Things to be Grateful for on this Thanksgiving

Nov. 28, 2002

Saddam Hussein. Yes, we should be grateful for the Iraqi dictator. Though he has never attacked us, our obsession with Hussein has blinded us to the faltering economy, our failed Israel/Palestinian policies, spiraling budget deficits, Enron and other corporate scandals, the depressed stock market, and the suspension of many Constitutional rights in the name of security. Sometimes, ignorance is bliss.
Even though Osama bin Laden is alive and planning still more murderous attacks against us, we don‘t have much time for him anymore. To Americans, Hussein has become the most menacing person in history - more dangerous than bin Laden, Hitler, Charles Manson, and Attila the Hun combined. Saddam Hussein is the ultimate scapegoat.
My dogs. Star is always there to help when I fill the food bowls and Blue is an excellent watch dog if anything resembling a terrorist enters our domain. I am very fortunate to have the most loyal dogs in all of Northern Michigan.
Radio talk show hosts Bill O‘Reilly and Jim Bohannon. O‘Reilly and Jimbo are the only political talking heads whose opinions seem to cross party lines. You get the feeling that they say what they really feel in their guts - not what is entertaining or in support of partisan politics. Also, unlike most shows, their guests actually challenge the hosts, intellectually. If O‘Reilly and Bohannon are considered conservatives, they are unpredictable ones.
Popsicles. Nature‘s perfect food has no fat, is sweet and crunchy, comes in many different flavors, and is reasonably priced. The only downside to Popsicles is my inability to eat only one in a sitting. I shudder to think of a world without them.
Michael Moore. What other left-wing icon is unassuming enough to be welcomed into the homes of would-be enemies James Nichols and Charlton Heston with a video camera? Whatever you think of him, he is an original and his voice is desperately needed in a media environment dominated by conservative talk show filibustering. And besides, he is hilarious.
Halle Berry. What a pleasure it is to see films featuring this Oscar winning actress. The accolades she has received of late are long overdue. On the big screen, she seems to know all of her lines, moves really well, has a nice smile, and moves really well. And besides, she moves really well.
The Blues. No other musical genre combines passion and the genuine American experience so well. Though the legends will never die, the recent growth of the Blues in popularity has spawned a new generation of youthful musicians to belt out “Damn right, I‘ve got the blues.“
The Supreme Court. Kudos to Mssr. Rehnquist, Scalia, Thomas, et al. Thankfully, the highest court in the land refused to allow Florida to count all of the votes in the 2000 election and dragged George W. Bush into the White House. If 9/11 had happened on Al Gore‘s watch, can you imagine the firestorm of blame and anger that would have been directed Gore‘s way by opponents? Somehow the court knew the spineless Democrats would lay off a Republican administration and bring relative unity to our country.
Michael Jackson. If not for the antics of Moonwalkin‘ Jacko, we might sometimes think our own lives are very weird.
Snow. Few places can match Northern Michigan‘s cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and other winter recreation sports. And besides, without our frigid Michigan winters, there would be no accuse to go on Caribbean vacations.
Latinos. If not for the growth of the Hispanic population and culture in this country, I might not have been turned on to salsa (both the sauce and dance), Mexican food, and Santana. Mucho gracias, amigos.
Northern Express Weekly newspaper. The people I work with are awesome. And where else can you spend your day in a casual atmosphere, joke around, write outlandish opinions pieces, and get paid for it?