Thanksgiving is a special day when we celebrate building a “yu-u-uge” wall to prevent the arrival in America of refugees from a country where they’ve been oppressed. As the Wampanoag tribe said as they saw The Mayflower approaching, “We don’t know who they are, where they come from, we don’t know anything about them! We’re not gonna just let these religious extremists in!”
At least that’s how it’s described in the GOP’s, “The (Far) Right History For Real Americans (who came here as refugees from Europe, didn’t assimilate, wiped out the actual ‘real’ Americans and stole their land)!”.
It is ironic that as the GOP whips up hatred and fear of refugees, we enjoy a holiday to celebrate refugees coming to America to build a new life here. But then again, irony is something Republicans are accustomed to serving in huge portions.
As is a tradition for many families, at Thanksgiving dinner each person in our family takes their turn to share what they’re thankful for. Often it’s the bacon bits in the mashed potatoes. I mean, really often. But it’s also the many invaluable things about life, family, peace, love and Apple products.
It’s also our tradition here at The Planet to ask political figures what they’re thankful for on this Thanksgiving and as usual, we received a variety of responses. So, as a warm up for your Thanksgiving Day political argument with Uncle Eddie who wears a “Trump For President” button to dinner, still calls minorities by names used in the 1960’s and defiantly states that he’s not wearing pants because he doesn’t care about being PC, here are this years’ statements of thankfulness from some of our nation’s top politicians.
What I’m Thankful For
Donald Trump
“I’m thankful for gullibility, melanin, cable news, greed, horsehair wigs, wealthy fathers, ISIS, flammable crosses and that your nose doesn’t actually grow when you lie.”
Ben Carson
“The things I’m most thankful for are the storage capacity of pyramids, knife-proof belt buckles, slow motion replays, narcolepsy, the sun revolving around the Earth, tortoises, Valium and The Walking Dead.”
Jeb Bush
“Well, you know what I’m thankful for? People believing that there’s a “smart Bush”, boneless chicken, The Little Engine That Could, soccer trophies for all kids and low bars.”
Hillary Clinton
“What I’m thankful for is the kindness and generosity of Wall Street, pairs of flip flops, laughter, Kevin McCarthy, Presidential term limits and most of all, the 2016 Republican field.”
Bernie Sanders
“I’ll tell you what I’m thankful for, I’m thankful for anti-static hair conditioner, Vermont’s proximity to New Hampshire, Hall’s Mentho-Lyptus and ‘The Rumpled Look’.”
President Barack Obama
“Here’s what I’m thankful for, three dimensional chess, vetoes, black and white cookies, gravity, the cerebral cortex and the self-destructive nature of willful ignorance.”
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As for me, I’m very thankful to be alive, healthy, have a wonderful and loving family (and dog) and despite all the bad news out there, I’m thankful for always finding people and events that affirm my optimism in humanity and the future. I’m thankful for the amazing Kalima and our very missed other co-founder of PlanetPOV, KQuark. I’m thankful for our very missed fellow admin Bitohistory who contributed so much here and thankful for Kesmarn for all the great things she does for The Planet. I’m also very thankful for all of my friends here at The Planet who post so many thoughtful posts and comments, make our live chats in Vox Populi so enjoyable and addictive and exhibit the conscience, reason and wit that distinguishes this site and the reputation of our community.
I’m thankful too to all of our fellow Americans who serve in the armed forces, work in emergency services, volunteer their time, energy and donations to help others and protest against wrongs. The news necessarily focuses on the worst in our society and world but there are so many people in every country, of every race and religion, showing compassion and concern for others and I am very thankful for them.
To all of the PlanetPOV community, we wish you the happiest of Thanksgivings!
Ad, I’m thankful every day for the Planet. All our friends here who are sane. And that my wife is recovering.
Nirek, I feel the same way, thanks to you and the other Planeteers here, The Planet is a real oasis of sanity among all the nuttiness out there.
Very pleased to hear your wife is recovering! Hope that makes for a pleasant weekend for both of you!
Thank you so much AdLib and Kalima for the kind words, and you know how very much those feelings are reciprocated! I’m so grateful for you and every other Planeteer who has made the Planet such a completely wonderful and unique place for over 6 years now.
I’m so sorry that I’m a day late in sending wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving to everyone on the Planet and their families and friends as well.
I was hostess, chef and scullery maid for the family gathering this year. And to those of you who know about a few major health challenges I had a couple of years ago, just being able to do that was an honor and a privilege. But it did temporarily keep me off the Planet yesterday, unfortunately! (I really do have to master the art of simultaneously blogging and peeling potatoes.)
AdLib, I just loved this article. (Although I have one tiny quibble. I think Trump is not as thankful as he should be for melanin, and tends to take too much pride in his lack of it!) The thankful list for the Prez was just perfect — especially that part about the “self destructive nature of willful ignorance.” Oh yeah!
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Hilarious, kes!!! 😆 😆 😆
Glad you enjoyed this one!! 😀
Kes, really loved the graphic! I’ll have seconds!
As for Trump’s thankfulness for melanin, if it wasn’t for darker skinned people that could be demonized, he wouldn’t be a front runner.
We were busy and traveling too on T-Day and yesterday so no apologies needed. Just glad you’re here!
Hope you’re enjoying the rest of the holiday weekend, my friend!
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!
I’m thankful for The Planet and the wonderful people who contribute. Thank you!
I’m thankful to AdLib for answering my SOS emails when I find a threat to our site, your understanding, friendship and brilliant articles like this one. You made me laugh out loud again. Thank you!
I’m thankful for the meaningful friendships that have developed over the years since we started The Planet. To old friends and new.
Thank you! You know who you are, especially you, kes.
I’m thankful for those of you who take the time to visit MB and therefore assure me that it’s worth continuing. Thank you!
I’m thankful that hubby came back safely from a Europe now much less safer than when we left it, and for my family who accept me no matter what. Thank you!
I’m thankful for the fact that there are more good people than bad people in our world. Thank you!
I’m thankful for my felines who have been my companions through most of my life, and make every day a joyful one. Thank you!
I’m especially thankful for being lucky enough to wake up to a new day each morning, and mourn those we have lost but will never forget. Thank you!
Hope that you all had a wonderful day.
Peace.
I’m thankful for having a friend and partner who would write such a wonderful comment! I know this isn’t a holiday in Japan but you’ve always got a seat at my Thanksgiving table every year!
Happy Thanksgiving my American friends.I am thankful to the Internet,it has allowed me to make friends in America I would otherwise never have known.Oh,and you too OZ! down under!
Right back at ya, Beat!
This site is the very best of the best. I’m also thankful to be a small part of a big-hearted community, who are also blessed with what seems to be a vanishing commodity in the world, common sense!
Right back at ya, Beatlex! We’re thankful for all the great folks on The Planet from every part of The Planet!
Apology by Joyce Kilmer
For blows on the fort of evil
That never shows a breach,
For terrible life-long races
To a goal no foot can reach,
For reckless leaps into darkness
With hands outstretched to a star,
There is jubilation in Heaven
Where the great dead poets are.
There is joy over disappointment
And delight in hopes that were vain.
Each poet is glad there was no cure
To stop his lonely pain.
For nothing keeps a poet
In his high singing mood
Like unappeasable hunger
For unattainable food.
So fools are glad of the folly
That made them weep and sing,
And Keats is thankful for Fanny Brawne
And Drummond for his king.
They know that on flinty sorrow
And failure and desire
The steel of their souls was hammered
To bring forth the lyric fire.
Lord Byron and Shelley and Plunkett,
McDonough and Hunt and Pearse
See now why their hatred of tyrants
Was so insistently fierce.
Is Freedom only a Will-o’-the-wisp
To cheat a poet’s eye?
Be it phantom or fact, it’s a noble cause
In which to sing and to die!
So not for the Rainbow taken
And the magical White Bird snared
The poets sing grateful carols
In the place to which they have fared;
But for their lifetime’s passion,
The quest that was fruitless and long,
They chorus their loud thanksgiving
To the thorn-crowned Master of Song.
To all of the Poets at Planet POV…..may your Thanksgiving Day (or your days of thanksgiving) provide you with respite and delight as we all, in our ways, struggle forward in search of truth and what truth.
requires of us. Murph
P.S. And Ad Lib and the rest of my friends at Vox Populi….this is addressed to YOU.
Thanks so much for the thoughtful poem and kind thoughts, Murph. Hope you’re having a warm and relaxing holiday weekend, you deserve it!
I am thankful for much, and your posts that make me laugh, cry, think harder, wonder where time has gone since the inception of PlanetPov and how positive most often triumphs over negative.
Cheers Parsifals, really appreciate the kind words! Hope you’re having a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend!