On this Thanksgiving Day, I am mindful of all the ways in which people are concerned about the future of our country and those who live in it, Without taking anything away from those very real fears, reminding ourselves of the things that are already pretty great about America seems apropos.
We are allowed to criticize our government, dissent, organize, and speak out against injustice where we find it. While these freedoms may not always work exactly the way we want them to, or to the degree with which we need them to in times of crisis, we enjoy them nonetheless. They allow us the power of discernment, the ability to exercise our critical thinking skills, to search for the knowledge we need. To appreciate this gift fully, it is our responsibility to educate ourselves, to be aware of history, structures of governance, social issues, the differences among us, our rights, and how to uphold and advocate for the rights of others, particularly those who are more easily swallowed up in the margins.
Even though we are an economic world power, The United States was founded on the protection of human rights, and on the conviction that we can, and must, be free of tyranny. Even though we continue to struggle with offering every citizen equal access to the these rights, Americans are committed to that struggle. So ingrained is this struggle in our cultural philosophy, our citizens have died, and are willing to die, to protect the pursuit of human rights in both the domestic and global spheres. The ugly reality of colonization and slavery in America is that it prioritized capitalistic success over human rights. We have a history littered with such exploitation, and we must use our right to struggle to ensure that our priorities represent our privilege as a world power. We have the right, and ability, to choose to value human rights over economics, and have done so often in the past. We need to count on ourselves to continue along that path.
For anyone who is awake to the desire of some to make America more homogenized, I think it's important to be thankful for the fact that it is virtually impossible for us to be able to do so. We are such an amalgamation of cultures, religions, languages, people, food, that there is no way to even describe what a "pure" American is. Rather than demonize difference, be thankful that we have such rich access to the entire world in our own backyards. Work to learn what the roots of traditional celebrations are in your family and in the families of your neighbors and friends. There is so much to embrace and experience outside of our own little bubbles; be thankful for the richness this kind of diversity provides in your personal, and communal life, and own that it does.
We complain mightily and righteously about access to medical care and education in America, and there is no arguing that we need to figure out better ways to meet the needs of our citizenry, especially those who are the most vulnerable. We are fortunate, however, to live in a country in which our higher education system ensures that we remain global leaders in technology and innovation. We are also more immediate beneficiaries of technological advancements in that they make our personal lives richer in the face of the family diaspora that is the hallmark of our global modernity.
Social media goes a long way in keeping families and friends connected, and it has real political power as well. To use that power constructively is a challenge amidst the easier, less intentional, and too-often hateful noise that proliferates. Social media's benefit is that, when used correctly, it can give instant flight to a movement, a news story, an event, and I think that too is something to be glad about. On the other side, however, is the very real temptation to do all of your serious living from behind a screen. Show your gratitude for your family, friends, community, state, nation by moving beyond the screen. Exercise your access to political action IRL (in real life). Go to City Council meetings, lobby for better laws and policies in local government, volunteer your time to causes and groups you care about. Spend time with your human, complicated, American family. And don't avoid conversations about politics and religion! We need those more than ever.
The roots of this holiday are fraught, and it seems a bit lazy to set this one day aside for gratitude. Perhaps what we all need is to remind ourselves of all the good things more regularly, commit to using our freedom to help fix the things we can, and work hard to connect to the world beyond our front doors.
