At this stage of life, it's difficult for my nuclear family to gather for meals. Two adult parents and two adult daughters usually entail meals on the go, consisting of portable items -- burritos and smoothies -- that can fare on a car ride. Dinnertime interactions, if they occur at all, range from nods to brief hellos as we make our respective ways out the door. However, the heavens have mercy on our family a few days out of the month, and sometimes we all end up at the same table eating the same meal. Together. On these days, dinner becomes sacred again. We do what we can to have civil and meaningful conversations as we eat. I.e. we try to avoid the one subject that will divide our family: politics.
There's a generational gap in my family's political views. My sister and I tend to be more liberal than my parents. There's atleast one unwavering Republican and one staunch Democrat in our midst. Someone is always bristling while another offers his or her opinion, and the news is never a safe option for entertainment. We've managed this dynamic over the years, being able to keep respect and understanding at the core of our discussions. But the onset of the 2016 presidential elections have been insidious. As the political realm has heated, political debates have sept into our rare dinnertime conversations. Meals have been tense. In fact, I've tried to avoid eating with my family, especially if I hear the news on the living room TV.
A political debate is not worth dividing us. I think it's time to shoot down the invitations to debate, at least during the few moments I have with my family.
I've given the 2016 presidential election enough room in my life. Already, it's taken over my social media outlets, my conversations with acquaintances, my classes, and any slow moment at work. It's impossible to escape news of the latest Trump rally on TV. Should I have to tolerate politics with my dinner? Does it make me a bad American or unpatriotic to say no to discussing candidates' platforms for thirty more minutes out of my day?
There's a difference between being politically active and being politically nauseating. As citizens of voting age, we should be informed about politics. We should be able to defend our ideas and engage in respectful debate. But we don't have to let political propaganda infect every part of our lives -- it's poisonous.
