A Thanksgiving Wish For America
The world has become a much scarier place since the advent of the 21st century. Many more people live in a state of fear than they ever have.Sometimes, it feels like this is the beginning of the end of civilization.
But if you take a look back through history you will see that the world actually hasn’t changed all that much. There have been wars raging since weapons were invented and probably even before.
There have been races conquering other races. There has been insurrection and revolution. There has been rebellion and anarchy and chaos everywhere at some point in the world’s history.
But at the same time there have been and are today places that have been spared from a lot of the violence that plagues the earth.
I live in one of those places. It’s called Canada.
And yes we have had our share of all the the aforementioned conflict. But for pretty much all of my life, I have lived in a country that was a peaceful place. A place filled with good people who care about their neighbours and genuinely appreciate the gift of peace that has been bestowed on them. A place that feels like the truest democracy on earth, with opportunity and generosity of spirit and a reputation around the world for being a real helper to those in need.
This Thanksgiving Day in America finds the country beseiged by internal turmoil. It finds the country divided as markedly as it ever has been. And it finds itself unsure of what the future holds for it and all the good people who live there.
To these people I would have one wish. And that would be that they would stop thinking of themselves as being defined by their political party, economic status or ethnicity. That they would just think of themselves as what they actually are, which is Americans. Not Jewish Americans or Irish Americas or African Americans, or Hispanic Americans or Muslim Americans or Confederate Americans …but just Americans.
I have spent the last 5 decades watching America from a peaceful place. I have traveled around America quite a bit and know what a beautiful country it is. And how wonderful the majority of American people are.
But lately I have been seeing that America is going through a lot of changes and not for the better. And these changes are bringing out the worst in a lot of people, whereas change used to bring out the best in them.
I feel bad for America right now. Because I fear that a lot of people in America have lost sight of who they are and what it is about being American that makes their country great.
And, to me the most important thing that makes them great is their belief in each other. In their ability to work together to move mountains and achieve great things.To build great businesses and institutions. And to make sure that everyone comes along for the ride. That everyone is given the chance to pitch in and help. And most importantly that the diversity of great thinking of the American people is as much a result of their differences as it is of their similarities.
My Thanksgiving wish for you, America, is to get back to where you were before all the destructive forces that are creating chaos in your great country got the upper hand.To get back to the real America. And I know you know what that means.
I said that and I mean it.
Happy Thanksgiving from your Canadian friend, jim
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Comments
Jim Murray
7 years ago #9
Randy Keho I can never tell how serious you are because you are so good at satire. I'll take that as an LOL, maybe even an LMFAO
Jim Murray
7 years ago #8
Randy Keho. I love your near perfect non-sidedness. You have managed to completely confound just about everyone.
Jim Murray
7 years ago #7
I love you adamant non-sidededness.
Philippe Collard
7 years ago #6
@Randy Keho, if Trump has his way, the press will become nothing more than a cheerleader for him...as for tolerating disagreement, say that to the minorities that are being harrased by white supremasists...it's not that they disagree, its their very existence that is being questionned...and one lat point "The people has spoken"...yes it has...by 2 millions votes (and counting) for HRC over Trump...not impressed where twice in 16 years someone who gathers more vote is not elected...
Randy Keho
7 years ago #5
Julio Angel 🐝Lopez Lopez
7 years ago #4
Philippe Collard
7 years ago #3
Paul Walters
7 years ago #2
Jim Murray
7 years ago #1
Thanks Jared. I grew up in Buffalo and am an Honorary Yank.