A beloved American tradition, Thanksgiving Day offers us the opportunity to focus our thoughts on the grace that has been extended to our people and our country.\u00a0 This spirit brought together the newly arrived Pilgrims and the Wampanoag tribe \u2014 who had been living and thriving around Plymouth, Massachusetts for thousands of years \u2014 in an autumn harvest feast centuries ago.\u00a0 This Thanksgiving Day, we reflect on the compassion and contributions of Native Americans, whose skill in agriculture helped the early colonists survive, and whose rich culture continues to add to our Nation\u2019s heritage.\u00a0 We also pause our normal pursuits on this day and join in a spirit of fellowship and gratitude for the year\u2019s bounties and blessings.<\/p>\n
Thanksgiving Day is a time each year, dating back to our founding, when we lay aside the troubles and disagreements of the day and bow our heads in humble recognition of the providence bestowed upon our Nation.\u00a0 Amidst the uncertainty of a fledgling experiment in democracy, President George Washington declared the first Thanksgiving in America, recounting the blessings of tranquility, union, and plenty that shined upon our young country.\u00a0 In the dark days of the Civil War when the fate of our Union was in doubt, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a Thanksgiving Day, calling for \u201cthe Almighty hand\u201d to heal and restore our Nation.<\/p>\n
In confronting the challenges of our day, we must draw strength from the resolve of previous generations who faced their own struggles and take comfort in knowing a brighter day has always dawned on our great land.\u00a0 As we stand at the close of one year and look to the promise of the next, we lift up our hearts in gratitude to God for our many blessings, for one another, and for our Nation.\u00a0 This Thanksgiving Day, we remember that the freedoms and security we enjoy as Americans are protected by the brave men and women of the United States Armed Forces.\u00a0 These patriots are willing to lay down their lives in our defense, and they and their families deserve our profound gratitude for their service and sacrifice.<\/p>\n
This harvest season, we are also reminded of those experiencing the pangs of hunger or the hardship of economic insecurity.\u00a0 Let us return the kindness and generosity we have seen throughout the year by helping our fellow citizens weather the storms of our day.<\/p>\n
As Americans gather for the time-honored Thanksgiving Day meal, let us rejoice in the abundance that graces our tables, in the simple gifts that mark our days, in the loved ones who enrich our lives, and in the gifts of a gracious God.\u00a0 Let us recall that our forebears met their challenges with hope and an unfailing spirit, and let us resolve to do the same.<\/p>\n
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim Thursday, November 25, 2010, as a National Day of Thanksgiving.\u00a0 I encourage all the people of the United States to come together \u2014 whether in our homes, places of worship, community centers, or any place of fellowship for friends and neighbors \u2014 to give thanks for all we have received in the past year, to express appreciation to those whose lives enrich our own, and to share our bounty with others.<\/p>\n
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-third day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand ten, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fifth.<\/p>\n
BARACK OBAMA<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A beloved American tradition, Thanksgiving Day offers us the opportunity to focus our thoughts on the grace that has been extended to our people and our country.\u00a0 This spirit brought together the newly arrived Pilgrims and the Wampanoag tribe \u2014 who had been living and thriving around Plymouth, Massachusetts for thousands of years \u2014 in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":197,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11025","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n