Wednesday July 23, 2008

America's Defining Holiday-- Independence Day or Thanksgiving?

The late Tony Snow, one of public policy's "happy warriors" (he always reminded me of the late Vice President Hubert Humphrey, the original liberal "happy warrior"), was a grateful man. "Grateful" might seem to be an odd description for someone cut down in the prime of life at 53 by colon cancer. He was always upbeat, friendly, a real "half-glass-full" kind of guy.

Tony was enormously grateful to his God and for his country. He once wrote, "If you think Independence Day is America's defining holiday, think again. Thanksgiving deserves that title, hands-down." When I first read that it startled me a little, because I'm really big on Independence Day, when we celebrate the incandescent brilliance and boundless courage of our Founding Fathers in their proclamation of timeless truths in the Declaration and in having the temerity to defy the world's first superpower--the British Empire.

Upon reflection, however, I believe Tony Snow was absolutely right. Thanksgiving embodies our nation's long-held belief (far predating the Declaration in 1776) that God has providentially blessed our land--and that blessings by definition are unmerited and undeserved.

Benjamin Franklin, on May 14, 1787, had called the delegates of the Second Constitutional Convention to prayer, saying that the delegates needed "the Father of lights to illuminate our understanding!" Franklin reminded the delegates of how they had sought divine wisdom and guidance during the War of Independence and concluded thus:

"Our prayers, Sir, were heard and they were graciously answered. And have we forgotten that powerful friend! Or do we imagine that we no longer need his assistance! I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth--that God governs the affairs of man...I firmly believe this...that without his concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel."

George Washington must have agreed. On October 3, 1789, our first president urged the new nation to give thanks to the Almighty when he issued a presidential decree establishing a national day of Thanksgiving:

"Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me "to recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness."

Thanksgiving as the defining holiday of the noble experiment called America? I think so!

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