Thanksgiving and Political Discussion

[Kimberlyann11]

We made a pre-holiday no politics pact because one of the guests votes differently than the rest of us and it's someone that we didn't want to exclude. It went really well!! We got along great without the usual political BS coming out of his mouth - which makes me respond and so forth and onward. He left after dinner to go home and we all commented what a nice holiday it was. I think we're going to do it again with the same rule. (I also made the same promise that I wouldn't start anything either. We all did. It wasn't a one-sided silencing of the differing opinion).

But then the next day, my sister went on a racist rant the likes of which I'd never heard come out of her mouth before. My DD was astounded - I give her credit for how calm she was. I do admit that I then made a minor snark that had her storm out of the room - but I do feel bad. I made a promise to myself to speak up strongly against racism when I heard it and I wasn't very forceable. Then again, I think she does that crap just to see me get worked up - so there's that.

 

[Nancyg56]

Ours went pretty smooth- my cousins took off their "make america great again" t shirts before my brother go there and i managed to steer the conversation away when politics came up. Wasnt so bad but i was waiting for the battle the entire evening!

A little off topic, but several years ago..the last election... we were all at my DD for Mother's Day. My DH and I took my DGD for a walk and when we returned it was like walking into a freezer. My DD aunt and her husband were there, and both were rabid liberals. My daughter is conservative, not rabid, and generally quiet about her political choices. I guess the aunt went bat crap crazy because my DD was not a democrat and admonished her. A lot. It turns out she then hammered it home when she insulted my DD intelligence at the top of her lungs, and assumed her reasoning. Holy Not so Pretty. My DD< who never loses her temper, told the two of them that they needed to stop yelling in her house, and if they had an issue with that pack up and get out. SHe did stop short of telling the she thought that were both a dumb as a box of rocks, a feat which I would not have managed. She never invited them back.

 

[Nancyg56]

We made a pre-holiday no politics pact because one of the guests votes differently than the rest of us and it's someone that we didn't want to exclude. It went really well!! We got along great without the usual political BS coming out of his mouth - which makes me respond and so forth and onward. He left after dinner to go home and we all commented what a nice holiday it was. I think we're going to do it again with the same rule. (I also made the same promise that I wouldn't start anything either. We all did. It wasn't a one-sided silencing of the differing opinion).

But then the next day, my sister went on a racist rant the likes of which I'd never heard come out of her mouth before. My DD was astounded - I give her credit for how calm she was. I do admit that I then made a minor snark that had her storm out of the room - but I do feel bad. I made a promise to myself to speak up strongly against racism when I heard it and I wasn't very forceable. Then again, I think she does that crap just to see me get worked up - so there's that.

I sometimes think that you can make a bigger statement with what you choose not to say than what you do. I know people who would feed off of the conversation if I responded by trying to speak up. THose people I usually glare at, shake my head and tehn I make a point of walking away from them. Some people do not like to be isolated so that is what I do. I never give them a platform to defend that talk.

 

[tvguy]

Okay, we did our Thanksgiving last night (Saturday) since most of us had to work on Thanksgiving. The election did come up for less than a minute, it was civil, and it was about how out of touch the DNC and RNC are with the voters who say they belong to those parties.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Okay, we did our Thanksgiving last night (Saturday) since most of us had to work on Thanksgiving. The election did come up for less than a minute, it was civil, and it was about how out of touch the DNC and RNC are with the voters who say they belong to those parties.

And more importantly, how out of touch they both are with the 80% of the country that isn't 100% loyal to either party.

 

[Jdbsfw]

And more importantly, how out of touch they both are with the 80% of the country that isn't 100% loyal to either party.

You'd think that due to the overwhelming amount of evidence, people would disavow both parties lol.....But what do you expect, so many people get confused by a flashing yellow traffic light.....

 

[tvguy]

You'd think that due to the overwhelming amount of evidence, people would disavow both parties lol.....But what do you expect, so many people get confused by a flashing yellow traffic light.....

LOL.
Yup. I know with some certainty that nobody at my Thanksgiving table voted for either of the party nominees in the primaries.

 

[JimMIA]

Was the result of this election NOT "the real world" nor "important in the real world"?? Wow. This wasn't the Super Bowl.

My father's last Thanksgiving, when he was so ill he could barely sit at the table, was overshadowed by an extremely long and loud political debate between my sister-in-law and then 17 year old nephew (nephew to her too). It was rude, insensitive and obnoxious. So that would have been my speech had a political conversation come up yesterday. Thankfully, it did not. I treasure the times when my children and their families come together, and I will not allow random in-laws and in-laws of in-laws ruin that like my sister-in-law and nephew did.

Oh, of course elections are real-world and important. I just meant almost exactly what you wrote above.

There is a time and place for everything, and Thanksgiving/Christmas/Mother's Day/etc are times for family, not political discussions. I think we're on the same page about not allowing random people to hijack the event in an attempt to enhance their own self-esteem by dazzling us with their brilliance and self-righteousness. We get enough of that from them in our day-to-day contacts!

 

[Nancyg56]

Oh, of course elections are real-world and important. I just meant almost exactly what you wrote above.

There is a time and place for everything, and Thanksgiving/Christmas/Mother's Day/etc are times for family, not political discussions. I think we're on the same page about not allowing random people to hijack the event in an attempt to enhance their own self-esteem by dazzling us with their brilliance and self-righteousness. We get enough of that from them in our day-to-day contacts!

Amen!

 

[tvguy]

Oh, of course elections are real-world and important. I just meant almost exactly what you wrote above.

There is a time and place for everything, and Thanksgiving/Christmas/Mother's Day/etc are times for family, not political discussions. I think we're on the same page about not allowing random people to hijack the event in an attempt to enhance their own self-esteem by dazzling us with their brilliance and self-righteousness. We get enough of that from them in our day-to-day contacts!

LOL. I know several people who make pretty convincing arguments that the most political thing in the world is family.

 

[Kimberlyann11]

I sometimes think that you can make a bigger statement with what you choose not to say than what you do. I know people who would feed off of the conversation if I responded by trying to speak up. THose people I usually glare at, shake my head and tehn I make a point of walking away from them. Some people do not like to be isolated so that is what I do. I never give them a platform to defend that talk.

True - I was proud of myself for ignoring the comments about me being the favorite, how stupid I was for having the cell phone plan I have and her trying to pick a fight about - of all things- JonBenet Ramsey. The racism was something I never heard from her before and I think we were all a little shocked. I think my DD lost a lot of respect for her aunt that day, although we had a discussion afterward about some of the very kind things her Aunt Bonnie does. I will just tell myself it was an attempt to get me worked up and leave it at that.

 

[3 MEN AND A BOAT]

You'd think that due to the overwhelming amount of evidence, people would disavow both parties lol.....But what do you expect, so many people get confused by a flashing yellow traffic light.....

I understand your point but I wanted to comment about the flashing yellow lights. When the yellow light for years has meant it's about to turn red and the opposing traffic that's currently stopped are about to get a green, then all of the sudden it's now suppose to mean you can proceed after you see it's clear I can understand peoples confusion. I mean isn't that what a green light that's not an arrow already meant?
I don't know maybe it's just me

 

[CarolAnn856]

I understand your point but I wanted to comment about the flashing yellow lights. When the yellow light for years has meant it's about to turn red and the opposing traffic that's currently stopped are about to get a green, then all of the sudden it's now suppose to mean you can proceed after you see it's clear I can understand peoples confusion. I mean isn't that what a green light that's not an arrow already meant?
I don't know maybe it's just me

No, a flashing yellow is not the same as a solid green. While you should always exercise caution before proceeding through an intersection, a flashing yellow signifies that you need to be particularly alert and cautious when proceeding. That's a pretty basic part of driver's ed.

 

[Marchand63]

No, a flashing yellow is not the same as a solid green. While you should always exercise caution before proceeding through an intersection, a flashing yellow signifies that you need to be particularly alert and cautious when proceeding. That's a pretty basic part of driver's ed.

Well actually here in Boston it means speed so you can get through it

 

[3 MEN AND A BOAT]

No, a flashing yellow is not the same as a solid green. While you should always exercise caution before proceeding through an intersection, a flashing yellow signifies that you need to be particularly alert and cautious when proceeding. That's a pretty basic part of driver's ed.

Maybe it's a regional thing but for the 20+yrs I've been driving a green light (not arrow) meant left turn yields but can proceed whenever clear. A yellow arrow meant your green arrow is about to turn either into a red arrow or simply a green light. Now when I see these new flashing yellow arrows I confuse them with the old yellow that meant my left turn although still clear, it's about to turn red and appossing traffic will now be given a green light.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

I understand your point but I wanted to comment about the flashing yellow lights. When the yellow light for years has meant it's about to turn red and the opposing traffic that's currently stopped are about to get a green, then all of the sudden it's now suppose to mean you can proceed after you see it's clear I can understand peoples confusion. I mean isn't that what a green light that's not an arrow already meant?
I don't know maybe it's just me

We had flashing yellows when I got my license in 1983. Nothing new here.

The flashing yellow ARROW was entirely unnecessary - and the fact that it cycles flashing yellow, briefly red, then green definitely has folks discombobulated.

 

[CarolAnn856]

Maybe it's a regional thing but for the 20+yrs I've been driving a green light (not arrow) meant left turn yields but can proceed whenever clear. A yellow arrow meant your green arrow is about to turn either into a red arrow or simply a green light. Now when I see these new flashing yellow arrows I confuse them with the old yellow that meant my left turn although still clear, it's about to turn red and appossing traffic will now be given a green light.

Okay, now I understand. Your original post just said "flashing yellow," which has been around forever. You are talking about flashing yellow arrows, which have apparently been around in some states for about 5 years or so. Not sure when they came to wherever you live. They do seem like the would be confusing to some people.

What I love in Europe is a solid yellow before a solid green. Since most cars have a manual transmission, it gives you time to shift into first in time to go when the lights changes to green.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Well now that we've gone OT lol...flashing yellow arrow is around me as well.

The definition is-


Here's a background to flashing yellows in general-


While it's only been around since 2009 nationwide it hasn't been difficult to pick up at least for me because it's an arrow not a solid light (and the signs-see below) but I can understand how others might get confused..kinda depends to me what traffic signals were like before the flashing yellows were installed as well as the given intersection.

I like how they put signs up right at the specific traffic light that has the arrow. They do vary but an example is:


...Annnddd now back to your regularly scheduled programming...

 

[QueenIsabella]

Maybe it's a regional thing but for the 20+yrs I've been driving a green light (not arrow) meant left turn yields but can proceed whenever clear. A yellow arrow meant your green arrow is about to turn either into a red arrow or simply a green light. Now when I see these new flashing yellow arrows I confuse them with the old yellow that meant my left turn although still clear, it's about to turn red and appossing traffic will now be given a green light.

We moved from the Northeast to North Carolina last year, and it was the first time I'd seen the flashing yellow arrow for "turn when safe". We figured it out quickly, but it's very different from the old New England philosophy, where a yellow light means, "go faster, you're going to miss your chance!"

 

[QueenIsabella]

P.S. We don't have those signs like Mackenzie mentioned. We also have green arrows, but they're solid green, and mean that you can safely turn. See, I would think the solid green would mean that it was safe, not that I had to wait for a break in traffic, which might be the confusion she's referring to.

OTOH, we have "U-turn yield to left turn" signs at every intersection. U-turning is big down here, we have a lot of multi-lane roads with dividers. But on the good side, I haven't seen a rotary since we arrived--not even at the airport. Thank God for small favors!