The Gulf War Had a Family Divide at a Thanksgiving Dinner

COMMENTARY | At some point during our Thanksgiving dinner whether spending it with the whole family or at home by ourselves, some talk of politics always seem to come up. Even though I'm registered as a Democrat when it comes to voting, that's not always how my vote goes.

That alone brings up arguments over my own political beliefs, especially since in my own home there are two Republicans. The worst argument that I have ever heard at the Thanksgiving dinner table is was about the Gulf War. The reason behind this blowout at the dinner table that Thanksgiving is because so many family and friends who served in the military were being called up and sent overseas right before the holidays.

The house was divided on why they couldn't have waited until after the holidays to send troops in to a country that was so far away. Part of the family was all for it because they didn't want to see Kuwait being taken over by a dictator and because of what would happen to the gas and oil prices. Some aunts, uncles and cousins felt that the president made the right choice by sending in troops even though it meant their own family wouldn't be at home for the holidays. Their thoughts were that was what they signed up for when joining the military.

The other half didn't care if that was going to happen because it meant family and close friends were being sent into harm's way. Even though they knew what could happen if there was a war, they felt this was one of those times it wasn't right for troops to be sent to fight in a war that didn't concern us, the United States.

While I was more worried about what was happening to the military personnel that I know and love while fighting in the Gulf War, the argument kept growing and growing to the point where I got up and left the table at one of the dinners. The other part of the family I decided to avoid because I didn't want a rehash of the same fight that I had witnessed with the rest of the family on Thanksgiving.

It felt as if the whole family had lost focus on the fact our loved ones were overseas fighting in the Gulf War against the thing - higher prices in gas and oil - that had been argued over at other dinners. Even though my family loves each other, that argument in 1990 on the Gulf War at the Thanksgiving dinner table is one I will never forget. To this day, that war is rarely talked about in my family.