THANKSGIVING AT THE WHITE HOUSE

      The President and Mrs. Trump held a Rose Garden Ceremony yesterday to announce the official Thanksgiving Proclamation. The President spoke to the crowd: "As we gather with our families on Thanksgiving and give thanks for our many blessings, we are reminded of the national family to which we along belong." said Trump, "This Thanksgiving let us also renew our national bonds of trust, affection, and loyalty between our fellow-citizens as part of the proud family of Americans."

      The President ceremonially pardoned the Thanksgiving turkey. Although the media calls this a 'tradition' it actually began with George Bush Sr. who did it somewhat tongue-in-cheek to silence a gang of radical animal-rights types who were protesting at his Thanksgiving speech. The practice of sending an official turkey to the White House is recent too; it began during Franklin Roosevelt's Administration. Ironically, presidents previous to Roosevelt were receiving so many turkeys as Thanksgiving gifts that they officials had to limit it to a single gift.  

      The Radical Left was spending the holiday spouting their hatreds, as usual. In general, Liberals are a dour lot; and they dislike American holidays especially. They hate New Years because it expresses hope; they hate Independence Day because it's about freedom; they hate Labor Day because they hate work; they hate Columbus Day because it's the only remaining holiday named for a white male. They don't like Memorial Day or Armistice Day because they hate the Military; nor Easter or Christmas because the days stand for Christian values which Liberals oppose. Thanksgiving is about family and gratefulness for prosperity and Liberals envy people who have both. 

       But therein lies the value of national holidays, as President Grant recognized when he established them in 1870. (Prior to that time, they were proclaimed by Executive Order annually---President Washington proclaimed our first official Thanksgiving in 1789). The modern word holiday is derived from the term Holy Day. Ancient Christians, Jews, and Pagans all celebrated them as way of unifying their communities. National holidays serve the same purpose. Hence, it grates on the Left to see Americans coming together under a common cause when they are constantly seeking to divide us. 

          If we're going to divide anything on Thanksgiving, it's better to divide up meals at dinnertime to our families or guests. What could be more pleasing to God than to see a family together on a special day enjoying the bounties which He has provided and made possible? There is something Eden-like about such scenes. 

          Holidays should be times of joy and thankfulness. Don't let the cranks and pathological malcontents spoil it; nor fall for the scams and insanity of the Black Friday lunacy tomorrow. A day named after the beginning of the Great Depression can't possibly be productive of any good.