Fort Report: Thanksgiving

Last night I attended a cheer and dance team event at Lincoln Northeast High School. Far, far away from the traumatic events around the world and the tumult of Washington policy debate, there were no official Congressional duties involved, only a chance to see my daughter and her squad perform. It made me smile to see the gym packed with families, all there to see their children from many area high schools showcase their routines. It was a lively atmosphere as each team was enthusiastically encouraged by everyone in the gym.

Then something unusual happened. Three young men in uniform came out of the corner of the gym, marching in formation with their drill rifles. The squad leader stepped forward and asked permission in formal military style to use the gym floor, ending with a loud, “Thank you, Ma’am!” The crowd cheered and the song “God Bless the USA” (I’m Proud to be An American) began. Junior ROTC Air Group Commander Dillon Linderman, a senior at Lincoln Northeast, led his military drill team in precision maneuvers with twirling rifles and in step marches. It was fantastic! It ended with the young men saluting. I jumped to my feet with the rest of the crowd and whispered to my wife, “This gives you hope in America.”

Tomorrow we celebrate Thanksgiving. We remember the deeper reasons why our country exists. Most of the day will be about football and family, with the day after a bit about shopping, but the real reason for the holiday is to reconnect with the people who give our lives meaning and the gift of our nation’s first principles.

Noting the history, tradition maintains that Thanksgiving was first celebrated in America between pilgrims, puritans, and Native Americans. As our country grew, the date varied state by state until a general agreement marked the occasion on the last Thursday of November. Hoping to restore unity in a time of civil war, President Lincoln proclaimed Thanksgiving to be a national holiday in 1863. His words touch on America’s unique cultural strength and elevate the true spirit of Thanksgiving:

“The year that is drawing toward its close has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added which are of so extraordinary a nature that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever-watchful providence of Almighty God.”

I like to say that there’s nothing wrong in America that can’t be fixed by what’s right in America. Each generation must resolve to honor the highest of our traditions and pass them on. Lofty ideals can make their way into everyday life—like last night in the middle of America at one of our high schools. And I’d like to think that President Lincoln would have smiled too when Dillon and his team came onto that gym floor. 

Happy Thanksgiving!