Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday. Great food; family gets together. For most it’s a long weekend, so it affords opportunity to meet up with friends for a drink or 10.
For those of us who don’t cook the meal there is little to no fuss. It’s just a good traditional American holiday.
Football has become synonymous with Thanksgiving also. I have said in prior articles that I have gradually lost interest in the sport, especially the NFL over the years.
However, on Thanksgiving I liked having the traditional games on even though I only paid half attention recently. By traditional games I mean the Detroit Lions hosting the early game and the Dallas Cowboys hosting the late afternoon game against various opponents.
I never cared for the extra money-grab primetime game featuring rotating teams. Leave it to today’s sports leagues to oversaturate for a dollar.
Now that a significant number of players refuse to pay respect to our flag and National Anthem I will simply never allow the NFL to be on my television for the foreseeable future.
This topic is low on my personal list of national priorities, but it has continued to be a hot-button issue and has become unavoidable. Now if the players’ latest display of “hey look at me” behavior does not bother you, please by all means enjoy the games along with your turkey.
However, if it does bother you what will you do about it? Many people are boycotting the NFL these days; there are even bars advertising that the NFL will not be shown in their establishment.
If you are in that camp, the most important times to boycott are the league’s biggest days. Super Sunday followed by the playoffs are obviously the biggest.
But the biggest regular season day for the NFL is arguably Thanksgiving. This American holiday is where your message is heard the loudest.
So, if you are hosting Thanksgiving (I admit I am not) in your home and are offended by today’s NFL, simply don’t put the games on. Send a message to the league and your guests that your principles are not a slave to the norm.
Your family, like mine may be very divided politically. You may feel pressure to want to please your guests and be respectful to them. Your heart is in the right place and is a big part of what makes you a traditional American rather than an intolerant progressive.
But shouldn’t your guests have the same respect for you? It’s your home, not theirs.
You purchased, prepared and cooked the meal; not them. I said last year that the requisite to America becoming great again is doing the small things in small situations. It can be your little contribution to the culture war.
If you are not hosting maybe your sacrifice can be compromising your comfort level by showing loyalty to your gracious host by encouraging others to respect his/her stance. Life often tests us in small ways day-to-day.
How we react in small situations is usually a good indication of how we will handle bigger tests. Talk soon.
-Marksman
PS: To my Italian readers, you have by far the best cuisine in the world. However, even as a partial Italian I will never understand how manicotti goes with turkey, stuffing, potatoes and gravy (actual gravy from the bird’s drippings, not sauce called gravy).
I’m pretty sure the Pilgrims and Indians did have an antipasto. Anyway….God Bless and Happy Thanksgiving to all.