John Whitehead's Commentary
Be Thankful For Our Freedoms, But Be Vigilant
There are various versions concerning how the first Thanksgiving actually came about and how it might have been celebrated. We do know that the Pilgrims set aground at Plymouth Rock on December 11, 1620. Their first winter was devastating. Weakened by the seven-week crossing and the need to establish housing, they came down with pneumonia and consumption. They began to die--one per day, then two and sometimes three. They dug the graves at night so the Indians would not see how their numbers were dwindling. At one point, there were only seven persons able to fetch wood, make fires and care for the sick. By the spring, they had lost forty-six of the original one hundred two who sailed on the Mayflower.
But the harvest of 1621 was a bountiful one, and the remaining colonists decided to celebrate with a feast. However, the Pilgrims didn't merely sit down to eat. They were religious people and, thus, recognized God's blessings on the harvest and the goodness of God in providing for them. The feast, we are told, was held so that, as a community, they could "rejoice together."
The concept of "thankfulness" was imbedded in the early American settlers by way of their religion. They were not thankful to local banks or even their employer. They were thankful to God for many things, the least of which was a full plate. These people believed it was divine providence that had allowed them to survive.
Since that time, this country has changed. There is no longer a unity in our religion, and many don't even believe in God. Nonetheless, our country has survived famine, dust bowls, economic depressions, world wars, race riots, injustice practiced against various races, assassinations of our leaders, corruption in the highest office in the land and the like.
Somehow, some way, we've always seemed to survive. But we can never forget that we do not live by bread alone. As such, some of us believe that the God the Pilgrims prayed to is still around and yet cares for us in our floundering and often self-destructive plights.
One reason I believe this to be true is that, despite all our problems, as Americans we have generally remained true to what we say we believe in--freedom. And as long as we do and are willing to help other people, there is always hope for our country.
Our greatest leaders have recognized this. In January of 1941, when the United States was on the verge of becoming embroiled in the Second World War, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, in his annual address to Congress, spoke of the "four essential freedoms"--freedoms we should be thankful for.
The first is freedom of speech and expression. Americans have always felt free to express themselves. Unfortunately, these days, with the rise of political correctness and overzealous zero tolerance policies, many feel chilled in their rights. We must remain vigilant against the "speech police" or we could lose this freedom.
The second is the freedom of every person to worship God in his or her own way. Without the freedom of religion and the right to petition or not petition God, the government is absolute. Limited governments, such as our own, are founded on this principle.
The third is freedom from want. It's up to every one of us to help the poor and the homeless and, if need be, lend a helping hand to anyone in need.
The fourth is freedom from fear. There is much fear and paranoia in America today. One can see it in the various extremist movements and recent domestic terrorist activities. Sadly, some have gone into hiding and continue to perpetuate fear and hate. We must ensure that those who do fear and hate have rights and freedoms and that, even though we may disagree, they have a right to speak. Simply because we tolerate another's speech doesn't mean we agree with it. That's what the freedom to disagree is all about.
These freedoms are so vital to our well being that sacrificing any of them, for any price, could unravel our social fabric. "Those who would give up essential liberty," Benjamin Franklin once said, "to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
Thus, in celebrating Thanksgiving we should remember, as Roosevelt proclaimed, that our country has endured because of "its faith in freedom under the guidance of God. Freedom means the supremacy of human rights everywhere."
But the harvest of 1621 was a bountiful one, and the remaining colonists decided to celebrate with a feast. However, the Pilgrims didn't merely sit down to eat. They were religious people and, thus, recognized God's blessings on the harvest and the goodness of God in providing for them. The feast, we are told, was held so that, as a community, they could "rejoice together."
The concept of "thankfulness" was imbedded in the early American settlers by way of their religion. They were not thankful to local banks or even their employer. They were thankful to God for many things, the least of which was a full plate. These people believed it was divine providence that had allowed them to survive.
Since that time, this country has changed. There is no longer a unity in our religion, and many don't even believe in God. Nonetheless, our country has survived famine, dust bowls, economic depressions, world wars, race riots, injustice practiced against various races, assassinations of our leaders, corruption in the highest office in the land and the like.
Somehow, some way, we've always seemed to survive. But we can never forget that we do not live by bread alone. As such, some of us believe that the God the Pilgrims prayed to is still around and yet cares for us in our floundering and often self-destructive plights.
One reason I believe this to be true is that, despite all our problems, as Americans we have generally remained true to what we say we believe in--freedom. And as long as we do and are willing to help other people, there is always hope for our country.
Our greatest leaders have recognized this. In January of 1941, when the United States was on the verge of becoming embroiled in the Second World War, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, in his annual address to Congress, spoke of the "four essential freedoms"--freedoms we should be thankful for.
The first is freedom of speech and expression. Americans have always felt free to express themselves. Unfortunately, these days, with the rise of political correctness and overzealous zero tolerance policies, many feel chilled in their rights. We must remain vigilant against the "speech police" or we could lose this freedom.
The second is the freedom of every person to worship God in his or her own way. Without the freedom of religion and the right to petition or not petition God, the government is absolute. Limited governments, such as our own, are founded on this principle.
The third is freedom from want. It's up to every one of us to help the poor and the homeless and, if need be, lend a helping hand to anyone in need.
The fourth is freedom from fear. There is much fear and paranoia in America today. One can see it in the various extremist movements and recent domestic terrorist activities. Sadly, some have gone into hiding and continue to perpetuate fear and hate. We must ensure that those who do fear and hate have rights and freedoms and that, even though we may disagree, they have a right to speak. Simply because we tolerate another's speech doesn't mean we agree with it. That's what the freedom to disagree is all about.
These freedoms are so vital to our well being that sacrificing any of them, for any price, could unravel our social fabric. "Those who would give up essential liberty," Benjamin Franklin once said, "to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
Thus, in celebrating Thanksgiving we should remember, as Roosevelt proclaimed, that our country has endured because of "its faith in freedom under the guidance of God. Freedom means the supremacy of human rights everywhere."
ABOUT JOHN W. WHITEHEAD
Constitutional attorney and author John W. Whitehead is founder and president of The Rutherford Institute. His most recent books are the best-selling Battlefield America: The War on the American People, the award-winning A Government of Wolves: The Emerging American Police State, and a debut dystopian fiction novel, The Erik Blair Diaries. Whitehead can be contacted at staff@rutherford.org. Nisha Whitehead is the Executive Director of The Rutherford Institute. Information about The Rutherford Institute is available at www.rutherford.org.
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