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The one bright side is that they have an adorable Black Lab that I can take for walks. I think I will be taking a lot of walks with her. And spoiling her with a lot of biscuits. 
That's pretty much what I do no matter what happens. 
i think it would be best if I just went to my room and went on to DU. I feel better already! 
Then retire to my room and log on to DU.
I don't think I'm going to be able to get "better." 
Take care of yourself. 
At least half my family are dems. The ones hosting, fortunately. We are all good people and I think we will try our hardest to get along. It's just when the men start drinking (the women do too, but we don't seem to get as out of hand) that politics come up. I think I will just walk away from it. I care for all of them, but there are just some of them that I can't tolerate politically.
There is always DU! That is a positive! And they have an adorable Black Lab that I plan on kidnapping! 
Now there is an idea! I think that all the women in the whole country should do that! lol!
Our other brother is being deployed, so I think in his honor we would all want to get along. I am hoping for the best. Thanks!
Hatred is poison. Hatred also makes people stupid. Think, say, and do stupid stuff. I'm a Buddhist and that is what have I been taught and what I know to be true by looking at my own experience. I am not happy, when I nurture my dislikes and revulsions to a level of hatred for what I think is the source. But how to overcome feelings of hatred?
We begin by recognizing that feelings and thoughts are not real. They have no substance. You can't put them on a scale and weigh them. They just SEEM and FEEL real. And that is part of the illusion. We do not see the world the way it really exists. All things, including you and me, have no independent, eternal, self-existence, because everything arises from previous causes and conditions. Buddhists call this "shunyata," which is poorly translated into English as "emptiness." Many many books, discourses, commentaries have been written about emptiness. It's not a concept that is easy to get without doing your own reading and meditation on it. But the good news about emptiness is that because everything is empty of independent self-existence, the characteristics that we attribute to something don't exist in the object, but in our own mind. And we can, if we choose, change our thoughts about something.
The other thing to know is to practice compassion. Compassion is not some wimpy free pass that we give to stupid racists and hate-mongers. Rather, compassion is recognizing that we are all of us suffering, mainly because we are ignorant about the true nature of reality. That everything is impermanent and empty. In Buddhism, the 3 main mental poisons are ignorance, hatred, and greed, with ignorance being chiefest poison. Trump supporters are just ignorant. They either got conned, or their minds are clouded by hatred, revenge, racism, and bigotry. They have fallen into the trap, the delusion of "us versus them." I fall into that trap frequently, but at least I know that it is just an illusion. In reality, we are all of us connected. We all live on the same planet for god's sake!
So your relatives' stupid political beliefs are primarily caused by ignorance and selfishness. If you can begin to see them this way, it will help lift you out of the awful dread in your heart, when you hear them say stupid stuff. Anger towards them is not the way to help them wake up from their stupidities. Anger at them will cause them to defend their positions. Anger just holds their stupidities in place and makes you feel unhappy. Please know that despite their stupid beliefs, they most likely have good hearts and want to be thought of as kind and considerate. If your relatives and friends profess to be Christian, you can remind them of Christ's teachings to feed the poor, heal the sick, practice peace, and love thy neighbor -- yes even those awful neighbors, who are difficult to get along with. I find that saying these reminders makes them think a little bit.
You will no doubt get frustrated trying to reason with bigots. Facts don't mean much to bigots, because their minds are closed and darkened with stupidity. But deep down, you can talk to their good hearts. This is where generosity and patience from you will save your day. If you get so exasperated that you feel hot anger rising up, walk out of the room. Go sit down somewhere else and get a grip. Breathe breathe breathe and calm down. Recognize that hatred is poison and makes people stupid. Have compassion for them, because they are ignorant and don't know any better. If your mind is inflamed with agitated and confused thoughts, just label them as "just thinking." Remember that thoughts are empty. This will help give you a little distance and calm down. Be a little ray of sunshine. Be a cause that makes things better. Below is a little Buddhist prayer that is my daily "go to," when things get tough and unpleasant.
May all sentient beings be free of suffering, and the causes and conditions of suffering.
May all sentient beings be happy, and have the causes and conditions of happiness.
Hope this helps 
That is why I am so disappointed with myself. I have been able to do it in my office. There are people I know who voted Trump that I couldn't stand to look at, but then I realized that I knew they were decent people before, just misguided and have been able to make my peace with them.
I think eventually I will be able to extend it to the community at large. It might take a while. I don't want to hate, I really don't. I will try to understand and follow your advice.
I think I am big enough to do it, it's just that I am hurting so much right now that it's hard.
Thank you for your kind compassion and advice.
Compassion begins at home - with yourself. We are, afterall, just humans. Our human brains are conditioned to perceive reality in terms of subject (I, me, mine) and object (everything else). But in reality, everything is connected and dependent on everything else.
You can have a little fun with the Trumpsters in your life. For example, donate a few bucks to Planned Parenthood in the name of Mike Pence. He will get a thank-you card delivered to his office in Indiana. Then the next time a Trumpster goes on and on about abortion is murder, drop your little bomb about your gift to Planned Parenthood. Or some other small charitable act that you know would get under a RWers skin.
Bone up on a few of Jesus' parables that you can retell to a Trumpster in a fitting occasion. For example say, "I'm reminded of Jesus' parable of the Good Samaritan. Do you know that Bible story?" Then retell the parable. If you think about it, you can come up with some deliciously wicked ways to get Trumpsters to respect your fearlessness, while pointing out their hypocracy, while being the very nicest of persons. They will not argue with what Jesus says.
You are not weak. We are in this together!
And for your suggestions! I like the one about reminding Christians about the story of the Good Samaritan. Fortunately, nobody in my family is very religious, but I do have a few family members who are ignoring me right now because I believe of what they read on my Facebook and Pinterest accounts (not a big FB poster, but when I do, it's Liberal).
Thanks again and I wish you and your family a very Happy Thanksgiving!
We have a winner!
might be a little more effective!
Thank god for DU!
My liberal brother is a PhD and I have a Masters. The other side is pretty well educated too, but they are totally doped up on Fox news and despite their education don't have an intellectually curious bone in their bodies.
The one saving grace is the adorable dog. I will have to take her out for walks often. She is a beautiful Black Lab and she doesn't talk!
I hope you won't be lonely! Check in with us on DU!