Turn the volume down.

Election years bring about interesting behavior. I have relatives that won't speak to me like an adult because of our political differences. My wife Aly's mother has a cousin that is always putting up right wing crap on her facebook page, and usually I just ignore her. But then she took a cheap shot at Chris Hayes, and I told her that I understand what he was trying to say. And I watched the clip, and saw him trying to straddle a very precarious line of critiquing the way Bush and Cheney manipulated people's sense of patriotism to garner support for a terrible mistaken war in Iraq and used our military men and women (who yes, are in fact heroes), while trying not to say anything derogatory about those who wear the uniform.

Her response to me was that we'll have to agree to disagree, and that he was shitting all over the military. He got it both ways from both sides for saying what he said.

But he had a point. The people who engineered a decade of chaos in Iraq did so while using our friends, family, and loved ones as props. The same way Fox News does it. You don't see Paul Rieckhoff talking vets issues with Sean Hannity, and you never will. It's a shame too. Sean might have to come face to face with someone who has bravely served his country and isn't a right winger.

But that's television. That's media. I get when it happens there. But why in the mother-fuck does that happen to average people? Since when do we not eat with "them" because "they're liberals"? What the hell difference does that make? And how is it that we can't have a polite conversation over a beer with out some dickhead spouting off about "hippies" at OWS, or another equally obnoxious dickhead continuing to bitch about Bush V. Gore? It's over. Let it go for chrissakes!

I say all this because I've noticed that it's rare for anyone to branch out of their cocoons and deal with people that are different without being a total assbag to them. It's not right. It's not Christ-like. It's not zen. It blows a full herd.

(this is how fights looked in the 80's kids. aren't their outfits breathtaking?)

So here's a solution: Go out to dinner with your family, and don't talk about the election. Find something else to say. Find a better way to spend your time. Reading this blog is a good start. Telling your relatives they should read it and leave me all the nasty comments they want is good too. Then, get it out of your system and their system. The volume will be turned down. No more "you fascist jack ball" or "you corporatist nut sack". Just good family fun.

Once you've done that, go out and have a steak, or some good vegan food, a glass of wine and converse about anything other than the election.


You're welcome dear readers. I hope you can relax with your family. I won't be able to. I avoid Aly's family like the fucking black death! Those people are crazy. And my family is larger, and harder to avoid. FML.

Follow me on Twitter @davelondonblog

That's what I really think. More to come.