Be thankful for the hand you were dealt
LETTERS LETTERS@USATODAY.COM
Thanksgiving, with all its festivities and scrumptious dishes, has always been my favorite holiday. As an immigrant to the U.S., I have adored this holiday not only for its origin of fostering peace among warring parties but also its focus on divine remembrance and offerings of gratitude — a common value shared by all religions.
As a Muslim, the idea of giving thanks reminds me of a saying of Prophet Mohammed, “One who is not grateful to others is not grateful to God.” From an Islamic perspective, rendering thanks to God will not suffice unless I make a sincere attempt of appreciating my fellow mankind and the environment from which I draw many benefits.
Thankfully, in the U.S., we are encouraged to endorse the true teachings of Islam. If our new leaders hold on to the American values of decency, tolerance and gratefulness, it will be reassuring because those values are what make America a great nation. Nadia Ahmad Round Rock, Texas
During Thanksgiving, we should all take a moment to think about and give thanks for the blessings we have been given:
If you’re a Christian, be thankful that you can wear religious paraphernalia in public without being harassed, teased or forced to leave airplanes because of paranoid Islamophobes.
If you’re white, be thankful that you’re much less likely to be stopped, searched, detained or have violence used against you during a traffic stop. You also probably won’t have to deal with security guards following you through department stores.
If you’re not Latino, be thankful that you don’t have to carry proof of citizenship with you everywhere you go for fear that you’ll be detained and deported from your own country.
If you’re male, be thankful that religious fanatics aren’t trying to shut down the clinic where you go to get your annual exam, your cancer screenings or your prescriptions. You also don’t have to deal with people harassing you as you go to your appointments.
Remember, it’s the little things that make some people’s lives so privileged and spoiled, and you should be thankful for them. David Cross Louisville
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People take themselves, and this election, way too seriously. In this country we have a lot to be thankful for. We live in the greatest country on the planet. Take time to count your blessings. Scott Hardy
I’m looking forward to discussing politics over the holidays. I always do. I’m a conservative and a strong supporter of Donald Trump (and of America). I look forward to spreading the news. Bruce Linder
TWITTER @USATOPINION
We asked our followers what they were looking forward to during Thanksgiving.
Looking forward to not cooking and being at the beach with my family! @eticklethomas
Looking forward to sharing great food and time with family and friends. Dreading seeing my sister eating with her mouth open! @Lorna_sassypant
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