A Perspective on Thanksgiving

I’ve shared some of this before and thought it would be appropriate to bring it up as Thanksgiving approached.  I am reminded again of how I was tuned into one of the cable news channels to watch as poll data was shared concerning the American state of mind.   

The poll alleged that 49 percent of Americans are unhappy with the direction the country is headed, and 51 percent of the country is unhappy with the performance of the President.  In essence, half of the citizenry just ain't happy and want a change.

Now I can understand with the President angering everyone on the right, and Congress pissing off everyone period, there is ample reason out there to be upset.  But when you look closely at the poll, there would seem to be a deeper unhappiness brewing among the folks.  So with a Right Brain and a Left Heart, I started thinking, ''What are we so unhappy about?''

Is it that we have electricity and running water 24 hours a day, 7 days a week?  Is our unhappiness the result of having air conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter?  Could it be that 91 percent of these unhappy folks have a job?  Maybe it is the ability to walk into a grocery store at any time, and see more food in moments than Darfur has seen in the last year?

Is it the ability to drive from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean without having to present identification papers as we move through each state, or possibly the hundreds of clean and safe motels we would find along the way that can provide temporary shelter that has us so distraught?

I guess having thousands of restaurants with varying cuisine from around the world is just not good enough.  Or could it be that when we wreck our car, emergency workers show up and Provide services to help, and even send a helicopter to take you to the hospital if needed.

Perhaps you are one of the 70 percent of Americans who own a home. You may be upset with knowing that in the unfortunate case of a fire, a group of trained firefighters will appear in moments and use top notch equipment to extinguish the flames thus saving you, your family and your belongings. Or if while at home, watching one of your many flat screen TVs, a burglar or prowler intrudes, an officer equipped with a gun and a bullet-proof vest will come to defend you and your family against attack or loss.

This all in the backdrop of a neighborhood free of bombs, or militias, raping or pillaging, and where nearly 90 percent of teenagers own cell phones and computers. How about the complete religious, social and political freedoms we enjoy that are the envy of everyone in the world?  Maybe that is what has 49 percent of you unhappy.

Fact is, we are the largest group of ungrateful, spoiled brats the world has ever seen. No wonder the world loves the U.S., yet has such a great disdain for its citizens. They see us for what we are. The most blessed people in the world who do nothing but complain about what we don't have, and what we hate about the country instead of thanking the good L-rd we live here.

I know, I know. What about this President who couldn’t lead his way out of a paper bag with a flashlight and scissors? Or that the President has tried to shove everything from Socialist healthcare to same sex marriage down our throats whether we like it or not. Or the Congress, who on any given Sunday make Ali Baba and his band of thieves look like a bunch of amateurs.

Well when last I checked, no Congressmen was waiting at my door this morning, keeping me from going to work, and no U.S. Senator hid the keys to my car when I was out looking for work, I was by right as an American citizen, free to make every effort I had the strength for, to better my own lot.

So why then the flat-out discontentment in the minds of 49 percent of Americans?  Say what you want, but I blame it on the media. If it bleeds, it leads; and they specialize in bad news.  Everybody will watch a car crash on a “dash-cam”, but how many will watch kids selling lemonade at the corner? The media knows this. They offer what sells, and when criticized, try to defend their actions by 'justifying' them in one way or another. If you don’t believe me, let me suggest the following:

On May 24, 2011 Attorneys for Casey Anthony offered opening arguments in their successful bid to defend their Client before Judge Belvin Perry.  42 days later, a jury of her “peers” found Ms. Anthony not guilty of a crime that most in America believed she committed.  As tragic as that verdict was to many, what I find more damming of us as a people is that in those seven short weeks, 73 American service men and women lost their lives in the deserts of Afghanistan, and while the names of Casey, Caylee, and Jose Baez will linger through the year, I doubt if any of you could name just one of those fallen heroes.

Stop buying the negativism you are fed everyday by the media. Shut off the TV, burn Newsweek, and use the New York Times for the bottom of your bird cage.  Then start being grateful for all we have as a country. There is exponentially more good than bad.

Yes we will change the President.  Yes we will climb out of this slump.  Yes we will bring America back to a time when hard work, character, and patriotism were what made this country a success.  We will I pray, do it this time without the racism, segregation, bigotry, and anti-Semitism that so pervaded the underbelly of our Parents America, but we will do it.  We are Americans, and that’s just what we do!

With Thanksgiving just a few days away, try and remember that we are among the most blessed people on Earth, and should thank G-d every day for being born in this, the greatest country ever.  Chin up and chest out America, we’ve done it before, and we can do it again!

Thanksgiving Day, November 11th

It is not the reporter who has given us freedom of the press, nor the lawyer who has given us the right to a fair trial. The politician is not the reason we have the right to vote, nor the author who has given us our freedom of speech.  For all of these privileges, you can thank the Soldier.  And while it may be appropriate to thank your teachers for the ability to read these words, it is the Soldier you must thank for having the free will to read them in English. In paraphrasing these words by Charles M. Provence I suggest to you that November 11^th is this nation’s true day of Thanksgiving.

Unlike that Monday in May, when we pause to remember those brave few who have given as Lincoln suggested, “their last full measure of devotion”, Veteran’s Day was established for the purpose of honoring those dedicated men and women who have stood in great harm’s way to protect our freedom, and have blessedly returned home to live and love again.

Following their victories in Europe and the Pacific, our Parents and Grandparents who fought WW2 are often referred to as the “greatest generation”.  In 1943, nearly 11 million Americans were in uniform, most of them single men. Today, nearly 20% of our uniformed services are women, many of them juggling families along with their military career.  Sergeants and Petty Officers are no longer 19 years old commanding a platoon of other teens, but are more likely to be in their 30’s and 40’s, own their own home, and have a family to support. We should also remember that while many volunteered, nearly 10 million of those who fought the Axis more than half a century ago were drafted into their respective service.  Today, not a single service man or woman holds their rank as result of conscription; they are a truly professional fighting force.

Given their dedication, love of country, and the fact that they have willfully chosen to place themselves in harm’s way so that we might continue to live safely, I think a case can certainly be made for this generation of Soldier, Sailor, and Marine to be considered “the greatest”. 

That said, how do we thank them this November 11^th?  Fortunately, there are hundreds of organizations coast to coast whose mission is to help not only our returning Veterans, but the thousands of active and still deployed personnel.  Some of my favorites are:

The Fisher House    info@fisherhouse.org

The Fisher House program is a unique private-public partnership that supports America's military in their time of need. The program recognizes the special sacrifices of our men and women in uniform and the hardships of military service.

Because members of the military are stationed worldwide and must often travel great distances for specialized medical care, Fisher House Foundation donates "comfort homes," built on the grounds of major military centers. These homes enable family members to be close to a loved one at the most stressful of times, during the hospitalization for an unexpected illness, disease, or injury. The Fisher House Foundation uses donations to reimburse the individual facilities operated by the Army, Navy, and Air Force. No family pays to stay at any Fisher House!

Wounded Warrior Project (WWP)     www.woundedwarriorproject.org

WWP is a non-profit organization whose mission is to honor and empower wounded warriors. and to assist those men and women of our armed forces who have been injured during the conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other locations around the world.  WWP raises awareness and enlists public aid for the needs of service men and women and provides unique, direct programs and services to meet their needs

Then, of course, there is my favorite way to say thank you, and that is just to say it.  Surly if a twenty year old corporal can gather the courage to step into the line of fire in Fallujah, you can find the guts to stroll up to a service member in the airport and offer a smile and a handshake. 

You can show your respect by sharing your pride in their service with the next generation. To paraphrase an old song, teach your children.  Explain to them that freedom is not free, and that while we are most assuredly the land of the free, it is because of the brave that we remain so.  Visit a VA Hospital.  This might be a bit tough for the younger kids, but I can think of no better way to impress upon high school age teens the true cost of their X-Box and internet!

Hire a Vet!  In this tough work environment, the New Jersey job market can be nearly as challenging a territory as their tour was overseas. The unemployment rate for returning Veterans can be 2 to 4 points higher than the already staggering national average?  Try contacting “The Champion Mentor Program” at Rutgers State University or www.enableamerica.org which specializes in finding employment for disabled Veterans.  

It is comforting to look forward to November and December and the festivals they bring, but I know that were it not for those who serve and have sacrificed so that we would not have to, the joy and love of the season that is upon us might never have been.

A mortar exploded in my Fathers landing craft while approaching Omaha’s “Dog Green” beach on the morning of June 6, 1944.  Of all the men that rode that Higgins’s Boat into the withering German fire, only two survived the day.  By the 12^th of June, my Dad held the only winning ticket.  Seven long months, three Purple Hearts, and a Silver Star later, Dad, an Army Medic, was that December, finally sent home.

To all of the men and women that have worn the uniform of this country, to all those who have served on the home front or in harm’s way, to all that continue to preserve, protect, and defend our great nation, and to you Dad;  Thank you.