A Spirited Phantasy Thanksgiving Table

by Zehorit Heilicher, Tastemaker in Residence

What would be your Thanksgiving phantasy? Who would you have at your table? Perhaps historical figures, such as Lincoln and FDR? Literary figures like Hemingway and Jane Austen? Scientists like Einstein and Madame Curie? Or perhaps super heroes are more your type? How about Superman, Batman, Wonder-Woman? All would make for an amazingly stimulating conversation – no doubt!

My phantasy table is a bit crowded and quite colorful. It welcomes a spirited and passionate conversation, a variety of cultures and languages, including ethnic narratives that are sometimes at odds with each other. Sounds chaotic? Noisy? Challenging? Yep! 

I’d like to welcome all of our society’s members to our national table: The Native American warrior descendant, adorned with Eagle feathers, the dark eyed Latina wearing her Quincenera tiara, the blue eyed Swede and German from the fields of golden corn, the East Coast Irish Catholic and the Hijab wearing Detroit Muslim, the New York Jew in his Yarmulke and the San Francisco Asian Buddhist, the grandson of a black slave and the Southern belle of the ball, the Texan oil tycoon in his Stetson and the Italian baker – the list just goes on and on, right??

This is how I see the real America – a tapestry of personal stories, woven through immigration waves, struggles and perseverance, hope and faith to create the American narrative. The movie “The American President”, starring Michael Douglas has a presidential speech that says it all: 

America isn't easy. America is advanced citizenship. You've gotta want it bad, 'cause it's gonna put up a fight. It's gonna say, "You want free speech? Let's see you acknowledge a man whose words make your blood boil, who's standing center stage and advocating at the top of his lungs that which you would spend a lifetime opposing at the top of yours." You want to claim this land as the land of the free? Then the symbol of your country cannot just be a flag. The symbol also has to be one of its citizens exercising his right to burn that flag in protest. Now show me that, defend that, celebrate that in your classrooms.

Then you can stand up and sing about the land of the free.

This Thanksgiving let us all gather together in the land of the free, embracing our diversity and celebrating our strength.

Happy Thanksgiving!