Bucknackt's Sordid Tawdry Blog: Thanksgiving 2013

01 December 2013

Thanksgiving 2013 recap....

I had a great Thanksgiving. I was at my sister's and stayed there my whole weekend (from Wednesday night till Saturday evening) with her husband Ted, kids Alex (home from the Army / Ft Benning, GA) and our Mom and Dad. Not only did we eat well on Thanksgiving Day, turkey and stuffing and all the good stuff that goes with it, but the time spent together. On Saturday it was small business Saturday so we went to Warrenton, VA and started with lunch at Molly's Irish Pub for lunch and then wandered the shops of the main street for some Christmas shopping and finished at Great Harvest Bread Co for coffee and scones! Best though was the time at Jen's & Ted's together, I don't know what I would do without my family!

27 November 2013

WHO ARE YOU THANKFUL FOR THIS YEAR????? THANKSGIVING 2013

OTHER than my family and friends here are some of my fellow Americans I am thankful for.......

Who are you thankful for this year?

Thanksgiving is a time for reflection – a chance to ask ourselves what we're really thankful for, what really matters to us. This year, we've seen people all across the country act boldly to defend our fundamental freedoms.

We've put together a few of the 2013 acts of leadership, courage and vision that we think are especially deserving of our gratitude. We hope you'll take a moment to share one or more of them to let your friends and family know who you're thankful for this year.

Edie Windsor: Taking the fight for equality to the Supreme Court. Edie Windsor took on the government — and won. When her spouse and partner of 40 years, Thea Spyer, died in 2009, the government considered them complete strangers. Windsor and the ACLU fought back — taking her case all the way to the Supreme Court. In June, the Court issued a landmark decision striking down a key provision of the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Her determination led to a history-making breakthrough that will affect the lives of millions across America. Share with your friends why you're thankful for Edie Windsor's victory for equality.	Javier Contreras: Dreaming of a better life for DREAMers. Javier Contreras, a 17-year-old student from Ann Arbor, Michigan, was brought to the US from Mexico by his father when he was four years old. Federal legislation grants young immigrants like Contreras — referred to as DREAMers — the ability to work in this country legally. But, they still face huge hurdles in accessing basic necessities, like a driver's license. Javier took a tremendous risk by becoming the lead plaintiff in an ACLU challenge to this law. Thankfully, we helped Javier as well as many other DREAMers in Michigan and across the country face one less obstacle in their daily lives. Share with your friends why you're thankful for Javier Contreras and his fight for justice.
Edward Snowden: Exposing the truth. Edward Snowden risked everything and lost much to let the American people know the truth about the government's massive, secret spying program. By bringing to light information that the powers-that-be would rather keep secret, whistleblowers like Edward Snowden play a fundamental role in our democracy. His actions have helped advance challenges to massive abuses of government power carried out in the name of national security. Share with your friends why you're thankful for Edward Snowden's courage.	Viviette Applewhite: Fighting for the right to vote. Viviette Applewhite is 93 years old and cast her first-ever vote for John F. Kennedy in 1960. She has voted in nearly every election since. But, under a new, restrictive Pennsylvania law, Viviette could be barred from the polls. She is standing up for herself and everyone else in her state who could be denied the right to vote as the lead plaintiff in the ACLU's lawsuit challenging her state's harsh Voter ID law. Share with your friends why you're thankful for Viviette Applewhite standing up for the right to vote.
Jagjeet Singh: Challenging religious discrimination. Jagjeet Singh is a Sikh truck driver who, after being pulled over for a flat tire, was called a "terrorist" by police officers and arrested for refusing to remove his kirpan, which Singh was lawfully wearing in accordance with his religious beliefs. When he showed up for his court date, the judge referred to his turban as a "rag" — and threatened to punish him unless he removed it. By speaking out and forcing local government denunciation of his treatment, Jagjeet Singh stood up for the right of everyone to practice his or her faith. Share with your friends why you're thankful for Jagjeet Singh's refusal to stand for religious discrimination.	Wendy Davis: Standing up for reproductive rights. To stop a radical and dangerous bill that threatened women's health and reproductive freedom in Texas, Wendy Davis launched an awe-inspiring, one woman 11-hour standing filibuster — giving voice to the concerns and realities of women across America [and creating a run on pink tennis shoes everywhere]. Share with your friends why you're thankful for Wendy Davis' courage.