A Thanksgiving Reflection

As Thanksgiving approaches it may benefit us to take a deep breath and realize that although this past year was at times difficult, punctuated by a tumultuous presidential election, we have made it.  We have persevered through another year and that is commendable, in and of itself.

Our recently passed Veterans Day makes me grateful not only for our current military heroes but also for those who were grievously wounded and those 1.1 million American service men and women since the Revolutionary War to the present day who died defending America, placing on the altar of freedom that “last full measure of devotion.”

And why was this enormous sacrifice made?

For the defense and preservation of the freedom and liberties we often take for granted.  These fundamental rights include the ability to speak out and peacefully express our opinions—to one another and to our government; to defend ourselves in court when we are accused of a crime; to arm ourselves under the 2nd Amendment so we may protect ourselves and our families against crime—and even, according to our Founders’ intent, from an unjust U.S. government; and to gather and pray as millions of us will do with our loved ones on Thanksgiving Day. 

We are thankful our Declaration of Independence remains the “promise” of America and that our Constitution remains dedicated to the “fulfillment of the promise” of America.  We treasure the Declaration’s recognition of both our intrinsic human value and that our rights come not from government but from God: “We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights and that among them are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” 

It’s true America must continue to grapple with and solve many challenges that face us. We will need to overcome the self-inflicted economic pain and international vulnerabilities caused by some of our government’s breathtakingly poor policy choices, among other struggles.  Yet, I am encouraged at the thought of the tremendous talent and ingenuity of the American entrepreneur and the stunning ability of the free market and free people to adapt to tough times, as we have so many times in American history. 

In his Thanksgiving Proclamation of 1789, President George Washington declared:

“…it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor … I recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.”

In both his first and second Thanksgiving Day addresses, President Reagan echoed Washington’s beliefs. 

In his 1981 Thanksgiving Day Address to the American people, President Reagan, for whom my brother Tom worked in the White House at the time, reminded all Americans that God, not government, is the source of the multitude of national blessings bestowed upon all Americans, and that charity toward one another is engrained upon our national soul.

President Reagan pointed out that “long before there was a government welfare program, this spirit of voluntary giving was ingrained in the American character.” 

In his second Thanksgiving Day message in 1982, President Reagan said that “I have always believed that this anointed land was set apart in an uncommon way, that a divine plan placed this great continent here between the oceans to be found by people from every corner of the Earth who had a special love of faith and freedom.”

This week I hope we are able to unplug and reconnect with our families and our faith, reaffirming what should be our enormous gratitude for our blessings.

Pres. Trump, for whose election we should be deeply grateful, proclaimed Thanksgiving Day in 2020:

On Thanksgiving Day, we thank God for the abundant blessings in our lives.  As we gather with family and friends to celebrate this season of generosity, hope, and gratitude, we commemorate America’s founding traditions of faith, family, and friendship, and give thanks for the principles of freedom, liberty, and democracy that make our country exceptional in the history of the world … I encourage all Americans to gather, in homes and places of worship, to offer a prayer of thanks to God for our many blessings.

Happy Thanksgiving!