You're liberal, but your family is conservative....

[gertiecummings]

Posted: 9/4/08 at 2:40am

Let's vent.

My mom:
"McCain picked an awesome running mate. It's over. Obama's done!"
"Michelle Obama is the black Paris Hilton."

And my uncle who watches Fox News practically every time I come in the room.

I cannot count the number of times I have had to fight with everything I had to not say anything. I right now wanna ram my head into the wall.

[thetinymagic2]

Posted: 9/4/08 at 2:48am

...just remember the old cocktail party mantra: Don't discuss politics or religion....

[gcal]

Posted: 9/4/08 at 2:49am

Updated On: 9/4/08 at 02:49 AM

[gertiecummings]

Posted: 9/4/08 at 2:54am

I choose to keep the peace ( I guess like a true liberal) in my house, so I don't argue.

My sister's fiance is liberal and he debated my uncle the other night, and I was laughing in the other room. We vented to each other afterwards. Since I moved back home he has been my saving grace.

Posted: 9/4/08 at 6:37am

I can't stay quiet- I just will ask them what they mean, try to get them to defend their indefensible positions. But if you have to live with them, ignoring their comments might be the way to go.

[broadwayjim42]

Posted: 9/4/08 at 7:48am

I'm the only vaguely liberal person in a Republican family (both sides), although my father does cross the aisle from time to time and despises Bush.

MY ex-wife, on the other hand, is beyond the pale, full tilt bozo, paranoia and hate-baiting conservative, soemthing she adopted after we divorced and started listening to her nutjob brother and sister-in-law and new in-laws. I'm also agnostic and she's born-again, so we usually go by the no-politics, no-religion motto. Otherwise, there would be blood.

[StockardFan]

Posted: 9/4/08 at 8:35am

Oh honey, I feel your pain.

My husband and I have been arguing about this as well. This morning I was just like "Shut up and stop talking about it. Are you trying to bait me into an argument?" and I went upstairs to make the beds and stuff.

I will be so glad when this whole stupid election is over.

[Weez]

Posted: 9/4/08 at 8:47am

I... just don't talk to my parents about politics. The liberal/conservative split in the UK is somewhat different to the US (mostly, I think our conservatives are more liberal than yours, but that's from a very outside point of view and could be very wrong), but it's still enough of a split that we can't really have any political conversations without a sad realisation that we're never going to agree. Doesn't stop me picking on the fact they read the Daily Fail though.

[JerseyGirl2]

Posted: 9/4/08 at 9:13am

My mom called me during Obama's speech to tell me he had changed her mind and she was voting for him. I was a good little liberal and told her that I was just very proud of her for having an open mind. I am interested to see what she says after tonight.

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 9/4/08 at 9:20am

A great quote from SMALL TRAGEDY:

"Oh God...just pretend you're on the Riviera, that's what I do. Oooh, look at the pretty swimsuits!"

[romantico]

Posted: 9/4/08 at 9:22am

I got an email from someone who said on Fox they claimed Palin had just as many watch her speech as Obama's. REALLY? Because Obama had 84,000 alone watch him live, not counting the people who watched him on tv worldwide.I sent an email back asking if Fox can back up that lie, er..I mean claim.

[Taryn]

Posted: 9/4/08 at 10:23am

Fortunately my family isn't made of the kind of conservatives that make really ignorant, hateful statements, and politics isn't a big topic of conversation, so I can pretty much just ignore the political differences going on. My boyfriend's family, on the other hand, is full to the brim of liberal Democrats. I ask him sometimes what it's like having a family that agrees politically. He says it's pretty keen.

[WindyCityActor]

Posted: 9/4/08 at 11:25am

Uh, I had to tewll my favorite aunt that I no longer wished to have her forward me right wing talking points e-mails.

It wasn't easy...

[Mamie]

Posted: 9/4/08 at 11:31am

Go to this editorial (appearing today in the LA Times) and MEMORIZE it. Every time they come out with one of their barbs, hit them back with one of these. Don't tell them where it came from - let them think it's your own words. I'm quite sure Ms. Steinem won't mind a bit.
Steinem on Palin

[supportivemom]

Posted: 9/4/08 at 11:32am

I know it was the opposite situation but I keep hearing the theme song of "Family Ties".

[justabwaybaby]

Posted: 9/4/08 at 8:33pm

I feel your pain. My sister is trying to get actively involved in the McCain campaign, and both of my parents are fairly conservative, as well. Summer was hell.

Thankfully, I've got roommates who are all crazy liberal this year. :)

[The Boy From Ohio]

Posted: 9/4/08 at 8:45pm

I'm lucky to come from a long line of Democrats, my mom and I being the most liberal. I am worried about my sister because she is married to a hard-core conservative, and the more money he makes the more I question her politics.

[frogs_fan85]

Posted: 9/4/08 at 9:02pm

Thankfully my family is hardcore liberal. My aunt finally saw the light, so to speak, a few years ago. Even my 94 year old grandmother, before she passed away two years ago, was an ardent liberal and would frequently rail against George Bush in her final months. My dad's parents, who both passed away in recent years, though were conservatives. That stems from them having to basically escape from Castro in the 1960s. At least that's what I think caused their political leanings. Up until about two years ago we were still getting mail from Dick Cheney addressed to my grandfather, who never lived with us, seeking donations. That stopped after I sent them a profanity-laced note requesting that they stop wasting the time of the USPS with their mailings.

[cubanpab]

Posted: 9/4/08 at 9:18pm

i have a war going on facebook right now... i commented to that one old "friend" and now 20 "old friends" (from my church days) are chiming in with their not to kind opinions! yay... feels great to hear from everyone all at once.

[violet72]

Posted: 9/4/08 at 9:21pm

My mom, dad, brother, 2 aunts and I are the black sheep of my mom's family...they are hardcore Republicans and we are Liberals...sometimes they call us communists....

[cubanpab]

Posted: 9/4/08 at 9:32pm

i am the ONLY dem in my family... parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, sisters, second cousins... i am literally the only one.

its not fun.

[roquat]

Posted: 9/4/08 at 9:55pm

My favorite aunt is a hardcore, lifelong Republican. I love her dearly, but I've learned to nod silently in a world-weary fashion whenever she starts going off. She's not logical; it's completely emotional and impossible to answer.

In one of the most frightening moments of my life, she got up to speak at my father's funeral. She was obviously overcome and choking back sobs. She started rambling and eventually brought up Clinton (we were in the middle of the impeachment then) and said we should all pray for him and his family (?????) You could hear the family trying to keep their jaws in place.

[JerseyGirl2]

Posted: 9/4/08 at 11:23pm

Pab, I am just putting my little status messages up and trying to ignore the fact that several of my old churchy friends are all YAYAYAYAYAPALIN!!!!! this morning.