Thanksgiving Day!!!!

Yesterday millions of Americans traveled via airplane, bus and car to arrive at their destination to spend Thanksgiving Day with family and friends. I recall big celebrations leading up to this day while attending elementary school. I recall creating a cornucopia, dressing up as pilgrims and Indians, and exploring the history of Thanksgiving. Today schools barely even mention Thanksgiving; why is that? Not to mention that some in our society see Thanksgiving as the start of the destruction of North America. A friend of mine on Facebook wrote this yesterday – "Today is the eve of the day that people celebrate another sad day in "White Washed History". People will give thanks to God for the slaughter,rape,torture,giving of small pox,erasure of a civilization of peoples,as they sit back get fat,& watch football,& then go stand in a long azz line to get screwed over for Black Friday."

While we will never know for certain, we can recognize that had Europeans not traveled to North America many of us would not be here nor may I have the opportunity to write this blog. Life in pre-colonial, colonial, industrial revolution, and the 21^st Century are all different to their challenges and triumphs. That being said, I am thankful that the Europeans crossed the ocean and established the New World because it has allowed our society to evolve to a point where everyone has the opportunity to create their destiny in life. Sure some of us start out better than others but I heard this question recently – "If you could choose any country to be born into knowing that you'd be brought into the world as the poorest person in that country – What country would you choose?"

I cannot think of any other country in the world that one would choose to be born into than the United States of America. With all her faults the fact remains that the United States is the only place on Earth that has an environment that everyone (no matter your race, gender, class status) is given the opportunity to create their own future. I give thanks to that. Our Forefathers had the wisdom and courage to create a form of government that broke the chains of serfdom as imperfect it may have been. I give thanks to that. In less than 300 years the United States has gone from militia units to the most powerful military force on the planet. Through that time we have defended the freedoms our Forefathers crafted and I give thanks for that.

As we continue through the second decade of the 21^st Century we face tyranny within our shores. Our elected officials have become drunk with power and greed. They have lost their way to remember who they really represent – the people – not the special interest groups that give copious amounts of dollars to their campaigns. We have an opportunity today to reflect on the things that we are thankful for and what is important to us. My hope is that as people gather around the kitchen table to feast that people recognize that we are at a crossroads. As much as today is about giving thanks for the bounty of the past it is also an opportunity for us to discuss our future. I am thankful for the Tea Party and OWS rallies for the assembly of people into a common theme to protest the government is a cornerstone of building that our Forefathers erected.

Other things that I am thankful for today are: to have my health and my children's health, to have the ability to provide shelter, food and clothing for my family, to be given the opportunity to run my own business, to have friends that agree and disagree with me, and to have been born in the United States. Happy Thanksgiving Day!!!!