About a year ago, soon after the 2016 presidential election, I posted a blog titled “Non-Political pre-Thanksgiving message.”(Blog, November 16, 2016) In that short message, I was encouraging everyone to use this holiday to begin the healing process. Not attending Thanksgiving with family and friends, as many threatened, because of potential conflict over the political situation avoided but did nothing to address the differences we were all experiencing. I urged “Please start bringing us all back together with your immediate family and friends during this season. The healing must start in the home. Encourage your colleagues and most importantly your students to follow your example. If you want to argue about something, try turkey versus Tofurky as the main course.”
I am not sure if anyone took this advice but now that Thanksgiving is once again upon us, I believe these ideas need repeating. One year on, the world did not end, the country did not collapse and we still have expanded access to healthcare. On the other hand, while it is hard to argue that America is great again, the economy has continued the trend of growth in employment we had seen for the last several years and certainly, the stock market has performed very well. We have major challenges ahead of us and collectively we are not working together well. However, things are not as bad or as good as either side expected/wished.
Let me repeat, please use the skills we have all used and many of us teach to continue the healing process. The country still needs it but the healing should start at home with family and friends. I am going to Chicago to celebrate with all of my children and our grandchild. Sadly, we align well politically and nobody likes Tofurky. We will have no opportunity for conflict or need for healing.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone.
Jerry