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November Commentary from George Spiro Dibie A Time to be Thankful This is the month we celebrate Thanksgiving Day. Every child learns that the national holiday was first observed by the Pilgrims in 1621 when William Bradford, the governor of the colony in Plymouth, Massachusetts, declared a holiday to give thanks for a bountiful harvest and other blessings. The Pilgrims came from Europe to escape persecution for their religious and political beliefs, and to seek opportunities to make a home for themselves and their families. They carved farms and homes out of the wilderness, while fighting desperate and deadly struggles with native Americans who were defending their own land and families. Thanksgiving was a custom until President George Washington proclaimed it a national holiday in 1789. He declared that it should be a day of celebration and prayer thanking “the almighty for his benefits and imploring his protection and favor.” Each succeeding generation of Americans, whether they were native born or the next wave of immigrants, has embraced Thanksgiving as their own. It is a time when we gather with our families and close friends to give thanks and celebrate. It has never been easy to be an American. Our predecessors and ancestors fought two wars with England when that country was a super power and the United States was a developing nation. They made horrific mistakes, including the sin of enslaving other human beings. Our predecessors and ancestors overcame the wounds caused by a terrible Civil War, a war with Mexico, several economic collapses, frightening epidemics, two World Wars, several smaller wars in Asia, and a Cold War that brought us to the edge of worldwide catastrophe more than once. Yet, we survived and thrived as a nation. We are faced with many dreadful problems today. We have political adversaries in nations that may be armed with weapons of mass destruction. We have fanatical enemies who have been taught to hate our way of life. They believe terrorism is their path to heaven. Some of our largest businesses have been corrupted by the greed of individuals. Many of our politicians are seemingly for sale to the highest bidder. The New York Post, which was once a great newspaper, called our colleague Barbara Streisand “Baghdad Barb” in a morally reprehensible editorial. Her crime was that she exercised her right as a citizen to question the political motivations of our president. The cowardly attack by the Post was recycled in a commercial attacking Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy as a friend of “Baghdad Barb” with images that suggest they both support Saddam Hussein. Whether you belong to a political party or not, it should be evident that was a vicious ploy meant to discourage citizens from participating in the political process. It was more than wrong. It was un-American. These are indeed frightening and challenging times. Still, I continue to have faith that we will ultimately emulate the courage and spirit of our predecessors and ancestors. We aren’t the first generation of Americans who have come to this crossroads. In 1776, the philosopher Thomas Paine wrote, “These are times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he who stands it now deserves the love and thanks of men and women.” His words still resonate. This is a time for all of us to give thanks for the gifts that we have been given, and to remember that we have a moral responsibility to survive and use our talent and determination to make our society a better place. As always, I look forward to your comments and suggestions. Please e-mail them to me. George Spiro Dibie, ASC
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