When families gather for the holidays controversial topics come up, and often not everyone is on the same page.
Guns, politics and religion are just a few things considered touchy topics, especially around family.
They're hard to avoid when you're sitting at the table, ready to feast on all the great foods Thanksgiving has to offer, and then suddenly a relative makes a comment about something that strikes a nerve.
"When we come together with our families we often have difficult conversations," said Lisa Plawchan with East Tennessee Moms Demand Action.
It's because these are people you've known forever -- you love them and want to share your opinions on politics, discrimination, gun violence, social issues.
"That is a perfect opportunity to have these difficult conversations about gun violence and those sorts of things," said Plawchan.
But you don't always agree even with your most beloved family member.
"A lot of times these are issues that are very personal to people and mean a lot to them, so we get really passionate about things and that's often when things escalate," said art therapist Rachel Ryan McMillan.
She addressed this issue with Moms Demand Action on Wednesday.
That group is passionate about changing gun laws, but knows not everyone is on the same page.
"Gun violence shouldn't be a taboo issue in our families," said Plawchan. "The more we talk about it the more comfortable [we are] with [the topic] and finding solutions."
McMillan said the best way to talk about any tough issue is to be assertive with your beliefs, be understanding to those who feel differently, and discuss don't fight.
"At the holidays we're probably with people that we do love and do care about and so if we're going into difficult conversations with a level of compassion then that can really make a big difference," she said.
McMillan said starting sentences with "I feel this way," instead of putting blame on a family member can keep these talks civil, too.