Who here has De-Freeped their usual Thanksgiving guest list?

I have been avoiding my freeper in-laws (my brother's family) since before the election. My Kerry signs offended them.
I didn't even bother to ask what they were doing for dinner this year.
No big loss. Their 3 boys eat like locusts.
Anyone else keeping it small, intimate and DEMOCRATIC?

on Thanksgiving...fortunately I never have to spend the holidays with anything CLOSE to freeps...my entire family is liberal Democrats

With my mom and dad...a dad who was rethuglican until my emails this year opened his eyes to the abuses perpetrated by BushCo. I gotta tell ya, I was damn proud that my dad did the right thing!!

but Christmas is a different story.
For a long time, I have suffered undue heartburn and stress with homophobic (and btw, republican) relatives. I will not be doing so this year. I have enough warm, caring friends and relatives that I don't need to continue this painful game any longer.

I would have done it a long time ago, but was worried it would put my parents in a tight spot. But they are feeling just about the same as I do at this point.

We have a family "of choosing"--our friends, whom we are very close to. That's who we choose to spend the holidays with.

Just six of us and ALL voted for Kerry. Well, except our daughter. Not old enough to vote.

But I just heard her in the other room making up songs about how she feels about bush. There isn't any doubt that girl's a Democrat!

Rest and relaxation with just my husband, my daughter and I. Football, football, football!

The fundie relatives moved back to Oklahoma!

i an going to volunteer for work and get the double time vs. spend time with some neo-cons. F them.

IE, making sure we surround ourselves only with those who agree with our beliefs and ideals and shunning those from the village feast those who dare to question the beliefs we hold?

My brother is a mormon, my niece is an atheist maybe sort of and an anarchist, my sister a right winger who home schools, and they are all coming to my house this year for thanksgiving. My mom is in ICU, been there a week, so we don't give a shit who voted for who and who believes what - we are family, we love each other despite our differences, and we will come together and enjoy ourselves no matter what.

Our lives are more than politics, love beats it all. I will put up with their words and views because I love them as people, as family, and I will enjoy having them all here - though we will miss mom this year.

When my views make me forget the ones I love, then I might be a fundie. If my views keep me away from those whom I have spent many years with, then I am losing touch with the very core of who I am and who family is and what it means. We are more than politics, when it is all said and done we love each other - and that is stronger than kerry or *.

but I also think there's nothing wrong with people choosing not to spend their holidays with people who insult their beliefs at every turn.

I know liberals whose family members never miss an opportunity to demean them at the holidays. Why would anyone subject themselves to that, year after year? And these same liberals have ASKED them to please respect their feelings, but it makes no difference.

I see no sense in continuing with that kind of punishment.

I'm glad your family can transcend the differences, not every family can.

My niece is the one who pulls that. Out of the blue she will say things intent on antagonizing people (there is no god, * is evil, mormons are stupid, et al). Funny about that because I was just discussing this with my brother the other night (his daughter). He loves her but cannot understand why she will say things just to get people riled up. We have all learned to simply ignore the prods and understand she is who she is and we are who we are.

I Understand what you are saying though, my aunt is a little wacko - in that she always has an opinion and makes sure we all know it and what we are doing wrong (on anything and everything). We tolerate her and she is always welcome, though even my mom in ICU grimmaced when we told her her sister was coming to see her. We endure, we discuss, but on days like thanksgiving we just forgive and forget. Life is more than about * and dems/repubs/green/et al. Drive me crazy for a day, but at least it was a day when there is one thing we all agreed on - food!

Those same * loving loved ones have helped insure the deaths of thousands of innocent Iraqis and probably many more in other places.

I also hope you don't have to share an inheritance with any of the wingnuts. Then you'll find out how much your love is reciprocated.

is the day I start to wonder what life is all about. Dems did nothing to stop * in his war, so are all dems any better, including you?

Thanksgiving to us as a family is a time to sit down and be thankful for what we, as a group, have to be thankful for. Mom survived her emergency operation, we bought a house this year, most of us are in good health (except mom of course, but she is looking better). I won't let politicians come between me and those whom I have spent a lifetime with.

They did what they were free to do in this country, they voted for who they thought best for the job. I disagree with them, but I won't abandon my family over something like that (and I am sure some think right wing christians who won't invite non-christians are being a little silly and non-inclusive of those who don't share their views).

My mom has a 50-50 chance of making it right now, to me this is a time to for-go all this election and political stuff and spend some time with people I love and who have loved me my whole life. Sure we disagree on some things, but I don't think we will ever have a world where we all agree on everything.

Let * and people who voted for him interfere with a day of celebration and being thankful for what we do have? No way. We might argue and disagree on a lot, but in the end we share a common bond that * and others cannot divide and break. On this day we will certainly disagree and discuss, but I would not miss it for the world.

some in my family voted for him, and it saddens me, but they are great people who love me and I love them back.

Blood is thicker than Bush.

Those same * loving loved ones have helped insure the deaths of thousands of innocent Iraqis and probably many more in other places.

Gore said Saddam must go, Clinton mimicked things along that line. Dems, Repubs, both saw him as a threat.

Who insured the deaths of thousands of innocent iraqis? Maybe many of us.

Were we out in the streets during the clinton administration protesting against policies he had on iraq? Did we make human shields for the tortured Iraqis and protest in general against saddam? What did we do all these years since the first iraq war??

And why bring up Iraq only? Is that the only thing in our minds? Let me tell you what the right wing of my family would say - what about all those people dying of aids who just go around screwing without care, what about all those aborted babies in the US, what have we done as a society to stop the many murders in the US?

In the US 1999:
Killed in car accidents 42,116*
Killed by the common flu 20,000*
Killed by murders 15,517*
Killed in airline crashes
(of 477m passenger trips) 120 (1)
Killed by lightning strikes 90*

So we go into a discussion with people talking about 2,000 US troops killed in action and many Iraqi's killed - and here we have 15,000+ murdered in the US in 1999. Their take, more dangerous in the US than in Iraq, more people killed here than there.

The RW view could become - There is no god according to the left, therefore there is no moral authority, hence we must do what is best for us and what is best for us is to crush what enemies we can (and the dems have agreed all along that Saddam is an enemy with WMD) and use our power to better ourselves. We get oil, we rid ourselves of a threat, we bring democracy to an oppressed society, we win all the way around. Sure some people die, but who cares and why should they? They hate us, they are a threat, they hate us, we are in a win-win situation (not that I agree with all this, just sharing what others have shared with me over time and trying to present their view on the matter - I think personally that we should have left well enough alone and found a peaceful solution to the whole matter).

people, relatives especially, have views we don't hold and like us want to convert us to their mode of thinking. Such gatherings can be used in a creative way to get things viewed in our way if we approach it the right way. I often start out agreeing with them, then I mention little things which get them to thinking. It can be a strategic way to make inroads to others. Often when all is said and done I have them at least questioning their own views, but not because I told them they were evil or wrong but because I agreed with them and then 'wondered' about something. Iraq? I wonder why we have gained so little overall at such a high cost, and while they think it was a good idea to go in and kick saddam butt they too start wondering if it is being handled as well as it should be 'I know you all liked bush, but I personally felt kerry had more war experience and could have done a better job at this point'. Principle versus strategy, not always easy, but sometimes it gets the results (ie, we all end up agreeing on this that * has done a poor job overall, even if they were for it).

The core issues though seem to cause problems - ie, my sister whom homeschools fears that liberals want to take away her right to do so. But to her credit, she will not vote for a repug if she does not like their stance on the issue and will vote dem locally if she feels they are less likely to infringe on that right.

On thursday I am sure we will discuss the election, but I myself will try to handle it in a way that makes them doubt their vote - without attacking them and calling them killers. Those in my family that voted for * saw him as more the type to do something about a problem then bitching about it (IE - gore wanted saddam out but was not willing to do anything about it, whereas * was). It can be tough at times sure, but as I mentioned already I won't let who they voted for and what they say interfere with a fun time :)

We also have a mix. But I have this one "Rush" Uncle. During the Clinton years, when we would have get togethers EVERYONE tried to monitor what was on tv, what was said, etc. To try and avoid ANYTHING where he could bring up Clinton. INClUDING THE REPUBLICANS!

He listened to Rush so much, he was a total mental case. He would actualy foam at the mouth. I shit you not! As I said before, even the republicans thought he had gone over the deep end.

During one family get together he cornered and more or less demanded that I.. agh.. "debate" the Clinton issue. I said/did all the polite things and it wasn't working. Finaly I just straight out and told him a few facts. 1) He doesn't debate or discuss Clinton. 2) When it comes to Clinton, only his views are acceptable. 3) He gets his "facts" from an enertainer, not a media source. 4) He was my Uncle and it would be disrespectful to argue with him. Which is how he "discusses" Clinton. And .. 5) I REFUSE to be the cause of him having a heart attack.

That last one offended him. Said that there was no way it would happen. Then I told him that his face turns red and the viens in his neck sticks out... And that is when NO ONE IS ARGUING WITH HIM over the issue.

I finaly had to avoid him for his own sake. We are talking about one of my FAVORITE Uncles who I still love dearly. The ONLY family member that lives near me.

He is getting better. But I'm not going around him unless other family members are there to "help" if slips off.

Other then that, like you. I don't care who is republican, democrat or other. I don't talk party politics. But I do express my views. And if they "go there" in a joking manor, I can "go there" as well. <grin> Mostlly, they leave me alone on the serious stuff. They know I probly know more about it then they do these days. And they are going to hear more information then they really want to know. Tee Hee... And I can do that without touching any "lighting rod" subject.

My niece, as I mentioned elsewhere is like that. For no reason she will bring up god and say there is none, and then rail on both * and the dems as evil sell outs.

We all understand her and her views, and we are patient. Her life has been a mess (much of her own making) but she is family. We endure it all, get into rich arguments, and it can make for an interesting evening. But one thing is certain, we all remember those nights when we are all toghether and the shit hits the fan in family debates.

As mentioned earlier I believe my brother is a mormon, but even when we get into discussions and never agree it is all cool. I may not convert him, or him me, but we at least get to hear the other side.

My sister voted *, as did mom and dad (though mom didn't vote as she was not well enough to stand at the polls that long) and they have many reasons which cover a wide spectrum of things. The funny thing is, none of them trust any politician really, even *. Dems to them have worked to take away rights from smoking in bars to having garage sales without a permit, which pisses them off. Rethugs have done it some as well.

My mom's dad was a republican mayor, her brother was a democrat mayor and she was proud of the work he did here in ohio. My parents' main concern in voting is that we have more freedoms and not less, and they see both parties as wanting to make less freedoms available to them. They view republicans though as less a threat though because they see the left as wanting to destroy the things they grew up with - from nativity scenes to the boy scouts. Both my parents like coleman for mayor (he is a dem) but nationally see dems as wanting to destroy the heritage and history they grew up with. What's wrong with calling christmas 'christmas' in schools (and to give an example of this, when i was in elementary we celebrated Christmas and Hannukah - there was one jewish kid in class and we did what we could to make him happy and feel included, including songs and the like during that time - we were all inclusive as mom said and I remember her having me run the three legged race with Mike (the jewish kid) so that he would not feel left out).

To them there are core issues they will not drop and they don't see such issues as the end of the world, they see them as simple. 90% of people in the city celebrate christmas and hannukah? Why not have a nativity scene and a menorrah? What is the harm? If you don't believe, fine, but if the vast majority does then what is the harm in showing that?

This is the right I know. I love them, respect them, and on thanksgiving I won't be sitting around discussing the indians and * - I will be talking with them about mom. And if politics come up? We will talk about it and still love each other in the morning.

I have Republicans in my family and I have democrats. I have bothy among my friends---while I will debate them and argue with them, I will not disown them or hate them.

i an going to volunteer for work and get the double time vs. spend time with some neo-cons. F them.

at least on Thanksgiving Day. It's just us (liberal) 3. LOL!

I told her that I would absolutely not be spending Thanksgiving day with them. So we made plans to have dinner with them some other time and bailed out on those plans too. They are acquaintances who we met when we first got here, they are repuke and love Wal-mart. :puke:

We're going to my mom's so I have no control over the guest list. My sister and freeper brother-in-law will be there. I've never been able to stand him so I guess this year won't be that different.

if he DARES says he's thankful for *, out he goes.

Comes over for Thanksgiving and most of them are anti-Bush, so there's no problem. However, Christmas is another thing entirely with my mom's religious and right leaning side of the family. Let's just say I've learned to shut my mouth on the topics of abortion, homosexuality, and religion.
I'm only 18, so what else can I do?

to detox from politics.My wifes mom married a cretin who's daughter is married to # 2 at Clear Channel.We won't be sending this scum bag holiday cards.You all deserve to have a freepless holiday.

Sorry about that!

Skipping the usual Thanksgiving in New Orleans with all my repub kin, instead staying home and having a bunch of non citizen friends that don't celebrate over. An Italian, a Jordanian, a Bosnian and possibly two Japanese brothers and their fams.

Sounds much better than the hell that my family would be.

I would love to have a TG like that!

Sounds interesting; if there's an appropriate thread on which to post about it, I would love to hear more.


Cher

Big Catholic family - I have nine aunts and uncles and more cousins than I can name off the top of my head - and somehow with almost no exception they are all Democrats. My grandparents were very liberal and apparently instilled it deeply in their progeny.

Sign and admit that Kerry is our president inexcile.

It's four for dinner, and all Dems. The Republican who had dinner with us two years ago was never even considered for the guest list.

It will be quite some time before a Republican, any Republican, is an invited guest to our table or inside our home.

Julie

and make them do the dishes! :evilgrin: