Okay, that's not exactly how I feel. And I'm not an advocate of stirring up trouble, really. Hell, I barely have any family left to throw up against the metaphorical wall, anyway. Alcoholism, workaholism and ridiculous squabbling over money have reduced my once-vast clan to a small (but fantastic, generous and hardy) few (for whom I am extremely grateful, thankyouverymuch).

Plus, because of our family dispersal pattern, I'm celebrating this holiday with a few geographically (and otherwise) desirable friends who are as whack-job liberal as I am, so I don't anticipate any need for backup.

But Atrios has such a great post on how to deal with, um, non-likeminded relatives of the loud and/or bellicose variety that I had to hook y'alls up with the link.

And I'm copping his fantastic strategy for dealing with the choice issue for my non-holiday use, as well:

(Additional note: If the issue of abortion comes up I'm at the ready with a line of question I've had some recent successes with: Ask them to guess where the US ranks in infant mortality rate. Tell them Sweden, with the lowest infant mortality rate, ranks #1. Press them to guess where the US falls after that. Really, get their best guess. The correct and highly embarasing answer for these self-rightious, Holier Then Thou, save the babies at all costs crusaders is . . . 41st. Cuba has a lower infant mortality rate. Let them chew on that.)

Woo-hoo! An abortion post on Thanksgiving!

Happy-happy, everyone!

xxx c