Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!

While the holiday itself is a mixture of history and myth, it is a good myth that speaks to the best parts of what we celebrate as America and being “American.”

Like all nations, we have long acted to further our interests in the foreign policy arena, but we have also set ourselves apart from other nations as advocating a higher ideal and often implementing these ideals when appropriate. No one can deny the miracle of freedom and prosperity that the United States delivered to the its defeated foes in World War II, Germany & Japan. Contrast that with what China, the former Soviet Union, and most other nations throughout history had in store for those who fell under the arcs of their dominance.

Ideals are what define us as that “shining city on a hill.” Even in my utmost opposition to the Iraqi war, I cannot disagree with the President that bringing freedom and democracy to the Middle East should be our ultimate goal in that troubled region. (Although I cannot disagree with him more on the road we have taken to that end.)

Freedom is not free, and a lot of our blood was shed for that freedom sixty years ago in a great war that was not optional, not negotiable, and not open to discussion. War should be a last resort, and that war was a last resort, its victory earned and authentic. In the same vein, I part company with many liberal friends who opposed our invasion of Afghanistan. A terrible villain and his followers who cost many innocent American lives in an unprovoked attack upon us was being sheltered by a government of like-minded villains and it was our right and duty to confront and defeat this enemy. It is tragic that our response was so delayed and its execution so faulty that we let the bad guys slip away, leaving us in a fragile pointless occupation.

Freedom is not free, and that doesn’t just mean defending it with a gun. It also means incurring the wrath of others to loudly disagree when what you know in your heart that what your country is up to is wrong. Daniel Ellsberg and a number of others did that yesterday when they were arrested for defying a new Crawford, Texas statute that bans “camping” to prevent Cindy Sheehan’s antiwar group from assembling near Bush’s ranch and distracting him from his dose of turkey. In a more modest way, I am trying to do the same thing by launching this blog. That too is patriotism, Mr. “five deferments” Dick Cheney. Pay attention.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and give thanks for being an American, give thanks for having the right to use your voice in protest -- and use that voice!