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Give thanks for Thanksgiving Day. Specifically, that it’s already official. Because if it wasn’t already on the calendar, it would never make it today.  It would not pass muster in our age of hyper political-correctness.  Not even close. It would represent the ultimate non-starter.

“What?  A national holiday that all but glorifies European plunder of Native American territory?  The mythology of those natives sitting down to dinner with the plunderers?”  And what about animal rights advocates?  How many of them would screech about the prospects of cruelty to untold millions of caged, hormone-fed turkeys?  I would think that the loudest howls would come from the freedom-from-religion folks.  They would raise the sinister prospect of prayer-creep in our society.  Doesn’t “Thanksgiving”, after all, imply or insinuate  the giving of thanks to an authority larger and higher than the state?  Can't make a holiday out of that, can we?

Don’t believe me?  Then try to imagine no hurdles thrown out for Presidents Washington and Lincoln to overcome had they used the same language they spoke in their proclamations declaring the set-aside of Thanksgiving Day.  Think these words would pass the A.C.L.U.’s sniff test?  No way!

So, I’m thankful for Thanksgiving.  Mainly that it’s locked in.  Thankfully.  Sorry, A.C.L.U., but Thanksgiving is the ultimate American-brand holiday, with roots that pre-date The Fourth.  Let's all be thankful that it's locked in.