During the Trump years, leftist journalists spent every year complaining about having to interact with their Trump-supporting family members at the Thanksgiving table. But conservatives shouldn’t have the same bitter attitude towards Biden supporters in their family. Appearing Wednesday morning on the Fox News Channel, Republican Congressman Dan Crenshaw (TX) shared his advice on how you can engage civilly with your liberal uncle this holiday without ruining anyone’s day.
Crenshaw was on Fox & Friends during the 8:00 a.m. Eastern hour discussing some heavier topics like Sunday's Waukesha parade massacre, the Kyle Rittenhouse case, and how the economy is impacting everyone’s Thanksgiving this year. Despite rising crime, inflation, and a President who's tried to stoke racial divides, Crenshaw explained we can still enjoy the day and have fruitful conversations with family members who disagree politically.
Co-host Ainsley Earhardt asked, “So what is your advice, Thanksgiving is tomorrow, we're all cooking today and tomorrow. When you go to the Thanksgiving table and you're sitting next to your Democratic uncle or whatever, what's your advice?”
Crenshaw laid out his “rules” for people who like to engage and for people who don’t, but still maintain a friendly and kind approach, either way. He offered this day could become an opportunity to understand each other better, if you do it the right way:
So, first thing is, don't get into a political debate with your family. All right? That's rule number one. Rule number two, if you can't adhere to rule number one, rule number two is ask well-intentioned questions. Try to understand where they are coming from, and in doing so, you'll accomplish a couple things. One you'll better understand their argument and how to counter it but two if you ask the right questions you might lead them to your conclusion, but on their own. Three. Anticipate their best arguments. Don't straw-man their arguments, don’t use the slogans that we say and attach them to their argument. Try to use their best arguments, then prepare yourself with the facts and the counter arguments for those best arguments. Don't talk past each other and be afraid to concede a good point if they make one that leads to a good healthy discussion.
Next, frame the argument in a way that helps them understand the core of your belief, so if you're arguing about taxation, you can take a step back and say ‘look, conservatives believe we should tax people the least amount of possible so that government has just enough money to do what it's supposed to do and the left believes you should tax the people the most amount possible, so that government can do all the nice things that collectively we would like to do.’ I don't even think they disagree with a statement like that but it also helps them understand where you're coming from.
But Crenshaw noted, things don’t always pan out even with the best intentions. And if they don’t, there’s always this:
“And last, the best way to end a bad debate is to laugh, make a self-deprecating joke and offer everybody shots of tequila,” he offered.
Meanwhile, CBS Mornings had some different advice. They suggested Americans force their family members to get COVID rapid tests before they could enter their home, saying it would be a way to make things safe, “fun,” and “playful.”
Read the transcript below:
FNC's Fox and Friends
11/24/21
8:13 a.m. EasternAINSLEY EARHARDT: So what is your advice, Thanksgiving is tomorrow, we're all cooking today and tomorrow. When you go to the Thanksgiving table and you're sitting next to your Democratic uncle or whatever, what's your advice?
REP. DAN CRENSHAW [R-TX]: [Laughter] Well thanks for asking and I think this is a timely question. So, first thing is, don't get into a political debate with your family. All right? That's rule number one. Rule number two, if you can't adhere to rule number one, rule number two is ask well-intentioned questions. Try to understand where they are coming from, and in doing so, you'll accomplish a couple things. One you'll better understand their argument and how to counter it but two if you ask the right questions you might lead them to your conclusion, but on their own. Three. Anticipate their best arguments. Don't straw-man their arguments, don’t use the slogans that we say and attach them to their argument. Try to use their best arguments then prepare yourself with the facts and the counter arguments for those best arguments. Don't talk past each other and be afraid to concede a good point if they make one that leads to a good healthy discussion. Next, frame the argument in a way that helps them understand the core of your belief, so if you're arguing about taxation, you can take a step back and say ‘look, conservatives believe we should tax people the least amount of possible so that government has just enough money to do what it's supposed to do and the left believes you should tax the people the most amount possible, so that government can do all the nice things that collectively we would like to do’ I don't even think they disagree with a statement like that but it also helps them understand where you're coming from and last, the best way to end a bad debate is to laugh, make a self-deprecating joke and offer everybody shots of tequila.
