Thankful

Thanksgiving is, at best, complicated. At worst, it is yet one more false narrative generated by those who wrote the history of our country’s early days—the conquerors.

Just like the Columbus Day chronicle that says he is responsible for discovering America, the narrative that describes colonists and Native Americans breaking bread and singing Kumbaya is a falsehood whose “truth” has become embedded in our historical discourse. The reality is that the odds of a gathering like those described in history books having ever occurred between violent, land-stealing colonists and our nation's first people are slim to none.

As complicated as the underlying stories of the holiday season may be, it is a “normal” to which many will cling. In a year that has seen more than 250,000 Americans die at the hands of a global pandemic that has been left unchecked by an indifferent administration, family has come to mean so much more. And, how we share time with our families during the 2020 holiday season will be markedly different from what we are accustomed to.

TV screens and oversized monitors will be at the head of the table instead of the proud carver of the inevitably dry turkey. The kids’ table will remain folded in the garage. And, chairs previously filled with bickering family members will play host to the ghosts of holidays past. Visits will be through windows and doors. Drive-through celebrations will take the place of cocoa around the fire.

The measures we take in staying home, wearing masks, and avoiding public places are done to protect those we most cherish, as well as those we have never met. And, through it all, we will be thankful for each day and each new memory we make in a time when the day-to-day struggles we face often seem insurmountable.

There is much to be thankful for as 2020 draws to a close. We have had news in recent days of three vaccines set to begin the process for an expedited FDA approval. Joe Biden won the election with a record breaking 80 million votes and his transition to Pennsylvania Avenue has begun. The dark days of the 45th administration are coming to an end and there is sunlight on the horizon.

We here at Resistbot are thankful for you: all 8.6 million of you who wrote letters; protested; drafted and signed petitions; donated; and volunteered. We are thankful that you turned your activism into a vote to ensure that your voice was heard on November 3rd. With your help, and despite lies to the contrary, democracy did not get driven off the cliff… this time.

The new year and the new Administration will have its own challenges and we will rise to meet them. But for now, let us draw our loved ones close and be thankful for the small things in life.