With Thanksgiving season upon us, many people fear the conversations at the dinner table. More specifically, the subject of politics. Politics, especially currently, is one of the most controversial topics among family members. Everyone seems to have a different opinion and tries to prove each other wrong. According to a Survey Monkey audience poll, “37% of respondents said the mention of the president was most likely to start an argument”. I strongly agree with this statistic because if someone mentions anything about the lawmakers in our country as of late, every one of my family members will have something to say. That’s why I believe any sort of politics should not be discussed at Thanksgiving dinner—or any dinner for that matter. 

With a family as big as mine, President Donald Trump and the upcoming election is bound to come up. But why? Does the banter give whoever has “better” points an ego boost? At big family gatherings such as Thanksgiving, we are supposed to be grateful for the positives in our lives. However, with each political issue being more contentious than the next—it seems as if no one can win. 

“I hate when my family talks about the current world issues,” said junior Grace Boji. “Someone always leaves angry at somebody else.”

And that’s another reason politics should be avoided, someone always leaves. Once someone walks out, Thanksgiving goes from a joyous holiday to one with lots of tension. This tension spreads among the rest of the family and soon everyone is talking. These issues are argued about so much that big news companies such as The New York Times, USA Today, and MSNBC have all published “Thanksgiving survival guides” to try to help readers refrain from the topics. 

Overall, I think that politics—whether it’s global issues, the potential impeachment of President Trump, or the upcoming election—should be avoided at all costs.