Thanksgiving

I am grateful for protesters.

I am grateful for fact-checkers.

I am grateful for the right to vote.

I am grateful for freedom of expression.

I am grateful for the ability to reason.

I am grateful for diversity.

I am grateful to those who challenge my beliefs & positions.

I am grateful for the countless ways in which science has enriched my life.

I am grateful for the patience of science in addition to its beauty.

I am grateful for having discarded religion.

I am grateful for a lot of things, but on the whole I think I'm more worried about the world in general than I ever have been, and--at the risk of further hyperbole--I do believe the upcoming elections will be some of the most significant of our generation.  Each of the above points reflects in some way the foundations of my concern.

So for my American friends this Thanksgiving, as we spend time with family or friends or by ourselves, let us each reflect for a moment on what we're truly grateful for.  If you're the type to have a blessing of some sort before your meals, please try to work in something for which you're grateful that actually gives some credit to people on earth, here and now, doing real work to help make the world a better place.

For my friends elsewhere, have a great day.