The survey questioned American adults about their attitudes toward Thanksgiving.
Given the narrative we’ve been sold by those who profit from polarity, one would expect responses like: “There’s nothing to be thankful for,” “Nah, no dinner this year—too expensive,” “Uncle Ned? Too much noise and politics to invite him”—and so forth.
But the reverse happens to be true.
We’re thankful to those who keep the lamps of human rights and religious freedom burning bright.
Eighty-six percent of us will celebrate Thanksgiving 2025, 75 percent expect to be with family and a whopping 91 percent of us are thankful this year.
We’re thankful for this poll, which shows that, as a nation, we can still gather around a feast (with turkey still the favorite, Brussels sprouts dead last) and count our blessings.
And so, if you’ll allow us to join you in giving thanks…
We’re thankful to those who keep the lamps of human rights and religious freedom burning bright, especially in the world’s dark corners, where those lamps have guttered or dimmed.
We’re grateful for organizations that illuminate the plight of oppressed nations and help secure freedom of faith for persecuted religious communities.
We’re also thankful for the stalwart individuals and groups whom we’ve counted on as partners in the multi-front battle for equal rights and justice, compassion, the freedom of speech, freedom of information and ethical journalism.
Often working long hours with little to no thanks, their labors set them squarely against powerful vested interests whose livelihoods depend on human rights abuse, psychiatric torture, injustice, corruption, and the destruction of morality, religion and individual liberty.
Yet somehow—often against preposterous odds—these individuals and groups, heroes all, are shifting the world’s rudder, steering it from the edge of the abyss and back onto the moral arc Dr. King tells us bends toward justice.
For all of these friends and allies we are truly thankful.
But no acknowledgment would be complete without thanking you, our readers, too.
We know that you read Freedom not for diversion or entertainment, but to gain insight into the world as it is—the bright spots along with the blots, the good guys worth rooting for and the bad guys who must be exposed so the good guys can prevail.
So we thank you for taking the red pill—for choosing to pursue a sometimes-painful truth, rather than seek refuge in the bliss of ignorance.
The simple fact is, you can’t see the truth unless you look.
Thank you for seeing.
Thank you for standing up.
Thank you for bearing witness.
Happy Thanksgiving.
