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You Are Under No Obligation To Talk Politics During Thanksgiving

A short guide on surviving family during the holidays

Photo by Davies Designs Studio on Unsplash

You don’t have to talk politics during Thanksgiving dinner if you don’t want to. If a family member feels compelled to say something provocative while the mashed potatoes are being passed, you have my permission to chug gravy directly from the boat.

It is not your responsibility to confront racist uncles, transphobic cousins, or misogynistic granddads. Let them deny science and defend xenophobia. Allow them their thoughtless soliloquies about the vulnerable.

Meanwhile, help yourself to the best parts of the turkey. Thanksgiving should be about unbuckling your pants, not unbuckling your prejudices.

Here’s my advice just in case a relative shares their thoughts on immigrants or Muslims or, god forbid, brings up a conspiracy theory. Ready? Just shovel carbohydrates into your mouth while imagining all the nice things you won’t say at their funeral. There is a time to speak truth to power and a time to butter a hot roll. Knowing the difference is very important.

There is only one 100% true conspiracy anyway, and it goes like this: the overwhelming majority of powerful people —…