Where I Stand — Brian Greenspun: Reasons for thanks

Friday, Nov. 29, 2002 | 4:11 a.m.

THIS IS A TIME for thanksgiving.

By now the leftovers should be gone. The weight-loss plans should be in full swing, or at the very least the talking about an effort to trim the waistline should be nonstop, and each of us should be looking toward our tomorrows with a sense of hope that has been tested this past year.

Jews the world over are celebrating Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, while terrorists around the globe are stepping up their efforts to kill Israelis, Americans and anyone else who loves freedom and seeks to live in an increasingly modern world. The paradoxes abound as our world becomes more complex and challenging.

And, as our Christian friends prepare for the Christmas season, it is becoming even more clear that the spirit of goodwill towards men and women on this planet needs a boost. Not only amongst those who wish us great harm, but even, I am sad to say, in our own country where people of faith -- all kinds of faith -- have allowed a few to hate in the names of the many.

It is not the best of pictures, but I am quite certain it is far from the most bleak of moments that have plagued us during the short 225-year history of the United States. All that is to say that we will get through this time of great and different peril that threatens our way of life and the stability of friends and allies around the globe. We have proved in darker times that democracy works by providing leadership when it is needed and a willingness by our citizens to do whatever is necessary to protect and defend that which we know is the greatest country on the planet.

It is appropriate that both Thanksgiving and Hanukkah are being celebrated at the same time this year. Since Hanukkah floats between November and December, it sometimes coincides with the gift-giving spirit of the Christmas season, and at other times occurs nearer to America's time for giving thanks. This is one of those thankful times.

I can't imagine the sheer horror visited upon the mothers and fathers of innocent children when they learn that their gifts to the next generation have been cut down by homicide bombers who are using the dead and injured youngsters as pawns in some perverted game of international politics. When I see and hear their grief, I am ever more thankful that those close to me live in the relative safety of the United States.

And when I read and hear about the growing number of American companies that have been victimized by their leaders and those in whom the shareholders have placed the responsibility for acting in accordance with accepted norms of honesty and fair dealing, I am grateful for the men and women with whom I work on a daily basis who give of themselves in an honest, loyal and dedicated way. There are always exceptions, of course, but when we have people we can trust to do what is right all the time, we should indeed be grateful.

I know there are thousands and, perhaps, millions of Americans who on Thanksgiving Day do not enjoy the serenity of sharing a bountiful meal with loved ones and friends. Some take a warm turkey meal in a shelter, others get far less, and there are some who get nothing at all. As I looked around our table last Thursday evening, I saw loved ones who enjoyed each other's company and appreciated the bounty with which we have been graced. I am thankful for those times, too.

And, as Jews celebrate Hanukkah, lighting a candle for each of the eight nights that represent one of the great miracles of our faith, the world bears witness to more murder, more carnage and more hate that is sponsored by people without hope and paid for by people who profess to be our friends. While I am thankful that our country is doing something to stop these murderers from doing their worst, I know there is so much more we could be doing. We should be treating false friends the way we must treat our enemies. We should all be thankful when that kind of understanding comes home to our leadership. And even more thankful if it is understood without the impetus of another heinous act.

During this Festival of Lights we reflect on the Jewish people giving light to the world. It is a light of understanding and knowledge and, together with the uniquely American celebration of Thanksgiving, it shines brightly on a civilization that, in spite of its obvious shortcomings, has come a long way from the dark age of ignorance.

For that and for the comfort of our loved ones, we should each give thanks.