As Americans gather with loved ones to celebrate Thanksgiving, polls show that bringing up politics at the dinner table is only attempted by those confident their families are on the same political page.
Pew Research released a new poll Wednesday that states nearly 60 percent of American adults say bringing up politics is a non-issue.
A key caveat, however, is that majority skyrockets when accounting for families that share similar views.
More than 80 percent of people who say nearly all of their family is on the same page — and 65 percent of those who think at least most are — believe politics is OK to bring up during the holiday.
In those families, it’s not likely any robust political debate will break out while eating turkey anyway.
On the other hand, 70 percent of those who say virtually no one has their same opinion said they tend to avoid the topic altogether.
Similarly, another Wednesday poll from Quinnipiac University found that 61 percent of American voters say they’re looking to ditch discussing politics on Thanksgiving.
A majority say that the state of political discourse in the country is contributing to violence, with 53 percent linking President Trump with encouraging white supremacists.
“Pass the cranberries and dressing, but hold the political vitriol, say voters who foresee a looming Thanksgiving dinner donnybrook,” Assistant Director of the Quinnipiac poll Tim Malloy said in a statement. “An impossible-to-digest smorgasbord of prejudice and division is served up on a day Americans hope to give thanks for all they have.”
• Gabriella Muñoz can be reached at gmunoz@washingtontimes.com.
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