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Friends of the Fourth
District:
Thanksgiving is a uniquely American holiday. It is a day that
commemorates the Pilgrims' survival in the New World and celebrates
the freedom for which we offer our thanks to God. As Americans,
every November we gather together our family and friends to give
thanks for our many blessings.
But while every American knows why we celebrate Thanksgiving, you
may not know it actually is one of the results of the Civil War. In
the midst of the national turmoil, President Abraham Lincoln wrote,
"order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed,
and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of
military conflict."
With that, Lincoln declared the last Thursday in November 1863 a
national day of "thanksgiving and prayer” and thus, Thanksgiving
became a national holiday.
Today, America is once
again in the midst of conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. But as in
all wars, the responsibility for the successful conclusion of these
conflicts falls to America's defenders; the men and women of our
Armed Forces who are deployed around the world to protect our
freedoms from those who seek to harm us.
Many members of our military are spending yet another holiday away
from their homes and families, protecting the freedoms that every
American treasures so dearly. Their dedication to duty and selfless
service is truly a blessing to us all. And for that, we are all
thankful.
As families all across this great nation gather together, we give
thanks to God not only for the blessings and benefits of freedom,
but for every man and woman who is fighting to defend it for us.
My family and I would
like to take this opportunity to wish you a very happy Thanksgiving.
May God bless each of you and the United States of America.
DON KNABE
Supervisor, Fourth District
County of Los Angeles
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