Ask Mona (Almost) Anything: 2

AMAA

Photo: Robert Rutledge

Read AMAA: 1

I’m curious about your perspective on this: how would you handle pro-MAGA folks in your family? I’ve tried the gentle approach (aiming for a discussion) and the angry approach (yelling and cussing at my brother-in-law on Christmas Day). Part of me wants to cut them out, but I also want to show my young nieces and nephews that there’s an alternative. I want them to know they have family that isn’t crazy, and that I’m here for them if they need out. (They’re between 1-11yrs old) -

Sarah Spencer

When one of my nieces was about six or seven years old, she told her father, my brother, “When I grow up, I am not getting married or having children and I’ll travel the world, like Tante Mona.” I never sat her down to tell her that’s what I was doing with my life nor did I advocate for any of those things when I’d send her greeting cards on various occasions. And while she’s older now and I don’t know if those are still among her goals, her childhood ambitions were the first thing I thought of when I read your question.