COMMENTARY | Coming from a family that is very diverse and multicultural, we sometimes stumble over our differences. Thanksgiving is no exception to this rule. Oftentimes the dinner table is converted into a forum for my family to discuss politics, where we somehow imagine that our heated debates influence policy in any way. Always playing the devil’s advocate, my opinions sometimes spark tension during these discussions.
Some parts of my family are very conservative and tend to side with Republicans while others are very liberal and tend to align with Democrats. I consider myself an independent and in the midst of discreet verbal warfare between the liberal and conservative portions of my family, I always seem to be the volatile catalyst who turns a mindful discussion into an explosive argument.
For example, a few years ago when President Bush was still in office a discussion regarding his effectiveness as a leader came up during our Thanksgiving dinner. My uncle who is a staunch Republican and conservative, defended the president, claiming his actions involving the Iraq War were justified and necessary. My cousin, who is on the opposite political spectrum, retorted and a small battle of minds began.
Just as both my uncle and my cousin were about to agree to disagree, I could not help but sprinkle on a little of my skeptical dynamite. I rekindled the argument, observing that the war in Iraq might have begun under false pretenses, that the presence of nuclear weapons in Iraq was almost totally a farce generated to declare war. My cousin backed my observation and my uncle, almost offended, struck back observing that we went to war because of the tragic terrorist attack which happened on 9/11.
Unwilling or unable to argue against that, my cousin agreed and again it seemed as if Thanksgiving would resume as normal. Unable to help myself, I argued further. I claimed that terrorism was not as simple as going to war with any one country and that terrorists moved from one country to another. I reiterated, claiming that the reason we went to war with Iraq and not another country known to host terrorists, such as Iran or Pakistan, was because of the false pretense that Iraq had nuclear capabilities. Further motivated, my cousin and my uncle were at it again with theories, observations and arguments.
Peace was eventually found, but every year it seems my word is the match that lights the spark of conflict. Though I hold little political opinion myself, my pessimistic presence cant help but make political gladiators out of family members at the thanksgiving dinner table.