THANKSGIVING, A CURIOUS HOLIDAY ?

On the fourth Thursday of November we celebrate the national and legal holiday of Thanksgiving. On this day, many of us gorge ourselves with food, football, family, shopping, parades, and maybe some thanking. But, exactly who are we thanking and why ?

A very early Thanksgiving occurred near Berkley Plantation Virginia in December of 1619 when Captain John Woodlief safely landed after a terrible Atlantic passage. In his declaration he stated, "wee ordaine that the day our ships arrivall at the place assigned for plantacon  (plantation or place of planting) in the land of Virginia shall be yearly and perpetually kept holy as a day of Thanksgiving to Almighty God."  

Later, in 1621 the Pilgrims conducted a three day feast of Thanksgiving with 90 Indians to celebrate their first good harvest. Earlier possible "thanksgiving" celebrations were held by the Spaniards, and by Jamestown Virginia settlers in 1610.  During the Revolutionary war days of "thanksgiving" were observed in 1777 and 1789. In 1863 President Lincoln issued a proclamation inviting all Americans to "... observe the last Thursday of November next as a day of "thanksgiving" to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens." On December 26th, 1941, the United States Congress made Thanksgiving  a law.

I believe the observances were thanking a Deity for something. The earliest holidays marked survival and having food to eat. During the Revolutionary and Civil War, the days of  "thanksgiving" were ordered to recognize a new Constitution and military victories. Lincoln was thankful that after several decisive Union military victories the terrible "War Between the States" might be drawing to a close, and he wanted a special day to possibly join all the citizens together. Franklin Roosevelt and his Congress were still pulling out of the Depression, and reeling from the disaster of Pearl Harbor when they made Thanksgiving a law. Their motives were to hopefully draw some positive out of bad times, and by law  remind citizens to be thankful on a legally recognized holiday..

Nowadays in my opinion, a lot of folks are not thanking God so much. It seems fewer people are thanking anybody and more people are demanding more free stuff. Despite all the jabbering and mucking about by our government, a lot of people are demanding governments provide their sustenance, all their daily necessities and even luxuries of life. 

Curiously, a local minister declared that his most recent free Thanksgiving dinner was a great success because several more thousand people gathered this year for the free meal than over the prior year. Is an increase in poverty or people needing or demanding free food a mark of progress ? Should anyone take joy or pride in the fact that more people are drifting about in a fog of poverty and require constant assistance or is the endless cycle of giving the real meaning of Thanksgiving ?  

What has caused the great shift from personal responsibility to a society of able bodied people demanding something for nothing. ?  When the federal government takes more and more tax payer funds for social warfare programs, that will never end poverty, is that a Thanksgiving message or an  example of pandering and virtue signaling to buy votes ? Should self reliance and it's  rewards be a more recognized historic lesson of our Thanksgiving day tradition and celebration ? Should charity remain the work of churches and non government agencies sponsored by millions of charitable minded citizens ?  Or,  is charity the business of politicians and their unelected bureaucrats ? 

As demonstrated by our ancestors, should we not be thankful that our hard work coupled with some divine help give us this holiday ? A curious day and season  to consume dangerous portions of food, shopping and couch football viewing ? Maybe between portions and naps we should think about the real meaning of Thanksgiving or maybe not.