The New York Times' Ethicist Advice column on Friday answered a reader's question about how Democratic voters should deal with a close family member who supported President-elect Donald Trump over Vice President Kamala Harris in the election.
“I am strongly opposed to President Trump, and so is my wife and her family who live nearby, especially as my mother once voted in a battleground state and supported a man I find morally abhorrent and dangerous. I'm worried about what I'm doing,” he said. Written by someone looking for advice. “Following the results of the 2024 election, my wife and her family are rightfully directing their anger at my mother. My wife's sister said, 'If she votes for Trump again, I'm completely done with her. 'I predict so.'The next time they interact, it won't be pretty. ”
The magazine tackled a similar question in October, answering a reader's question about whether it would be appropriate to leave the country if the “wrong” candidate became president.
In response to this question, a Times reader clarified: “But my mother is a member of our family and an irreplaceable caretaker for our children. She is good-natured and kind in everyday life, and she travels far from home mainly for us and her grandchildren. After all, she is my mother. My wife and her family expect me to be uncompromising and to speak out on the issues that matter to our existence.Vote hereIt makes no difference, but Trump in her past and perhaps in her present. I don't have the energy to advise him that I support him.”
The New York Times' Ethicist Advice column answered a reader's question about how Democratic voters should deal with a close family member who supported President-elect Donald Trump. (Getty Images / iStock)
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The ethicist suggested having an honest conversation with the mother about your views, but advised against “hugging the mother together.”
“Once she has expressed her opinion and listened to those defending her, repeating the same argument over and over again is the behavior of a bully. Not only her family but also the public are trying to get harsh words from her.” You should tell people with whom you disagree politically that if other members of your family want to continue doing this, they are being unkind and unhelpful.'' NYT the ethicist suggested.
The author of the NYT Kwame Anthony Appiah shared a personal anecdote.
“My friend's mother, who is a progressive politician and is active in the Biden administration, voted for Trump. Her mother is black, Southern, and religious, but she is a single-issue voter. “She is fervently opposed to abortion. Although my friend vehemently disagrees with her mother's position, I believe they have reconciled,” he wrote.
Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at a campaign event at the Ellipse near the White House in Washington. (AP/Stephanie Scarborough) (AP/Stephanie Scarborough)
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The NYT author urged us to remember that we are more than “the sum of our political views.”
“Today, family gatherings routinely bring together Catholics and Protestants, Jews and Gentiles, Baptists and Episcopalians, blacks and whites, Latinos and Asians. Could Democrats and Republicans come together? It's far from perfect harmony, but it helps.'' Humans are more than the sum of their political views, and intolerance begets intolerance. “Let's not forget that there are trends,” he wrote.
The column comes as others also wonder how to respond to the election results. Dr. Amanda Calhoun, chief resident in psychiatry at Yale University, spoke to MSNBC host Joy Reid about how liberals devastated by Trump's reelection can deal with the news. Farewell to a loved one.
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“I think it's just conventional wisdom that if someone is your family, they're entitled to your time, but I think the answer is absolutely not,” Calhoun told the talk show host. I told the people. “So if you go into a situation where you have family members or, like you said, close friends who you know have voted in a way that goes against your livelihood, it's totally inappropriate not to be around people like that.” No problem,' and then tell them why, and say, 'There's a problem with the way you vote. I'm not going to be around you this holiday because it goes against my livelihood.' ”
“The View” co-hosts Sunny Hostin and Whoopi Goldberg seem to agree with this argument.
Hostin said she “completely” understands Calhoun's point about distancing herself from her family this holiday season.
“I really feel that this candidate, you know, President-elect Trump, is just a different type of candidate based on what he's said, what he's done and what he's going to do. It's more of a moral issue for me,' and I think it's more of a moral issue for other people,” she said. “We just – you know, you could say things were different when Bush was elected, for example. You may not have agreed with his policies, but you know he's a deeply flawed person. , you would not have felt that the character was deeply morally flawed. ”
