful and joyful -- and we surround ourselves with friends (friends you get to choose). Enjoy the weekend!

[GoddessOfGuinness]

31. Fortunately, my mom is a Democrat...

and for the most part we agree on the issues, though she tends to view Dumbyass in a slightly more flattering light.

My dad was a die-hard republican, and supported Nixon long after Watergate. I never understood that, because he was otherwise a very intelligent man.

[BiggJawn]

32. Your house, you talk about whatever you want.

And if that includes telling your asshole ditto-monkey BiL that he needs to go sign up for his lord's "holy war", so be it.

Me, I'm tired of kow-towing to ignorant, arrogant fucks, makes no matter that they're family.