American Thinker: On this Thanksgiving Day, I have lots to be thankful for. I live in a wonderful country, have a wonderful family, and enjoy freedoms that many in this world do not. This Thanksgiving, I will sit down to a beautiful meal prepared by those I love. God has given me much to be thankful for, and I am grateful.
I wonder if those on the left will be celebrating this day in the same spirit. It seems that no matter how much they have or how many freedoms they enjoy, for progressives, it is never enough. For them, the world is an awful place, America is an immoral country, and this special day will pass with no expression of gratitude to their Creator. It saddens me to see it, but that view of existence is more prevalent now than at any time since the 1960s.
In the classic song “Paint It Black” (1966), Mick Jagger sings of a sad individual who wants to turn everything he sees black. In the world he imagines, there are no flowers, no summer dresses, and no cars other than black ones. In the end, the singer comes to see that it’s his own heart that is black and that he is responsible for the emptiness that he sees.
Jagger and Keith Richards may have intended the song as a lament for a desperately unhappy person who despises everything he sees, but for many, the popular song was a celebration of anarchy and rebellion. It perfectly suited the angry mood of the time. With its string of assassinations, violent protests, rioting, and political bombings, the decade of the late ’60s was the most unsettled time in modern American history.
Many young men and women had painted the world black, and a substantial number of these damaged souls never grew up. They’re still out there, imagining the world a terrible place and finding meaning only in resistance. A new generation has followed them into negation. Jagger might just as well have been singing of the violence of Antifa protests. The typical Antifa protester wouldn’t be seen in anything except black, and despite the Antifa (“anti-fascist”) designation, those raised fists look a lot like fascist salutes, especially like those of modern-day fascists.
In the half-century since Jagger’s song appeared, a vast culture of antagonism has arisen in the West. That cynical culture has spread to politics, media, and schools everywhere. more
“Let’s bow our head in thanks to the Almighty for this day of Thanks for our great nation and society, built up by the hard work and fortitude of our ancestors.”
“Well, actually…”
“SHUT THE FUCK UP YOU GODDAMN COMMUNIST PIECE OF SHIT!!! (slap!)… (punch!)… (kick!)…”
“Amen.”
(Sounds of contented eating)
I believe that most people want to leave a lasting mark on the world. Those who are creative leave their mark by creating and those pieces of shit who are too lazy to create anything still want to leave their mark on the world and they manifest that desire through wanton and gratuitous malicious destruction of what others have created.
https://youtu.be/ybWsRn60fSk
H/t Kenny the Scot
A cynic might suppose that the Rolling Stones were bummed out by some of their depressed fans (who today would fall into the “emo” camp) and recorded Paint It, Black¹ to encourage suicide.
1. As originally released, the title had that comma in it. I have no idea why, nor why it was later removed.
As much as the PIB crowd demands attention the more determined I am to ignore them. Burn your cities. Burn your Starbucks. I don’t care a wit. Not a trifling.
Meanwhile. In real America these undisciplined children are having zero impact.
“No one can be made to feel inferior without their consent.” Eleanor Roosevelt.
Most far left folks I know are miserable people. They may talk like elitists, but deep down they feel inferior. But one thing I have learned over the years is that most of these feelings are universal – most people feel incompetent, inferior, inadequate, ugly or socially awkward at times. But leftists seem to embrace this mindset on a more or less full time basis, so as a consequence everything is someone else’s fault or they are a victim and the government must fix it.
I don’t know Donald Trump, and I probably will never meet him. I think his overall policies are good for America, but to be honest the Trump administration doesn’t have that much of an impact on my life. But I want those people who think the government is responsible for their happiness, or who are dependent on a government check to live, or see evil in everything and everyone, to realize that there is far, far more to life. Sure, it’s a roller coaster, but looking back, it was definitely an E ticket ride.
Anyway, I just realize that much of the time I am stupid and inadequate, but I charge ahead anyway. Faith in God certainly helps and keeps the moral compass calibrated, and the Bible teaches that most of us fail most of the time, but eventually we get to where we need to be. That’s where liberals miss the boat; they’re too busy whining and moaning to even walk to the dock.
So, sometimes in spite of myself, I have a lot to be thankful for. Happy Thanksgiving to all.
One thing I’ve noticed about Conservatives over the years is that most refuse to be a burden to anyone. Yet those same Conservatives are the first to help people they care about, thinking nothing of it and not regarding it as a burden. Progressives are VERY confused by this.
Liberals/Progressives don’t understand that our cherished freedom of association translates to ‘freedom to care OR NOT TO CARE.’ Their view of ‘community’ is one of political compulsion based on a false ethic. Conservatives view ‘community’ as an elective and the result of being free to choose without enslavement.
@Jimmy – Valuable observations. Doubleplusgood.
@Wyatt IPJ – Well said.
And a Happy Thanksgiving to you and to all the usual group of IOTW deplorables.
Have a great Thanksgiving Day, tomorrow, Uncle Al.
I cant add to what was said, so i’ll just say
you’re going to be thankful and like it.
Let the morons mope, I’m not going to give them a thought to ruin my holiday. They’re just not worth it.
I like the cranberry fluff
Being grateful is a good thing
The above posts are what keeps me coming back.
Faith, Family and Friends.
Enjoy all three this Thanksgiving and beyond.
Blessings.
“Paint It Black” is about a young man mourning intensely for his recently deceased girl friend. Such intense pain exists, and some people have to deal with it. The song is brutally realistic, but it isn’t nihilism.
^^P.K. gets it.
I’m baking challah again this yr. early tomorrow morning, a tradition I started 40 years ago for every Thanksgiving and Christmas. It will be a little different this yr. since I lost or misplaced my old challah recipe so I’m going to use a new one. My daughters have followed me in doing this for quite a few yrs. as well. It’ll be good and this is the first yr. for my 3 brothers and myself that we won’t celebrate the holidays with my parents after 65 yrs. since they both passed away earlier this yr. Have a great and blessed Thanksgiving day tomorrow everyone at IOTW, it’s the beginning of the best time of the yr. My youngest daughter inherited the tablecloth that has been signed by all my relatives from grandparents on down and friends everyone whoever had a holiday dinner with us over the past 65 yrs., it was the only thing she wanted from my mom and dad after they passed away, we may have to bring it out for more signatures.
as long as when I leave this Earth remembered, fondly, by family & close friends I will have died contented
Happy Thanksgiving to all of you good folks here … have a blessed holiday
(P.S. ‘Paint It Black’ is an allegorical tale … take from it what you will … as for me, I stopped interpreting songs when Paul died 😉 )
Happy Thanksgiving to all my finely feathered friendlies.