Thanks: Part III
by digby
Reader James Armstrong sent this in. I thought it was a nice way to think about this from a slightly different perspective:
The original American Thanksgivings were religious ceremonies most
likely derived from old-world harvest festivals, as the Pilgrims
gave thanks to their god for the abundance of food in the new world.The harvest festival is a good festival, it celebrates man’s ability
to provide for itself. So, a modern atheist/socialist can still
celebrate a modern Thanksgiving. In that, I give thanks to:I give thanks to the many workers, both documented and undocumented,
who harvest the fields that provide us our food from farms, that
keep us from starvation.I give thanks to those farmers who dedicate themselves to sustainable
farming techniques, so this bounty will not just be mine, but will
be there for generations in the future.I give thanks to people like Norman Borlaug, who won the 1970 Peace
Prize for advances in wheat harvests, and scientists like him,
who have helped make it easier to feed the world.I give thanks to those who transport the food — the loaders,
truckers, train engineers and signalmen, and others — responsible
for getting fresh meat and produce to outlets throughout the world.I also give thanks to those who are dedicated to the locavore
movement, where freshness is not dependent on anything but time
and speed to market, and where you know the plans are freshly picked.I give thanks to those merchants who accept the deliveries and
who provide us the opportunity to buy from the cornupoia of the
American harvest.I thank those few thankless food inspectors — too few and overworked
— who are straining to keep the food supply as safe as they can.And, finally, I give thanks to those who prepare and serve the meals
we eat. If it is my own cooking, I thank those who came before
and taught me how to cook, and who derived the recipes I use.
When others cook, I thank them for the work they do for me.It is for these workers, scholars, and ordinary people to whom I
am thankful on this day of Thanksgiving, 25 November, 2010.
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