Thanksgiving November 20,2015

Remind me, folks, lest this dinosaur forgot. Why  did the Pilgrims designate this day of celebrating with the Native Americans when they had survived the first harsh winter in their new land and harvested their first fall crops?

They thanked their God for what? Turkey? Corn? Sweet potatoes?

They were grateful they had chosen against all odds to flee the countries that were persecuting them. They had made the difficult choices and had experienced significant hardships not only reaching a new land, but learning new skills, weathering storms and cold to which they had not been accustomed and relating with the people who already lived here.In order to be free.

Where did they flee to?

America

And every so often, since then, we become "isolationist" and refuse entry to others fleeing harsh conditions, persecutions, discrimination, war and death. WHY?

And how do we justify all the Thanksgiving holiday hoopla without welcoming the stranger into our midst?