Happy Thanksgiving 2008

Thursday, November 27, 2008 11:02 pm Daniel J. Summers

Happy Thanksgiving to all who may pass this way.

Over at Taxes, Stupidity, and Death, there's a post today called "Have Another Helping of Idiotic with That Turkey?" It's a very good dissection of a Thanksgiving editorial, summed up by this quote.

Nearly everything Americans have to be thankful for has hurt someone else along the way.

This person clearly has Thanksgiving mixed up. Thanksgiving was (and is) a day to thank God for His providence, provision, and protection. Every one of us is alive and breathing in the freest country on the planet. Every one of us has probably eaten better today than a lot of families eat in a week. Every one of us are in a climate-controlled environment, and will likely sleep on a soft bed (until we get up before the sun to go snag those door-buster specials).

I know some of the things this person was talking about. Some of them were true, some were not, but yes, we as a nation have made some mistakes. Today, though, is not the day for a history lesson. “Oh, you're happy? Let me see if I can change it.” It's arrogant, condescending, and completely in bad taste. This guy reminds me of “Debbie Downer” from Saturday Night Live. In fact, there was actually a Debbie Downer skit about Thanksgiving.

My favorite exchange…

Horatio Sanz: Any of you think that the Pilgrims brought a bottle of Pinot Grigio to the first Thanksgiving?

Debbie Downer: I'll tell you what the Pilgrims did bring - smallpox.

American success does not equal others' failures. America's formula for success is available to any nation to try - freedom, with the realization that everything is either directly from God or allowed by God. Not everything in life is enjoyable, or even good - that's the nature of life. I, for one, am not going to let this “Debbie Downer” ruin my Thanksgiving. In fact, I truly feel sorry for someone for whom this sort of thing is what comes to mind when a holiday rolls around.