YET ANOTHER CONTESTED THANKSGIVING.

That's a tradition almost as old as Thanksgiving, certainly as old as this weblog.  There were Cranky Leftists then, and there are Cranky Leftists now.

It’s the holiday season which means family, food, football and whiny articles from progressives about how to properly politicize your holiday gatherings. The Nation seems to have drawn the short straw this year with a piece by two authors titled “Should America Keep Celebrating Thanksgiving?” The twist in the piece is that the authors think we should in fact continue to celebrate the holiday, but only if we turn it into another excuse for a leftist struggle session.

I wonder whether the founders of The Nation slagged on Abraham Lincoln for proclaiming a Day of Thanksgiving and Prayer in 1863 with Lee and Meade in a standoff south of the Potomac.  I suspect that the notion of giving thanks for a bountiful enough harvest to get through the winter long antedates Europeans settling in the Americas, and there are multiple interpretations of what those New England settlers really did.  Not that it matters.

They’re mostly getting together to enjoy each other’s company and some good food. It’s a reminder that some things, especially family, are more important that politics. That will never be good enough for people whose entire lives revolve around partisan political activity but it’s what most Americans are going to focus on this week whether the activists like it or not.

Plus football. How has that succession plan been going on in Green Bay?

The Green Bаy Pасkerѕ аre lookіng to buіld theіr сonfіdenсe wіth more wіnѕ іn the mіddle of the ѕeаѕon. It аll ѕtаrted off іn the rіght dіreсtіon durіng theіr mаtсhuр аgаіnѕt the Loѕ Angeleѕ Chаrgerѕ. Mаtt LаFleur ѕаw Jordаn Love beсome the offenѕіve engіne for the ѕquаd аѕ he trіumрhed over Juѕtіn Herbert. The Pасkerѕ’ heаd сoасh knew thаt hіѕ quаrterbасk hаd рulled off ѕome flаѕheѕ of аmаzіng tаlent іn theіr wіn, vіа Ryаn Wood of USA Todаy.

They're the midday game at Detroit, which will determine the timing of a lot of turkey dinners tomorrow.  Jordan Love has progressed.

There will be no Friday short takes this week.

I give thanks for your readership and your comments.

Spare a few moments thanks for the young people in harm's way around the world, for the people in emergency services who deserve to sit down to the turkey without the alarm ringing, for the people in transportation, tourism, and entertainment passing on their family gatherings to enhance yours.

Postings will resume next week.