1)We live in a country today that can now say that anybody can aspire to be president (after the elction of Obama)

Well, actually you previously elected a retard, that pretty much meant anyone could get that job. It is as much of a reason as the one provided.
2)We have Freedom of Religion. It does not matter what you believe, you are free to worship how you please in America.

With the exception that if you are muslim your mosque may be attacked but no one will care. Muslim is used as an insult in the USA, (please see the Obama v McCain debacle). So basically yes you have freedom of religion but the only religion that gets respect is Christianity and a really preverted version of christianity at that.
3)I am very thankful for each and every man and woman that is serving or has served in the military.

What? including all those involved in Abu Ghraib, the puppy thrower? how about those that carried out My Lai?

I am thankful we live in a country where even an asshole like Bill can express his views.Bill, let me know when you are moving out of this country; I would love to help you pack.

Too bad that we don’t have freedom from religion as well. If you let the fundies know that you don’t believe in their angry eye-in-the-sky, they tend to get quite nasty about it.

“I could have gone on forever” … but I can only think of 3 things…

Greatest country my ass. America is where it is today because it was the only major country that didn’t suffer any substantial damage to its manufacturing base during WWI and II. That coupled with an unrivaled military expenditure and there you have it. As far at “that one” being president, it think the reason for his win was that his competition ran a campaign that sucked.

How’s that for a bunch of whiny entitled Americans? No one else is thankful for anything?

My God, my husband, my family, good health, friends, my country, vacation days, a roof over my head, nice meals, employment, lower gas prices, my dogs, a warm bed, Derek’s blog . . . those are a few things I’m thankful for. Also, Kurt and Bill, I’m sorry you’ve not experienced genuine Christian love–unfortunately, Jesus Christ is often quite misrepresented by his followers (sometimes myself included)and people who claim to be his followers–I hope someday you witness better behavior. Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Nabil, we had to fight like hell to make sure we weren’t attacked the second time on the east coast after our pacific fleet was destroyed.
Its too bad that you can’t see what everyone else sees. We ARE a great country.Our economic market is tied to the whole world simply because of that. we’ve helped so many people in the last 100 years. Your country of birth can’t say that. We’ve done MUCH good and made mistakes along the way. that’s the story of a champion…not a saint.
where else can a horses ass like yourself obtain free speech? try doing that in India or Pakistan.
try it in Russia and see what you get!
Americans understand something that you half assed camel riding butt jockeys don’t…we’re all in this boat together.
we’ve paid the price many many times for our freedom. you folks don’t seem inclined to pay that cost..not if you can pass it on to someone else. well you can’t. Get over it or continue to be the 3rd world hovel that you are now.
That being said, I’m thankful for family. I’m also thankful that we still have a military of rough and ready men willing to kill or die for our freedom, just like I was when I was young.
I’m thankful that my country allows me to worship they way I wish, without attempting to kill me because of my beliefs.
I’m thankful for so many other things. A good job, a great place to live and the ability to weather any storm life may throw at me.
Nabil..I don’t dislike you. I don’t even know you..if you’re upset that we live better then you and your countrymen..perhaps you should emulate our belief system instead of just hating us. it’s a bit harder to do..but it’s a lot more rewarding

Bill,
yes, I’m thankful for our military. people like you look at only the bad things. that’s why you’re such a loser and a loud mouth.
when a disaster happens in a foreign country, we send a carrier task force. sorry people like YOU see “Americans trying to extend their unjust hegemony” or some retarded thing like that.
I see a 2000 bed hospital. a 5000 gallon an hour fresh water source. I also see extra man power to help the civil authorities keep order and maintain peace.
I see the ability to airlift supplies into that country so that folks don’t need to suffer needlessly, as well as a quick extraction system to get those people to medical aid quickly.
you’re welcome to believe what you like…but don’t try and sell me a crap sandwich and then call it a steak.

I am thankful to be an American. I don’t think my country is perfect and I don’t always agree with what it does abroad or even its laws here at home, but I do believe in its ideals even when the reality does not live up to them. Do I believe my country is the greatest in the world? Sometimes and in some ways, yes, in many others, no. Still, it is my country and I’d rather stick around and try to help make it what it could be rather than blindly accept what it is.

My ancestors came here to find freedom and opportunity, some of them before this was even a country of its own. They were hard workers and I am proud to be descended from them even as I am ashamed of some of the things they did or beliefs they may have held. I don’t even agree with many of their religious beliefs, but I respect the strength they had to fight for them in a world that had little tolerance for them.

This nation is great because it is comprised of so many differences and the diversity of race, faith, and politcal views has been tolerated, if not allowed to flourish. I can only hope that future generations will build on that diversity, expanding what has so often been called the melting pot into a wonderful mixture of the strengths we all have to offer rather than giving into fear as we all too often have. Whenever we give into our fear and allow it to drive us to hate those who are different, it is then that those that seek to inspire fear truly win.

The evil terrorists that planned attacks on our nation several years ago didn’t win when they managed to kill so many innocent civilians…they won when allowed ourselves to be ruled by fear, cut back on our own liberties out of that fear, and impose our will on other nations out of that fear and become the nation that they had accused us of being rather than remaining the strong, free society that they envied and despised. We have a chance now to change that and to prove that they will not have the final victory on freedom and that we will not be driven to extremism by their own extreme actions.

Yes…I am a patriot and I love my country enough to be angry when it does not live up to its ideals and still love it enough to keep fighting to make it do so.

im not from america but read what you said and thought that you are completely right
i remember learning about times when discrimination was the norm and there was such racial hate and segregation.
like you said about barack obama, he is the son of an immigrant and managed to follow his dreams and revolutionise the world
i am extremely thankful and proud to live in a time when things like this are possible
i look up to brack obama in every way because he stands for aspiring to be something bigger and better in this world and shows that you can do anything if you try
this is what i am thankful for
i may not be american but i still strongly support barack obama and am still proud of being a part of this revolutionary time

Not to bring a dead topic back to life but…

Many of the users posted comments that could have been said in another country. Good health, good family, wonderful vacation days all could have been possibly been yours in a different country, so in reality that’s kind of a weak thank you (No offense, but I’m just pointing this out).

In terms of military and terrorism, they’re separate. Terrorism isn’t used to win wars, it is used to kill those who are the terrorists enemy’s, or in some cases other reasons. A country will not be put to ruin by terrorism (depends on the degree actually but that’s a different topic). This isn’t to say that the loss isn’t sad, but as a nation we needed to stand stronger and not be so fearful.

I have nothing to say about the military or our armed forces in general. It’s just sad that they can abuse their power against the innocence, as can be seen in many of the Iraq prison stories as well as police shooting those who are already arrested and not struggling (yes there are cases). Not to mention the taser killings but those are more complicated.

I love the United States, but the US does not live up to it’s ideals. Despite promoting freedom we also promote 3rd world countries conform to our style of government in order for us to help them (see SAP, and how the IMF and WB look to see who is friendly to American and European corporations).

Freedom of the press is probably the most misleading thing in the world. True some newspaper and media sources DO tell the stories we need to hear. Others are owned by people like Rupert Murdoch and Ted Turner who can easily manipulate what they want in the paper.

Lastly, every time someone mentions African American in office, they defeat the purpose of the idea that our nation has advanced beyond the silly notion of race and our nation is finally moving forward to see that we are all humans who know no limitations. The reason for this is that the person who says it just shows that he/she thought it impossible (or highly improbable) to happen, which shouldn’t have been the case at all, showing you think that there is still some type of prejudice for the socially constructed subject known as race.

i would just like to say that i never thought it impossible for barack obama to win, i am just reall happy that he did
dont judge people when you dot know what they really think!!

@towerclimber37
Amen,towerclimber. Thanks for your service, for making the sacrifices necessary to protect our freedoms.
May I just add, America became great because of great men with a singular great vision, and stayed great because of those who were willing to fight for the freedoms we still enjoy today. Today we’ve lost sight of that, but we still have much to be thankful for as a nation. God bless all of you, whether your perspective is negative or positive, and may God help America!