Thanksgiving with family expected to be extra civil this year
Social scientists are projecting that this year’s Thanksgiving gatherings will be more polite than usual. Experts say that a relatively uneventful political scene and record-high levels of tolerance are both contributing factors. “Yeah, there’s just nothing really major to disagree about right now,” Marquette sociology professor Jackson Barrows said. “Everything is pretty much cool.” Junior Sarah Tenson is similarly optimistic about her annual Thanksgiving dinner. Tenson’s mom’s side is from Madison and her dad’s side has lived in Waukesha for 40 years, which usually makes the last Thursday of November a contentious affair. However, Tenson says that this year, everything will be “great.” “I’m really proud of what this country has done over the last year or so. We all banded together and came up with some real solutions to this country’s problems, and I think that’s really brought a lot of people together.” That feeling of unity is evident on Marquette’s campus, where students gathered at Westowne Square several days after the election and linked arms to show how they were united in happiness. All of that unity should carry right on through to Thanksgiving, which students are saying is a welcome change. “Thanksgiving is usually the worst day of the year because my family will not stop arguing about politics with each other,” senior Dan Wickham said. “But not this year. My whole family is united in their beliefs about where the country should be going.” Family dinners should also expect a dramatic decrease in awkward pauses, forced laughs and amount of scotch consumed. If any awkward situations arise, students are advised to immediately bring up politics, race relations and other topics that family members – especially your 80 year-old grand uncle – are likely to agree on.
