If you hear the word “Trump,” don’t run for the hills screaming just yet. There are many non-violent, correct and polite ways to talk politics with your family without starting a fight or yelling so loud the neighbors can hear. If you’re like me and you come from a family with a variety of political beliefs, here are seven ways to discuss politics with your family this Thanksgiving.
1. Listen
When you have a discussion with someone, particularly politics, the goal is to always listen. Pay attention and listen carefully to what they say and to their beliefs, that way you can make an educated, polite and truthful comment or response.
2. Engage in the conversation
When participating in a discussion involving politics, always engage in the conversation. Play your part by both listening and responding. Be fully engaged so that you can respond in a calm and collected way while still expressing your beliefs. It is easy to shut-down and ignore to other person when their beliefs aren’t compatible with yours, but it is always easier to express your beliefs when you remain engaged for the entire length of the conversation.
3. Speak of what you know
Make sure you are well-educated! This is extremely important when it comes to political discussions. Keep updated with the things being said or done by your party as well as the opposing parties. Continue to stay updated with news in regards to each party. It is important to understand what is going on in the world before discussing it. I have found that the root of all politics-related arguments is uneducated comments. Like I said before, it is incredibly easy to get angered, irritated and annoyed with someone who doesn’t share your beliefs or might even think your beliefs are counterfactual. But, you must remember that the best thing you can do is state the facts. In politics, it is easy to both make assumptions and agree with assumptions about the opposing party to feed our own beliefs. The best way to truly participate is if you speak of what you know, stick to the facts and state only the truth about all parties.
4. Don’t pick a fight
Yes, I know. This is the part where the conversation turns into an argument instead of a healthy debate. Caution: yelling, screaming and anger might occur here. But, you can easily put a stop to this madness. When the participating members of this conversation start to become irritated or start to argue, calmly remind them that we are all entitled to our own beliefs, even if we believe in something crazy like every member of the United States government should be removed and replaced with turtles. So, in the event that the argument does become heated, just remind those involved that we all are entitled to our own beliefs and opinions.
5. Agree to disagree
This, I’ll admit, is the hardest part of any debate. You don’t always have to agree, but in this case it is acceptable to “agree to disagree.”
6. Remind them that you love them, even if you’re angry
Remind your family and friends that regardless of your possible political differences, you still love them and are grateful for the time you get to spend together.
7. Stop talking about politics
Now, shut up and eat some freaking turkey.
