Even families grapple with polarization

Last week I received an email from a friend (we will call him Joe) saying “With a new political season rolling out, I suspect we will be on opposite sides of the coin.” Joe came into our life only a few years ago, by way of marriage into our extended family. He and I like one another, struck up a correspondence, hold a number of values in common. But there is a problem: Joe is a Republican.

In our extended family, (sons in-law, adult grandchildren, significant others, nieces, etc., tota