First let me preface everything by saying in capital letters (figuratively)
I believe in giving thanks. I plan on being thankful on the last Thursday of
November just as I am on every Thursday or any other day of the week. I
consider it my religious duty to be thankful as King David wrote in Psalms,
Be thankful unto G*d for His mercy is forever.

As far as a National day of thanksgiving goes people can choose for
themselves what they want to do. I personally am not moved to action because
a group of bigoted, small minded people got together to pray sometime toward
the end of November. The point is that a day of thanksgiving is a religious
observation. If not to Whom are you giving thanks? 

Are you giving thanks to the government for the bounty on your table? Are
you thanking the random elements of nature? Perhaps you are thanking the
clouds for raining and the worms for making the soil fertile.

Only in America do we have a debate as to whether or not G*d is a religious
symbol. Accept it Thanksgiving is a religious holiday. We can debate if it
is a non-sectarian religious holiday or a Christian religious holiday but
the concept is religious. Don't try to hide that fact by passing it off as A
"National Day of Thanks" and don't try to bully people into celebrate the
holiday. Last but certainly not least do not rub peoples noses in the fact
that it is a religious observance. 

From an historical perspective the denizens of Plymouth Plantation did not
celebrate the first Thanksgiving in what was to become the 48 contiguous
states. That honor went to a group of Spaniards in St. Augustine, Florida
some 50 years prior to the Englishmen's arrival.  Since they probably called
something like "el día de la acción de gracias" which is not English it
doesn't count and 99.999% of the populace doesn't even know it happened. 

Give thanks next Thursday or not as you see fit. Whatever you do enjoy the
day just as I hope you enjoy everyday. 

Work for Peace

The opinions expressed herein are my own and not necessarily those of my
employer.
Yosef Rosenblatt 

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