Thankful for Courage

Each year Thanksgiving gives us the opportunity to reflect on what we have in our lives that allow us to give thanks. Of course I am thankful for friends and family, home and health. This year, I am especially thankful for people of courage.

I’m thankful for the women in Iran who are continuing to protest the death of Mahsi Amini even at great risk to their own well being. Over 400 have currently lost their lives in the protests for equality. “Women, Life, Freedom”. I’m thankful that things are getting better in this country and that we made it through burning women as witches or dunking them in cucking stools for speaking out. Still, the statistics for missing, abused, or murdered women and girls are staggering both in this country and worldwide.

I’m thankful for the First Amendment of the US Constitution; “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” We have a lot to be thankful for and are lucky to live in this country. Are you unhappy about something? You can use our laws to get recourse and try to make things better.

I’m thankful for people like Richard Fierro, the army veteran who risked his life to stand up to a gunman at an LGBTQ bar and saved countless lives. Religion is not a justification for anti-gay or anti-woman or anti-anything attitudes. God only wrote one part of the bible with his/her own hand, The Ten Commandments. (Perhaps you can help me with the Koran or other religious books.) God did not say to hate your neighbor but rather to Love your Neighbor as you love yourself. It doesn’t often take facing a gunman to stand up and speak out against inequality and prejudice but it does mean being more courageous. It also means showing kindness to people who aren’t your reflection in the mirror.

I’m thankful for the countless people in my life who love me because it helps me to love myself and to be more courageous. I’m especially thankful for the opportunity to love you back.