From Presidents and American Leaders: Thoughts on Surviving this Special Post-Election Thanksgiving

At this particular course of American history, we find ourselves off the precipice and rolling down a rocky cliffside toward Thanksgiving. Yes, Thanksgiving, despite what every major drugstore and retailer might tell you, Thanksgiving comes before Christmas. And usually before Hannukah, and sometimes before or after Ramadan and also before Kwanza, but after Diwali.

Now that we’ve cleared that up: Thanksgiving. This may very well be your first chance to gather around the table with family and loved ones who may have been unfriended, unfollowed and trolled on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Now, we get to look one another in the eye post-election. Now, we get to practice sitting on our hands when a beloved family member complains about someone out there defacing their lawn election poster to resemble a favorite American spirit. Now, we get to determine how, exactly, to survive a holiday meal that often times is already challenging. Come on, there’s always that drunk aunt going for the sloppy cheek kisses or that close-talking cousin with halitosis or that one family member wearing the Eagles sweatshirt when you all know he only lived in Philadelphia for five months.

Anyway, we all must decide how, exactly, to get along with our family members who may have done the moral opposite of what we feel is correct. That is a bitter, jagged pill to swallow and it’s not even January 21.

However, since Thanksgiving is supposed to be a time to celebrate appropriation um, giving thanks to the good Lord for all that we have, in the spirit of a peaceful holiday, let us turn to past American leaders for guidelines on etiquette.

It seems appropriate to start with some wise words from our very first president, George Washington himself. These select rules are taken from his Rules of Civility:

RULE NO. 1
Every Action done in Company, ought to be with Some Sign of Respect, to those that are Present.

RULE NO. 3
Shew Nothing to your Friend that may affright him.

RULE NO. 20
The Gestures of the Body must be Suited to the discourse you are upon.

RULE NO. 22
Shew not yourself glad at the Misfortune of another though he were your enemy.

RULE NO. 25
Superfluous Complements and all Affectation of Ceremonie are to be avoided, yet where due they are not to be Neglected.

RULE NO. 42
Let thy ceremonies in Courtesie be proper to the Dignity of his place [with whom thou conversest for it is absurd to ac]t the same with a Clown and a Prince.

And a few thoughts from other great Americans on being together and getting along:

Let us at all times remember that all American citizens are brothers of a common country, and should dwell together in the bonds of fraternal feeling. –President Abraham Lincoln, November 20, 1860 Remarks at Springfield, Illinois

He that speaks much, is much mistaken. –Benjamin Franklin, Poor Richard’s Almanack, 1736

Be sincere; be brief; be seated. –Franklin D. Roosevelt, Advice to his son James

We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools. –Martin Luther King Jr, June 1965 Oberlin College

Thanksgiving is an emotional time. People travel thousands of miles to be with people they see only once a year. And then discover once a year is way too often. —Johnny Carson

On that note, to all invited to Trump Tower for this holiday, may our President-elect heed President Washington’s second Rule of Civility:

RULE NO. 2
When in Company, put not your Hands to any Part of the Body, not usually Discovered.

May we all give thanks as we attempt civil discourse and behavior this holiday season.